Simon Says
Simon Says is a children's game for three or more players. One player takes the role of "Simon" and issues instructions to the other players, which should be followed only when prefaced with the phrase "Simon says". Players are eliminated from the game by either following instructions that are not immediately preceded by the phrase, or by failing to follow an instruction which does include the phrase "Simon says". It is the ability to distinguish between genuine and fake commands, rather than physical ability, that usually matters in the game; in most cases, the action just needs to be attempted. In many regions of the United States, Simon says is also known as "Simon Sez".
The object for the player acting as Simon is to get all the other players out as quickly as possible; the winner of the game is usually the last player who has successfully followed all of the given commands. Occasionally, however, two or more of the last players may all be eliminated at the same time, thus resulting in Simon winning the game.
The game is well embedded in popular culture, with numerous references in films, music, and literature.
Other languages
This game has translated across multiple cultures from seemingly common routes and some international versions also use the name Simon such as:- Afrikaans: "Kolonel Bevel"
- Arabic: for example :"نبيلة قالت هاكا" " Nabila said like so or "قال المعلّم" and "سلمان يقول"
- Basque: "Buruak dio" or "Buruzagiak dio", or "Unaik dio"
- Bengali: "নেতা বলেছেন"
- Cantonese Chinese: "老師話"
- Danish: "Simon siger", "Kongen befaler"
- Dutch: "Commando", or "Jantje zegt" in Flemish parts of Belgium
- Finnish: "Kapteeni käskee"
- French: "Jacques a dit" in France, or "Jean dit" in Quebec
- Filipino: "Sabi ni Simon"
- German: "Kommando Pimperle"
- Greek: "Ο Σιμών λέει"
- Hebrew: "הרצל אמר"
- Hungarian: "Simon mondja"
- Icelandic: "Símon segir"
- Irish: "Deir Síomón"
- Japanese: "船長さんの命令"
- Korean: "시몬 가라사대"
- Marathi: "शिवाजी महाराज म्हणाले"
- Mandarin Chinese："老师说"（Lǎoshīshuà, "The teacher says"）
- Norwegian: "Kongen befaler"
- Polish: "Szymon mówi"
- Portuguese: "O rei manda", or "O mestre mandou" in Brazilian Portuguese
- Spanish: "Mando, mando", or "Simon dice"
- Turkish: "Yakup der ki"
- Vietnam: "Tôi bảo"
- Russian: "Саймон говорит"
In a Swedish version, Gör si, gör så, the leader says either "do this" or "do thus" while performing an action. For failing to follow the correct command, "do this", or following the wrong command, "do thus", a child must sit down until a new leader is chosen.
In the late 1930s in New Zealand, non commissioned officers were leading troops in a brain stimulation game as part of training classed as informal activities called, 'do this, do that.'
Gameplay
A command starting with "Simon says" means that the players must obey that command. A command without the beginning "Simon says" means do not do this action. Anyone who breaks one of these two rules is eliminated from the remainder of the game. Often, anyone who speaks is also eliminated.There can be very complex and difficult command chains, such as "Simon says: Arms up. Simon says: Arms down. Arms up." Anyone ending with their arms up is eliminated, because a command that doesn't begin with "Simon says" cannot be obeyed.
A variation on the instruction phrases is used. "Simon says" is said once at the start of a series of instructions, and an action along with the phrase "do this" must be obeyed while an action with the phrase "do that" must not be obeyed. Obeying a "do that" command or not obeying a "do this" command will eliminate a player.
It is considered cheating to give impossible commands or phrase the commands in such a way that the other player has no option but to 'go out'. However, at least in some versions, it is allowed for Simon to eliminate players by asking them to do something seemingly unrelated to the game.
Cultural references
- The phrase has been used multiple times as a plot device in films and television dramas including Die Hard with a Vengeance, Police Academy, Demolition Man, The Gift and the TV series Underdog as well as being played in television game shows including 1970s show Superstars and Battle of the Network Reality Stars.
- The phrase occurs twice in Thelma and Louise for comic effect: "Simon says everybody lay down on the floor." First the outlaw on the run character J.D. tells how he usually sets off to do an armed robbery. Later on we find out in the only flashback scene of the movie that Thelma uses exactly the same phrase when robbing a store.
- In an episode of the Cartoon Network show Courage the Cowardly Dog, the title character gives commands to the other eggplants after saying "The Great Eggplant says".
- The Peanuts special It's Flashbeagle, Charlie Brown includes a song/dance number called "Lucy Says" where Lucy plays the role of Simon, but uses "Lucy Says" instead of "Simon Says".
- In the Animaniacs episode, "King Yakko", Yakko, as king of Anvilania gets his men to take their seats, but when they are about to do so, Yakko stops them, saying, "I didn't say 'Simon Says'!" Then he tells them, "Simon says take your seats!" which they follow.
- A stunt played on the game show Fun House also played Simon Says, but was changed to "Tiny Says" to match the name of the show's announcer giving the commands.
- The electronic game Simon is named for Simon Says.
- Jim Henson's Pajanimals has the Pajanimals play a similar game called "Cowbella Says." Similar to the Peanuts example above, Cowbella, one of the Pajanimals, plays the role of Simon and uses "Cowbella Says" instead of "Simon Says". Before they play, there is a short song that has the lyrics "If Cowbella says, 'Cowbella Says,' you must do what Cowbella says; and if she doesn't say 'Cowbella Says,' you must not do what Cowbella says!"
- Mickey Mouskersize, a short in Disney Junior has a game called Mickey Says. Mickey plays the role of Simon, once in the middle of the game, Goofy and Minnie did what Mickey said when he did not say "Mickey Says".
- In Let's Go Pocoyo, there is a game in some episodes called Fred Says. This is a simple game. Fred plays the role of Simon, however, the narrator always says "Fred Says" in each phrase. At the end, the narrator says "Fred Says: That's all."
- In ', the game's main prosecutor is Simon Blackquill, likely named after the game. He's a master of psychological manipulation, and his acts of manipulating the minds of others is compared to as Simon Says by other characters.
- In an episode of ', Cody uses the game to teach the Bots about obeying commands. He uses basic instructions such as "Turn right" and "raise your left arm". When he issues a command without stating "Simon says", Chase responds by stating "Simon did not authorize that last movement".
- A literal arcade-based smartphone adaptation of "Simon Says" was released exclusively on Android on July 11, 2016, titled Simon Says Mobile. In this version, bodily gestures are replaced with mobile gestures, namely tapping, swiping and tilting. It is free-to-play with in-app purchases.
- In a Barney & Friends episode titled "Hop to It!", Barney and the kids play Simon Says. Two of them, Luci and Min, are out after touching their chins but the other two, Michael and Tina, remain. Another episode, "All Mixed Up", also has Barney and the kids play Simon Says in which the educational theme of this episode is about following directions. "Movin' Along" is another episode to feature Simon Says.
- In the 2015 novel Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, protagonist Simon Spier's online pseudonym Jacques derived the French version of Simon Says, "Jacques a dit".
- A single by K-Pop group NCT 127 was released November 2018 titled "Simon Says".
- In the Sooty & Co. episode "Speedy Sweep", Matthew challenges Sooty and Sweep to a game of Simon Says to see who has the faster reflexes.
- Episode 2 "Boston" of Cabin Pressure features the two pilots playing Simon Says.
- In a Go, Diego, Go! episode called "Penguin School," a male Chinstrap penguin teacher plays Simon Says.
- The title of The Raccoons episode is named after the game.
- The Australian children’s music group, The Wiggles have a song based off the game titled ‘Simon Says’. The song is sung by one member of the group whose stage name is Simon Wiggle.
Other references
- Arnold, Arnold, The World Book of Children's Games, World Publishing Co., 1972,.
- Bancroft, Jessie H., Games for the Playground, Home, School and Gymnasium, The Macmillan Co., 1914.
- Forster, Sally, Simon Says... Let's Play, Dutton Children's Books, 1990,.
- Grunfeld, Frederic V., Games of the World: How to Make Them, How to Play Them, How They Came to Be, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1975,.