Hungry Hungry Hippos facts for kids
Hungry Hungry Hippos is a fun tabletop game for two to four players. It was created by the company Milton Bradley, which is part of Hasbro. The idea for this exciting game came from toy inventor Fred Kroll in 1967. It was first released to the public in 1978. The main goal of the game is for each player to make their toy hippo eat as many small plastic marbles as possible. Hungry Hungry Hippos is part of a group of games called "Elefun and Friends." Other games in this group include Elefun, Mouse Trap, and Gator Golf.
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How to Play Hungry Hungry Hippos
The game board for Hungry Hungry Hippos is usually a bright, colorful plastic base. It has four mechanical hippos around the edges. Each hippo is a different color and has a special name. Players use a lever behind their hippo to make it open its mouth and snap forward.
Game Setup
To start the game, players place all the small plastic marbles in the center of the game board. Each player chooses a hippo and sits behind it. The game is usually played with a referee or a designated player who says "Go!" to start the round.
Winning the Game
Once the game begins, players quickly press their hippo's lever. This makes their hippo "eat" the marbles by scooping them up. The marbles then roll down a ramp into a scoring area for each player. The game ends when all the marbles have been eaten from the center of the board. The player whose hippo has collected the most marbles wins the round.
The Hippo Characters
There are four main hippo characters in the game. Each one has a unique color and a fun name. These characters help make the game more exciting and memorable for players.
Meet the Hippos
- Happy Hippo is the pink hippo.
- Henry Hippo is the orange hippo.
- Homer Hippo is the green hippo.
- Harry Hippo is the yellow hippo.
These colorful hippos are always ready for a marble-eating challenge!
History and Development
The concept for Hungry Hungry Hippos was first thought of in the late 1960s. It took several years for the game to be fully developed and ready for stores.
From Idea to Toy Store
Fred Kroll, a toy inventor, came up with the original idea for the game in 1967. It was then developed by Milton Bradley, a well-known toy company. The game officially hit the shelves in 1978. Since then, it has become a popular choice for families and children around the world. Its simple rules and fast-paced action make it a favorite.
Related Games in the "Elefun and Friends" Series
Hungry Hungry Hippos is part of a larger collection of games known as "Elefun and Friends." This series includes several other popular games that share a similar playful and engaging style.
Other Popular Games
- Elefun: This game involves a toy elephant that blows butterflies from its trunk. Players try to catch the butterflies with nets.
- Mouse Trap: A classic game where players build a complex chain reaction machine to catch a mouse.
- Gator Golf: In this game, players putt golf balls into a moving alligator's mouth.
These games are all designed to be fun and interactive for younger players.
