Thrift Treasure: Hungry Hungry Hippos
If you were a child of the 80’s, there is no doubt you had or played Hungry Hungry Hippos at some point. You also couldn’t escape the earworm from Hasbro‘s campy commercial that played endlessly on Saturday mornings.
My family owned a copy, but more often than not there were only two of us (sometimes three) available to play it. As you remember, Hungry Hungry Hippos supported up to four players, and if there wasn’t the full compliment of people to play it, marbles seemed to get stuck. It just wasn’t as fun.
Last week I spotted a new version on the shelves of our local Goodwill, and at 88 cents I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to relive those memories – even if in a smaller form. As a bonus, this travel version only had two hippos! I guess they couldn’t fit four in such a tiny box!
The rules are basically the same as you remember. Make sure all of the marbles (in this case tiny balls) are in the center of the play area. One person calls out “1, 2, 3, Go!” and both of you hit the lever as fast as you can. Doing so makes the mouth of the hippos open up and move forwards in an attempt to grab one or more of the quickly moving marbles.
Each round will only take a handful of seconds, and the person who collects the most wins! Of course in a game like this, multiple rounds are needed to prove you are the fastest hippo in the land.
And not only does it support two players, it is portable! Grab it for a car ride or your next family vacation. I’m sure the people in the airplane seat in front of you won’t mind the noise and vibration! So pick up a copy from Amazon for under $10 shipped and start earning those frequent flyer miles!
Would you have bought this at thrift if you had seen it? Or would you have let those hippos go hungry?
That looks like a cute game which I actually never heard of before but I would probably enjoy. None of my friends kids had it and I was way too old by the time it first came out to be aware of it.
Awe! This is such a cute version of HHH! I remember loving that game as a child. I think my girls would love both versions!
Oh my goodness, I remember playing this game when I was a kid. My father actually brought it home one day when he was working in a local toy store.
I love this game! It was one of my childhood favorite’s! I didn’t realize that there was a travel size version of it though so now I know what I want to give my kids for Easter in their Easter baskets! Can’t go wrong with a classic! Thanks!
I loved this game as a kid. I am not sure why I have not thought to get one for my kids.
Aaaaaaw this looks too cute for words. Such bright photos….it is very eye catching
OMG I loved Hungry Hungry Hippos. That was before the days off worrying kids would choke on marbles. I do like this portable version though, any portable games are top in my books.
Lee
I have never played this game with my kiddos, but I really enjoyed it when I was little. I will have to keep a look out for it while I am thrift shopping and hitting the garage sales.
This will forever be one of my favorite games. I love playing this with my kids.
I have always loved this game. I used to load up on the travel size to give as gifts, everyone has to have these hippos, and not just because they look like me!
Mitch