- BGG rank
- BGG #1,411
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Loopin' Louie
- 2–4 players
- 10 min
- Complexity 1.1/5
- 1992
- BGG rank
- BGG #31,101
- BGG rating
- 4.5
Hot Potato
1988
Rules assistance for Hot Potato
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–6 players
- 10 min
- 4+
- Complexity 1.0/5
Rules assistant for Hot Potato
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Hot Potato is a board game released in 1988 for 2–6 players, 10 minutes per game, and ages 4 and up. Its main mechanics are Player Elimination, Hot Potato, and Real-Time.
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About the game
A high-pressure game of getting rid of a "hot" potato so as not to be holding it when time runs out. This game probably goes way back. Sidney Addy's Glossary of Sheffield Words describes a game in which "a number of people sit in a row, or in chairs round a parlor. A lighted taper is handed to the first, who says: Jack's alive, and likely to live If he dies in your hand, you've a forfeit to give. The one in whose hand the light expires has to pay the forfeit." That was written in 1888. Apparently later it was played with an actual hot potato. Whoever ended up with the potato when the music stopped was kicked out and the potato elimination match continued. By the 1950s, manufactured Hot Potato games were already on store shelves. Remco’s late 1950s version used small plastic pans for each player, covered up so that no one would know who was holding the real potato. In the 1960s, there was “Spudsie,” a wind-up potato who emitted a loud DING when time was up. In the 1980s, there was the battery-powered “Chip O’Grattin.” Most recently there is a battery-powered talking potato, which shouts out “Yahoo!”
Publishers
- Parker Brothers
- Milton Bradley
- Fundex
- Spear's Games
- Jumbo
- Paul Lamond Games Ltd
- Habourdin International
- Moose Games
- Alexander
- Goliath Games
- Schylling
- Mega Bleu
- Hutter Trade GmbH + Co KG
- Fotorama USA
- REMCO Games
Questions and answers
Hot Potato supports 2–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Hot Potato is 10 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Hot Potato for ages 4 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Hot Potato has a complexity rating of 1.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Hot Potato belongs to these categories: Children's Game, Movies / TV / Radio theme, and Party Game. Its main mechanics are Player Elimination, Hot Potato, and Real-Time. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The catalogue lists Hot Potato as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.