How to Play
- Pick a game type: Best of 3, Best of 5, or the Five-sign version with lizard and alien.
- Each round, tap one sign. Your choice stays hidden until both players have locked in.
- When both picks are in, the signs are revealed together and the winner of the round gets a point.
- If you both chose the same sign, the round is a tie and is simply played again.
- The first player to reach the target number of round wins takes the match.
Rules
In the classic game there are three signs. Rock blunts scissors, scissors cut paper, and paper covers rock. Every sign beats one sign and loses to one sign, so no choice is safe on its own.
Best of 3 ends when someone wins two rounds. Best of 5 ends when someone wins three. Tied rounds never count, so a match can take a few extra rounds when players keep thinking alike.
The five-sign version adds a lizard and an alien, and each sign now beats two others and loses to two others. Scissors cut paper and cut lizard. Paper covers rock and traps alien. Rock crushes lizard and blunts scissors. Lizard poisons alien and eats paper. Alien smashes scissors and melts rock. With five choices, ties happen less often, and guessing your opponent becomes harder. This version is played as best of 3.
Tips & Strategy
- Watch for habits, not luck. Most people are not truly random. Many repeat a sign that just won and switch away from a sign that just lost, so the last round is a useful clue.
- Beware the obvious counter. If your opponent expects you to repeat, they will play the sign that beats it. Sometimes the smartest move is the one that beats their counter.
- Break your own patterns. Going rock, paper, scissors in order is easy for a watchful player (or the Hard computer) to spot. Mix up your order on purpose.
- In the five-sign game, think in pairs. Every sign covers two others, so ask which two signs you most expect and choose the one sign that beats both of them.
- Use ties as information. A tie tells you what your opponent was thinking, and many players change sign straight after a tie.
Game Modes
Play vs Computer has three levels. Easy picks completely at random. Medium keeps an eye on the signs you use most, and Hard also studies what you tend to play after each sign. The computer only ever learns from rounds that are already finished; it never peeks at your current choice.
Play with Friend works on one device. A cover screen appears between turns so each player can pick in private, then the reveal plays for both of you.
Play Online lets two people on different phones pick at the same moment and watch the reveal together.
Play with Friends Online
Tap Play Online and make a new room. Share the invite link or the short code with one friend, through any chat app or by letting them scan the QR code. As soon as they open it, you both appear in the lobby, and the host chooses the game type and taps Start. Each of you sees a Ready tick when the other has picked, but never the sign itself until the reveal. Emoji reactions are there for a victory cheer, and the host can begin a rematch whenever you are ready.
Rock Paper Scissors FAQ
Is it the same game as stone paper scissors?
Yes. Stone paper scissors, rock paper scissors and similar names all describe the same hand game. Here the signs are shown as friendly pictures.
What happens in a tie?
Nobody scores and the round is played again. The match only moves forward when one sign beats the other.
Can the computer see my choice?
No. The computer decides using only the rounds that have already been revealed, so it has no way of knowing what you just tapped.
Why lizard and alien?
They are the two extra signs in the five-sign version. With five signs, each one beats two others, which makes ties rarer and guessing trickier.
Can I use the keyboard?
Yes. On a computer, press the number keys 1, 2, 3 (or 1 to 5 in the five-sign version) to choose a sign.
Last updated: 2026-09-30
