- BGG rank
- BGG #27,687
- BGG rating
- 5.5
Super Simon
- 1–4 players
- 10 min
- Complexity 1.0/5
- 1979
- BGG rank
- BGG #31,451
- BGG rating
- 4.5
Simon
1978
Rules assistance for Simon
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–4 players
- 30 min
- 7+
- Complexity 1.2/5
Rules assistant for Simon
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Simon is a board game released in 1978 for 1–4 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 7 and up. It was designed by Howard J. Morrison, Ralph Baer, and Lenny Cope and its main mechanics are Memory and Pattern Recognition.
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About the game
Simon is a large round electronic box with four player 'press pads' on top. Each of the pads lights up and plays a tone. The game is basically a memory game. Simon lights one of the coloured pads and sounds a tone, then two, then three, etc. Players attempt to match Simon by pressing the pads in the proper sequence. If someone fails, they get a 'raspberry' and are out of the game. Of course Simon speeds up as the game progresses so it becomes increasingly more difficult. For a little less randomness, players can set the game to ignore the computer and perform the sequences themselves adding one colour to each play. Player 1 can press "Red", Player 2 then must press "Red" and then adds another "Red", player 3 then must press "Red, Red", and then adds "Blue", etc.
Categories
Mechanics
Publishers
- Super Impulse
- Hasbro
- John Sands Pty Ltd
- Estrela
- Milton Bradley
- MB Giochi
- MB Spiele
- MB Jeux
- Just Play Games
- Hasbro Industries (Hasbro Bradley)
Questions and answers
Simon supports 1–4 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 Simon is 30 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 Simon for ages 7 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.
Simon has a complexity rating of 1.2 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.
Simon belongs to these categories: Memory, Electronic, and Real-time. Its main mechanics are Memory and Pattern Recognition. 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 credited designers of Simon are: Howard J. Morrison, Ralph Baer, and Lenny Cope. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Simon 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.