Game: Pass the Pigs

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crparis — 2008-09-25T22:32:17+00:00

How many points is THAT worth?!

Thread: Re: Double Leaning Jowler?

blue square thing — 2008-08-28T10:57:08+00:00

emonika wrote:
I have owned this game for over 20 years and can recall rolling the Double Leaning Jowler only a couple of times. Definitely no more than 10 times.

It is really rare and usually happens more frequently if you play on a table cloth. On a completely smooth surface it's almost impossible to get.

This is probably true. On a ferry crossing it's almost certainly impossible.

Thread: Re: Pass the Pigs...the show!

Der Das — 2008-07-26T22:43:38+00:00

I pass.

Thread: Re: Pass the Pigs...the show!

zombiegod — 2008-07-26T15:13:09+00:00

Pass The Pigs: Episode 1

Youtube Video

Thread: Re: Slight variant to make the game a little more exciting

Teabeard — 2008-07-25T15:35:14+00:00

Yeah this variant really makes this game, since adding this rule I end up being asked for a game of pigs all the time. I am now carrying a set around wherever I go, thanks a lot for the suggestion!

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Toynan — 2008-07-02T23:09:32+00:00

Back of the game (French)

Thread: Pass the Pigs...the show!

JessFranco — 2008-07-01T22:18:22+00:00

If you're not familiar with it, Channel 101 is a website devoted to the screening of short video "pilots" which are voted on and either come back for more episodes or are canceled. The most famous Channel 101 "shows" are probably Yacht Rock, Planet Unicorn, and House of Cosbys. Well the June screening featured an animated show by Brian Wysolmierski based on the game Pass the Pigs. Check it out, it's pretty funny. Partly it's a parody of the 80's cartoon/toy advertisement. Partly it's just frickin' weird. Best of all it was voted to return, so we'll get to see episode 2 next month. Go to www.channel101.com and look under Prime Time Shows.

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Toynan — 2008-06-22T02:23:11+00:00

French edition

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Toynan — 2008-06-21T17:30:42+00:00

Fantastic rear view !!!

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montsegur — 2008-06-15T15:06:51+00:00

German MB Schweinerei Version

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Jatoha — 2008-03-23T01:44:20+00:00

Serious players will always roll on a tray of raw bacon!

Thread: Re: Double Leaning Jowler?

emonika — 2008-03-18T19:34:43+00:00

I have owned this game for over 20 years and can recall rolling the Double Leaning Jowler only a couple of times. Definitely no more than 10 times.

It is really rare and usually happens more frequently if you play on a table cloth. On a completely smooth surface it's almost impossible to get.

Thread: A few extra ways to score

fenrhys — 2008-03-12T17:58:01+00:00

My wife and I almost always play Pass the Pigs when waiting at restaurants. I've come up with a few extra ways to score.

Five "siders" thrown in a row scores 50 points. This happens very rarely.

If the person who is behind in score throws a first roll "pig out" on three subsequent turns they earn a "pig out free" roll on their next turn. "Pig out free roll" = throw the pigs until you throw a "pig out" and record the points scored for that round (you don't lose your points for the turn). We keep track of the first roll "pig outs" by putting a dot on the score pad. For every first roll "pig out" in a row beyond three, the player can ignore one "pig out" during the "pig out free roll". For instance, if I somehow manage to lose my turn five times in a row by rolling a "pig out" on the first throw of my turn, on my next turn I would get to keep scoring until I had rolled three "pig outs" (I would ignore the first two) and then record the total score for the turn. This can lead to some great come from behind victories.

We also play that an "oinker" (pigs touching) = -10 points instead of losing all of your points.

I've only played Pass the Pigs with two players, and so, don't know how well these variants would work with more players.

Thread: Re: Double Leaning Jowler?

Karlsen — 2008-03-06T20:00:26+00:00

Randougall wrote:
That's cool! I had no idea. Is it a good play?

Karlsen wrote:
To quote a character from the play Serious Money - "As I live and breathe, a double leaning jowler".

Not very common at all!

I really liked it and so did my friends who saw it.

Thread: Re: Double Leaning Jowler?

Randougall — 2008-03-06T19:57:32+00:00

Ha ha, changed my avatar. Bet I'm the first Pass the Pigs avatar!

Randougall wrote:
Just curious - has anyone actually rolled the amazing Double Leaning Jowler for a BIG 60 points?

I've got the Double Trotter and the Double Razorback, but a Double Leaning Jowler.....?

Thread: Re: Double Leaning Jowler?

Randougall — 2008-03-06T15:11:42+00:00

That's cool! I had no idea. Is it a good play?

Karlsen wrote:
To quote a character from the play Serious Money - "As I live and breathe, a double leaning jowler".

Not very common at all!

Thread: Re: Double Leaning Jowler?

Karlsen — 2008-03-04T20:04:01+00:00

To quote a character from the play Serious Money - "As I live and breathe, a double leaning jowler".

Not very common at all!

Thread: Re: Double Leaning Jowler?

zombiegod — 2008-03-04T18:18:16+00:00

My wife once rolled it about 4 years ago. My sister in law still giggles about it if the game ever comes up in conversation.

Thread: Re: Double Leaning Jowler?

HallandOatBran — 2008-03-04T17:06:20+00:00

I've owned this game for 6+ years, and I have rolled a double leaning jowler ONCE. I was only playing with one other person, so I ran and got another witness.

Never since then.

It was a beautiful day when it DID happen though.

Thread: Double Leaning Jowler?

Randougall — 2008-03-04T16:44:06+00:00

Just curious - has anyone actually rolled the amazing Double Leaning Jowler for a BIG 60 points?

I've got the Double Trotter and the Double Razorback, but a Double Leaning Jowler.....?

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fractaloon — 2008-02-10T00:13:43+00:00

Side of the box.

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fractaloon — 2008-02-10T00:13:01+00:00

The contents in insde the box.. note the holder for the Pig Pen.

Thread: Re: Pass the Pigs, a trifle of a game

cferejohn — 2008-02-07T01:41:28+00:00

Shanahan wrote:
I'm just amazed that a game this light, fun and silly "required" such an in-depth review.

Throw the pigs, score the points, have a laugh. There's your review.

Yeah, but how much is someone going to give him for that?

Thread: Re: Pass the Pigs, a trifle of a game

Shanahan — 2008-02-06T16:03:05+00:00

I'm just amazed that a game this light, fun and silly "required" such an in-depth review.

Throw the pigs, score the points, have a laugh. There's your review.

Thread: Re: Pass the Pigs, a trifle of a game

Big Bad Lex — 2008-02-06T14:48:40+00:00

'Steaming Pile'? Is that a Suffolk brewery?

Thread: Re: Pass the Pigs, a trifle of a game

On High — 2008-02-06T14:41:35+00:00

The rulebook also depicts a "Piggyback," which occurs when one pig lands standing ontop of anotehr standing pig
If I recall correctly, in the Pigmania version this was called "Makin' Bacon."

Here's the Java version of this steaming pile: http://www.fontface.com/games/pigs/

Thread: Re: Pass the Pigs, a trifle of a game

Big Bad Lex — 2008-02-06T12:37:13+00:00

wargamer55 wrote:

The lack of any real strategy or player influence means this isn't really much of a game for gamers. It's simply a way to pass the time.
It does have the virtues of playing quickly, costing little and not taking up much room, so it's a good filler game or travel game for long trips with kids.

Each to their own, but I can't help but feeling you are missing the real Tour De Force of this game, THE PUB.

Agreed, played sober this is no more than a kid's game, however after eleventeen pints it's dynamite. Small, fits in the pocket, needs a very small playing surface and is 95% beer proof, just the right number of decisions for a squiffed up head, oportunities for inane chanting ('Makey Bakey' & 'Pigs out the pen, throw again' etc).

Played sober indeed, are you mad?

Thread: Pass the Pigs, a trifle of a game

wargamer55 — 2008-02-06T07:48:14+00:00

Pass the Pigs has been around for more than 30 years already! I remember when it first came out as Pigmania. It's been quite a run for such a trifle of a game.

I attribute it's longevity to a couple of factors. First off, it's kind of fun in a silly way. I mean, you throw pigs!

Secondly, the profit margin on the game must be obscene. It's had various packaging presentations over the years, but generally it comes in at about $10 or so retail. Aside from the packaging, there really isn't much to the game. There's a couple of pencils, a small score pad and a single-page instruction sheet. Oh yeah, and a couple of soft plastic pigs. How much could that cost? A buck?

I'm sure the game's been a steady money-maker for years.

The game play is fairly simple. Pass the Pigs is a classic "push your luck" game. Players toss the pigs as dice and score points depending upon how the pigs land. If both pigs land on their sides the tossing player earns a point for a "Sider." If one or both of the pigs land on their feet, backs, snouts or jowls the tossing player scores 5-60 points depending on the exact configuration, which are given names such as Trotter, Razorback, Snouter, Leaning Jowler, doubles of those or a Mixed Combo. The player can stop and bank the points earned to thast point or toss again. But if the pigs land on their sides but opposite from each other that is termed a "Pig Out" and the player scores no points and loses all the points scored so far in that round.

Unlike Cosmic Wimpout, which is a similar game, there are no forced rolls, so the tossing player can always stop and bank his score, so the game is very much a pure "push your luck game." There's no real strategy involved. One simply stops when one loses his or her nerve. The first player to reach 100 points win.

About the only complication is a roll that results in both pigs touching each other. This is an "Oinker" and results in the player losing all his points earned so far, not just the ones earned in the current round. Careful wrist action when tossing the pigs should minimize the chance of this happening. The rulebook also depicts a "Piggyback," which occurs when one pig lands standing ontop of anotehr standing pig, but I'd say the chances of this actually happening are about zero. If it did happen, you'd be out of the game, though.

Unlike normal dice games, which use six-sided dice or other polyhedral shapes, the irregularly shaped pigs in Pass the Pigs are impossible to analyse in terms of probability short of using, perhaps, a massive supercomputer. Even then, it might not be possible, because the pigs are made with a soft, rubbery plastic which has a little "give" and bounciness. There's no telling how that characteristic affects the odds.
Still, a little experience shows that the pigs are most likely to land on their sides, so 'Pig Outs" are pretty common and it's usually a good idea to stop and bank points anytime you've managed to score 20 or more points in a round because chances are you'll roll a Pig Out before you roll another high-scoring configuration.

Unlike some other push-your-luck type games there's not a lot of scope for a big turn that can bring you to victory if you're far behind. Accumulating points steadily in batches of 20 or so will generally pay off more often than trying to gamble for the big win.

There's an optional way to play called a "Hog Call" that involves guessing how the pigs will land. Correct guesses pay off double points while incorrect guesses cost double, so this option just adds even more luck to a game that's already all luck and I can't see how it's an improvement.

The lack of any real strategy or player influence means this isn't really much of a game for gamers. It's simply a way to pass the time.
It does have the virtues of playing quickly, costing little and not taking up much room, so it's a good filler game or travel game for long trips with kids.

For other game commentary see my blog at http://pawnderings.blogspot.com

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A.Men — 2008-01-14T14:19:00+00:00

Polish edition

Thread: Re: Different Versions, Pig Compositions and Playing Surface

KneeGrinder — 2008-01-10T20:13:10+00:00

I've always known this game as PigMania. Plasticy Pigs (not rubbery), and it came with 2 pigs, dice cup (labled Pig Stye), an orange and brown ball point pen with brown ink (the Pig Pen), and a scoring pad (the Pig Pad). I still have my whole set, although the pen's ink is empty. I have not yet gone to the art supply store to get a brown ballpoint refill. Love this game.

Thread: Re: Slight variant to make the game a little more exciting

monkeyturtle — 2007-11-12T22:14:48+00:00

Great idea! We play a lot of pigs. I never would have suspected how much I would like this game, but it continually gets inquiries from onlookers, and gives us the opportunity to talk about off-beat games with them. And...it's a riot!

Thanks for the variation!

-Joey

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Andre_g54 — 2007-10-01T06:29:01+00:00

1977 PIG MANIA Dice Game by David Moffa Enterprises

Thread: Re: Who doesn't love some pig tossing?

jgalt44 — 2007-08-31T15:37:49+00:00

I recently joined this forum August 21st. This is my first chance to get back to the forum.

Pass the Pigs is a great "little" game. Since my lady and I do minimalist backpacking in the Shanendoah National Park a agreat light game is highly valued.

There is no conscious human entity that I have ever met that would not love this game!

All ages love to toss the pigs.

Thread: Re: Who doesn't love some pig tossing?

paracletus3 — 2007-08-25T08:56:06+00:00

The great thing about this game is that it reaches across ALL barriers, whether age, sex, race, or mental aptitude. I've never seen anyone pass on a chance to throw them pigs!

Thread: Who doesn't love some pig tossing?

stormseeker75 — 2007-08-24T22:35:44+00:00

Pass the Pigs is a simple press your luck game in which players roll 2 pig-dice. Depending on the positions the pigs land in, players score points. The game is played through 10 rounds with the winner being the player with the highest score at the end.

Rules

On a players turn, he will roll both pig-dice. Depending on the pig positions, points will be awarded. Players continue to roll the pig dice until they choose to stop or roll a bad formation. If a "Pig Out" is rolled, the turn ends and the player gets no points. If an "Oinker" is rolled in which both pig-dice are touching, the players turn ends and they lose all points accumulated in the game so far! If a player ends his turn by his choice, he scores all the points he has accumulated so far this turn.

There are 10 turns in the game. The player with the highest score at the end wins.

Gameplay

This game is 100% dice based. A players turn consists of rolling the pig-dice and deciding how far to push their luck. There is no strategy, no tactical decision making and no real brain power required to play this game. Its fun and really light.

Components

Pass the Pigs has one thing going for it: the Pig Dice. The game uses two small pigs instead of dice. The pigs land in a variety of positions and score points based on how they land. Its amazing that these little pigs an actually land and stay in some of the various scoring positions. That in itself makes this game worth playing.

The game comes in a small box and has a nice plastic case to hold the pigs as well as a small scorepad and two golf pencils. For such a simple game, it looks pretty nice and comes with everything you could need to play.

I have to return to the pig-dice for a moment. These little pigs are really cool. I've played this game many times and I'm constantly amazed at how functionally perfect they are. Without these unusual game bits, this game would be as boring as similar games such as Toss Up! or other light "push your luck" games. Additionally, these pig-dice will likely attract anyone not in your game. This may provide a golden opportunity to get people who aren't normally gamers to try this out. You have to start somewhere with new gamers, and while this is substantially less of a game than I normally like to introduce, its better than nothing.

Compare it to...

I would say Toss Up! is a perfect comparison. These two games are almost identical. Pass the pigs is actually superior in a lot of little ways, but the general idea is the same.

Overall

Pass the Pigs is an acceptable way to pass some time. Its by no means a great game, but for what it is, its pretty good. Again, the pig-dice go a long way towards making this game better than it actually is and provide a lot of enjoyment on their own. If you were to play this game with two d6's it would be terrible and would never warrant a play.

I rate Pass the Pigs a 4.5/10. I would rate it a 4, but the pigs really add enough to almost make this game a 5. Still, I can't consciously give a game this simple and unchallenging anything over a 4. As much as I like it, its just not a real good game. There are better choices, but those pigs are cool enough to make this one come out from time to time.

Thread: Version for very clever pig throwers?

hobitti — 2007-08-14T16:24:16+00:00

The game has version II rules. You can 'nöff-nöff' what the outcome of the current players throw will be. I am not certain how to count the score.

The rules state:
1)The first one to squeeze gets to guess
A)If he is correct he gets the score that player got doubled. And at the same time the thrower substracts the score doubled.
B)If he is wrong he has to substract the score that was thrown doubled from his score. The thrower gets the score doubled. The thrower can continue if he wants.

So I am not certain if it's the total score that player has at the moment (on that turn) or just from the current throw that gets doubled? Can you squueze many times on the same player turn if you like?

Thread: Slight variant to make the game a little more exciting

bluesekai — 2007-07-31T04:31:09+00:00

My friends and I have played this game with the rule (not listed in the rules of the set I purchased) that players must roll EXACTLY to 100 and that rolls that exceed 100 are null. This has prolonged the game a bit and made it a bit more exciting, since many players become unwilling to accept a roll of a 1 (hard to come by when you really want them) and therefore keep rolling in an attempt to get an "even" roll (divisible by 5). Last night's game had players at 97, 98, and 99 each trying to throw 1 point rolls.

Thread: Re: Different Versions, Pig Compositions and Playing Surfaces

monkeyturtle — 2007-05-17T18:13:25+00:00

Thread: Re: Different Versions, Pig Compositions and Playing Surfaces

Geosphere — 2007-05-17T15:23:29+00:00

1) yes, I believe it was pig mania
2) you need more hobbies

Thread: Re: Different Versions, Pig Compositions and Playing Surfaces

monkeyturtle — 2007-05-17T14:33:27+00:00

Sounds like the Pig Mania version. You've piqued my interest, and I will have a set within a week or so.

I'll report back then!

Thread: Re: Different Versions, Pig Compositions and Playing Surfaces

Geosphere — 2007-05-16T15:10:40+00:00

I have a way earlier version that came in a yellow cardboard box.

I wonder how these little piggies compare.

Thread: Re: Different Versions, Pig Compositions and Playing Surfaces

stormseeker75 — 2007-05-16T12:53:28+00:00

My family loves this game. Whats not to love really? I love just saying Leaning Jowler.

Thread: Re: Different Versions, Pig Compositions and Playing Surfaces

monkeyturtle — 2007-05-16T11:37:21+00:00

Thanks John!

I received my share odd looks and head shakes from family and friends when I was trying this out.

Perhaps the best outcome is that I discovered a new geek in the making: my 10 year old neice! She was as interested as I was and wanted to run several trials with each set on the various surfaces. It made for great bonding time.

Thread: Re: Different Versions, Pig Compositions and Playing Surface

Friendless — 2007-05-16T06:46:01+00:00

I had to thumbsup you simply because I admire your curiosity.

Thread: Different Versions, Pig Compositions and Playing Surfaces

monkeyturtle — 2007-05-16T00:12:30+00:00

As there are many previous and well written reviews of the rules of Pass the Pigs, I will not focus on that aspect. My focus here, as geeky as it may be, is on the composition of the pigs in the two most popular versions of this game: The Winning Moves version in the silver and clear capsule (in stores now); and the Milton Bradley (MB) version in the black checkbook size case - packaged in a small green box (available on Ebay currently - Spring 2007).

Background:

I fell in love with this game at a friend's house during our first gaming night with her. She had the MB version with the pigs in a small black case about the size of a checkbook.

When I went out to find my own set, I found that only the new Winning Moves versions are readily available in the stores - they are in a silver capsule with a clear window showing the pigs. Needless to say I bought the new set and played like mad!

The Winning Moves capsule packaging seemed a little cumbersome and fiddly - the pencils have to be placed in just so, and you have to take care that the score pad isn't crumpled upon trying to shut the capsule.

I decided to buy a couple of the Milton Bradley checkbook style versions on Ebay as gifts, as by now we had gotten several friends hooked on the game. We played the MB set when one arrived -and was I ever surprised!

Comparison:

The Winning Moves version described has pigs that are very soft and rubbery in general - they almost feel like smooth rubber erasers. They are easily compressed when squeezed. The pigs in the MB set described are much firmer in composition; less rubbery. In playing both sets there do seem to be some differences in how they react on various surfaces.

The Winning Moves set (rubbery) seemed to perform horribly on our glass table. We all rolled low scores through several games. It seemed hard to get them to "stick" in more difficult poses like the Leaning Jowler, or Snouter. When we switched to the MB (harder) set, they seemed to do much better. We ended up with much higher rolls in general. They bounce less and seemed to be more prone to holding the complicated poses.

We then took the game to my brother's place and played with the family on a highly polyurethaned wood table. My neice, 10, was up for a little research, so we played both sets several times. The Winnning Moves pigs performed better overall on the wood than the MB set - and better than they had on the glass surface.

We then took our research to the carpet - a low Berber in this case. Here, the scores between sets was indistinguishable. They seemed to both do equally well.

If I can draw any broad conclusions, it would be that the firmer the surface, the firmer the pigs should be for attaining complicated moves. Softer surfaces seem to call out for softer pigs.....Sue...eeeee...

For the true Pass the Pigs enthusiast (as I have become), I think owning both of these sets is a worthwile investment. Bring on the pigs that perform the best given the playing surface!

Thread: Light-hearted and casual game

chrisnd — 2007-04-24T17:17:37+00:00

I am somewhat impressed by the game given its simplicity and randomness. The "gambling" part of the game adds some excitement to it, as a player may generate 40 or 50 points before having to decide if they want "one more roll". I can get even more interesting if the points for all players are quickly approaching 100.

The game itself (i.e. the two pigs) are made of durable rubber (akin to the vulcanized rubber erasers that we used as a kid) painted black in a few areas to represent eyes and snout, and this version comes in its own, pocket-sized carrying case. It is an easy game to bring almost anywhere, and it takes very little effort to set up. A pencil or pen comes in handy for scoring, although with minimal players, a person with good memory can also do the trick in a bind. The instructions are pretty straight forward, and for a game with such simplistic rules and low number of pieces (two, of course), the extra variants provided in the instruction book do provide for some unexpected results.

Overall, this is a very enjoyable excursion, and I would recommend this game for any age player.

Thread: Re: Pass The Pigs to Jesus Christ

NateStraight — 2007-01-29T20:13:56+00:00

Thread: Now this is what sunday school should be right

chall52 — 2007-01-29T19:39:54+00:00

I'll never play pass the pigs the same again.

Note to self: Study up on faith before the next gaming session

Thread: Re: Pass The Pigs to Jesus Christ

Beery — 2007-01-29T19:18:02+00:00

Hehe, I loved that! But then again I have a warped sense of humour.

Thread: Pass the Pigs - No more, no less

MarkyX — 2007-01-13T00:22:22+00:00

Pass the Pigs was introduced me at a bar a few years back. A friend of mine popped open a black case containing two golf pencils, a small notepad, and two rubber pigs. The concept at first did not intrigue me: Throw pigs, gather points, pass. However, an hour later, I was hooked.

Despite the "luck based" concept, Pass the Pigs is a strangely great game. Whereis other dice games like $GREED failed, Pass the Pigs puts their heads in the air with their unique shaped pig-shaped dice and it's light rules.

The game is simple: You throw the pigs and depending on how they land, you get points or lose your turn. First to 100 points wins, or who has the most points at the end of 10 rounds.

The entire game is based on "push your luck", where you keep rolling dice until your (im)proper judgement kicks in and tells you when to stop. Throw the infamous "pig out" on your turn, and those 10 or 20 points you've earned through numerous rolls is now 0.

Don't be fooled by it's simplicity though. The heart of Pass the Pigs is mainly it's unique shaped dice. The large ears and curly tail of the pigs play a vital role when landing those points. One moment you are scoring loads of point, the next you are hitting "pig outs" because you are getting too cocky. A game can sometimes change within an instant due to improper throwing or poor judgement.

The components of Pass the Pigs is another story. If you plan on getting this game, get the original flat black case, or the 25th anniversary one. The pigs are built stronger, more bouncy, and have a better notepad. The new grey case is almost a complete opposite of the fine quality previous versions: The scorepad is unwrittable due to it's small boxes, the pigs are not hard or durable, and the case is too bulky to fit anywhere except for a purse. There is no persistence of quality anymore with the new version of Pass the Pigs, so get yourself the old version of the game if you want the quality.

All in all, the game is great as a filler. It doesn't claim to be a game of great depth and strategy with books completely devouted to it's strategies. Instead, it's a game that involves throwing pigs and scoring points, and does a great job doing so.

Thread: Re: Great timefiller and Kids game --- give it a chance

brendanm — 2006-12-08T12:51:54+00:00

Hear! Hear!

If you can't enjoy Pass the Pigs, you've had a fun bypass.

Thread: Re: Number of Rounds - Scoring Question

hancock.tom — 2006-10-07T18:04:11+00:00

We always play to 100, unlimited rounds.

Thread: Great timefiller and Kids game --- give it a chance

hancock.tom — 2006-10-06T18:25:53+00:00

This is my first review on BGG, and I'm writing it because one of my favorite games has a really low score. I don't think my review will change that, but I feel its important to explain why I disagree. To understand why I feel that pass the pigs is better than its 5.3 rating, you must understand my philosophy for rating games. I believe that each game should be rated based on what it sets out to do. Therefore, my higher-than-average rating of pass the pigs is based on what I perceive its goals as a game were/are, and how it fulfills those goals.

Some folks might wonder how someone becomes a devoted fan of a weird little game like this. In short, I used to play a lot of collectible card games. I got out of that phase and got into RPGs and Board Games, but I still retain an old habit from my CCG days: Filler games. In between rounds of CCGs at tournaments, we needed something to pass the time that didn't involve the game at hand. Something portable, super easy, fast, and with enough cool factor to get people interested just by looking at it. Pass the Pigs was the answer, and I still love the game.

Anyhow, on to what I think of pass the pigs:

Components

There are several versions of the game out there, and I have the old MB version. Mine contains two hard rubber pig-dice, a scorepad, golf pencils, a rulebook, and a carrying case. All of this stuff is pretty high quality, and is very durable. This is important for a travel-sized game, as it will probably spend a lot of time in the bottom of a purse or bookbag.

The two pigs themselves deserve special mention because they are the most important part of the game. I have been very pleased with the durability of the pigs. Because I often take this game with me on airline trips, where I try to carry everything I need in pockets, I rarely use the case. Even with the beatings the pigs take in my pockets or in the bottom of my wife's purse, or in carryon bags, they show almost no wear. After 5 years and countless games sometimes in very filthy environments like sidewalks, they have almost no wear. They have a few dark marks on them from rubbing against pencil tips, newsprint, hot asphalt, and other things, but I could probably clean them if I tried. They are very durable.

The components are also fairly attractive. The pigs are cute and brightly colored, the rules and scoresheet have appropriate artwork and design quality.

Gameplay

The gameplay is simple. You roll the pigs, which score certain amounts of points based on the positions they land in. Your first couple of games, you will find yourself looking at the sheets to determine scoring, but after a couple of games, you learn the combinations and scoring becomes second nature. The two most common results are worth 1 point and 0 points. The zero point result (called "pig out") also forces you to pass the pig to your opponent, ending your turn. Also common are various 5 point combinations, 10 points, 15 points, etc. The scoring combinations have humorous pig related names, such as the "snouter" and "leaning jowler", two of the more higher scoring positions for the pigs to land in. You can imagine what those are. Rolling "doubles" with both pigs in the same position, also doubles the score. This makes for a wide range of possible rolls on the "dice."

The game is a banking game. Each turn, you roll the pigs, scoring points, until you either choose to bank your points or you get a "pig out" result, which results in the loss of any unbanked points and the end of your turn. Because the pig out result is so common, most people pass the pigs after scoring a few times, so long turns are uncommon. The decision whether to bank or pass is really the only strategy in the game, and even that as a strategy is very limited, as the correct thing to do is almost always clear.

Regardless of the extremely luck-based gameplay, over the course of several games, an experienced player will make better decisions than a novice, and will subsequently win more games. Still, chess this ain't. Heck, checkers has more strategy than pigs. Picking your nose might have more strategy than pigs. Actually, I'm having a hard time thinking of any game more luck-based then this one. That isn't always a downside though, and I think with a game like this its actually a plus.

The most important aspect of Pass the Pigs gameplay is that it is extremely fun. Rolling dice is always fun, and flipping tiny pigs through the air is even better. There is also a lot of tension as folks push their luck in an attempt to catch up in score. Because of the wide range of scoring and the possiblity of rolling multiple times, no games are over until the very end. I've seen people come back from 70 and 80 point deficits with a run of luck. For a game where a typical turn consists of scoring 10-15 points and passing, thats a big swing. Because of the probabilities of the pigs, such a thing is very rare, but that makes it even more beautiful when it happens. The game is a lot of fun, the pigs are cute, and a good time is generally had by everyone, unless of course you are looking for a more complex game.

I must mention the small minority of pigs players who believe that the game is actually a dexterity game, and that by throwing the pigs a certain way you can increase or decrease the likelihood that they produce certain results. I disagree, but I've met a fairly significant number of people at cons that believe this to be the case. I've beat quite a few of them because they usually make terrible banking decisions because they think they can roll to prevent a pig out.

Replayability

Replayability is hard to gauge on a game like pigs. Either you will see absolutely no point to playing the game even once, or you will want to play it again and again. It passes the time in an airport, and is great fun if you are drunk (or if another player is drunk) or if you are playing with children. If you are looking for something to keep you interested for 4 hours on game night every week for a month, this is obviously not your best choice. However, you can't exactly play puerto rico on the seat back tray of an airplane. You can't teach ASL to your three year old nephew in less than five minutes. I love both of those games, but they dont fill the niche in my gaming collection that pigs does. Pigs is fun, almost totally mindless, and every non-gamer that has ever seen it thinks it is great.

Verdict

My final score for Pigs is 8/10. No filler game should ever get a 10 in my book, and pigs is kinda repetitive. I think 8, or perhaps even 8.5, is a fair score for this awesomely fun game.

In summary, I think Pass the Pigs is a great kids' game, a great time-waster, and an excellently portable travel game. While the gameplay is not deep, it is a lot of fun, and most of all, Pass the Pigs accomplishes what it sets out to be: An insanely light time passer with more piggy theme than you could shake your snout at.

Thread: Re: Number of Rounds - Scoring Question

Karlsen — 2006-07-14T02:22:17+00:00

From memory we always used to play to 100.

Thread: Re: Number of Rounds - Scoring Question

Panzer — 2006-07-13T19:14:34+00:00

My fiance and I play unlimited rounds, first to 100 wins...if we really want to pass the pork around we play to 500

Thread: Number of Rounds - Scoring Question

zombiegod — 2006-07-13T18:48:18+00:00

Me & my wife have always played PtP with an unlimited number of rounds. That is - until a player reaches 100.

I see that with the online game, and on the Scoresheet included within the game, there are only 10 rounds allowed or per sheet. After that the highest scorer wins (unless 100 is reached before round 10).

Which method do you prefer unlimited rounds or 10 rounds?

Thread: Re: Heeeereeeeee Piggy Piggy Piggy

Geosphere — 2006-07-13T13:46:13+00:00

Panzer wrote:
a quick and easy game involving rubber pigs that you throw, look at, look at a chart, write down a score and move on game.

Then why didn't you say any of that in the review?

Did you mention the gambling aspect and loss of points?

How about the decision making involved?

Thread: Re: Heeeereeeeee Piggy Piggy Piggy

generalpf — 2006-07-13T05:15:15+00:00

If it's so simple to play, does it need a review?

Also, there were already six reviews. You should have been looking to cover ground that no one else had.

Thread: Re: Heeeereeeeee Piggy Piggy Piggy

Panzer — 2006-07-12T22:58:33+00:00

It's a truly simple game to play. are you wanting a roll-by-roll, replay? Did not think that that was the purpose of a review. It's a quick and easy game involving rubber pigs that you throw, look at, look at a chart, write down a score and move on game.

I'm surprised at the level of criticism received on the reviews I've written. Maybe review is misunderstood as replay or session report?
Looking for guidiance here...

Thread: Re: Heeeereeeeee Piggy Piggy Piggy

happyjosiah — 2006-07-12T05:33:57+00:00

worst... review.... evar...