Simon Says

Simon Says is the classic playground listening game, and here you play it against Simon, a cartoon dino in a red cap. Simon gives a command, and you do the move only if the command starts with “Simon says.” If it doesn’t, you stay still. You can play this Simon Says game online free in your browser with no download, on a keyboard, a mouse or a phone’s touch screen.

The real Simon Says rules

In the traditional game, one person is Simon and stands in front of the group. Simon calls out actions such as “Simon says touch your nose” or “Simon says clap.” When a command starts with “Simon says,” everyone has to do it. When Simon gives a command without those words, like a plain “Jump,” nobody should move. Anyone who follows a command that didn’t start with “Simon says,” or fails to follow one that did, is out. The last player still in wins and often gets to be Simon next.

A good Simon is sneaky: they speed up, act out the moves to tempt you, and slip in commands that sound almost right.

How to play

• Read or listen: each command appears in Simon’s speech bubble. If your browser has a built-in voice and sound is on, Simon reads it aloud too. The bubble is always the official command.
• Make the move: when the command starts with “Simon says,” tap the matching button before the timer bar runs out. There are eight moves: touch your nose, clap, jump, wave, pat your head, touch your toes, spin around and touch your ears.
• Freeze on fakes: if Simon didn’t say “Simon says,” don’t press anything until the timer runs out. Doing a move Simon didn’t say, picking the wrong move or running out of time on a real command puts you out.

The commands get faster every four rounds, and new tricks join in as the level goes up:

• Sneaky starts: “Simon say,” “Simon sez,” “Simone says,” “Simon said,” “Simple says,” “Salmon says” and “Simon wants you to” are all fakes. Only the exact words “Simon says” count.
• Two moves: “Simon says clap your hands, then jump” means both moves, in that order.
• Half a command: “Simon says wave. Now spin around.” Only the wave counts. Do the spin and you’re out, because Simon didn’t say that part.
• Simon says don’t: “Simon says don’t touch your toes” is a real Simon says command, and it tells you to stay still.

Game modes

• Classic vs kids: you play alongside five CPU kids. They react to every command too and sit out when they slip. Outlast all five to win; if you go out first, you see the place you finished in.
• Endless streak: just you and Simon. Every command you get right adds one to your streak, and one slip ends it. Your best streak is saved in your browser.
• Simon screen (party): this mode turns the game into the caller for real kids at a party, at home or in a classroom. Simon calls a new command aloud every few seconds, with no buttons and no scoring. You choose the speed (4, 6, 8 or 10 seconds) and how many fake commands to mix in (none, some or lots), and you can skip ahead, have Simon repeat a command or stop the timer. Here the fakes are always plain commands with no “Simon says,” so kids can tell them apart by ear, and the players judge who is out.

Tips

• Read the start first. Look for the exact words “Simon says” before you look at the move. Most outs come from reacting to the action word.
• Don’t copy Simon. The dino acts out every move, even on the fakes. Go by the words.
• Waiting is safe. On a fake or a “don’t,” doing nothing is the right answer.
• Use the keys on a computer. N, C, J, W, H, T, S and E (or 1 to 8) are faster than the mouse when the timer gets short.

FAQ

Is this the same as the Simon memory game?

No. The Simon game on this site is the color-sequence memory game, where you repeat a growing pattern of lights. Simon Says is the listening game where you only move when Simon says so.

Can I use it with a group of kids?

Yes. Pick Simon screen, turn the sound up and let Simon call the commands while the kids play in the room. It needs no taps once the timer is running.

What if my browser can’t talk?

The voice is optional. Every command is shown in the speech bubble, and the Sound button turns the voice and effects on or off.

Does it work on phones, and can I pause?

Yes. It works on phones, tablets, Chromebooks and computers, and touching the game won’t scroll the page. Press P or Esc or the Pause button to pause; it also pauses when you switch tabs.

Looking for more party games? Try Hot Potato, a pass-the-phone party game for 2 to 10 players, or test your memory with Simon.