Car game

Car game
For the activity in which two cars drive directly towards one another until one changes course, see Chicken (game).
Not to be confused with Cars (video game).

Car games are games played to pass the time on long car journeys, often started by parents to amuse restless children. They generally require little or no equipment or playing space. Some such games are designed specifically to be played while traveling (e.g. the license plate game, the Alphabet Game or Padiddle), while others are games that can be played in a variety of settings including car journeys (e.g. twenty questions).

Car tag

A common car game is car tag. Car tag is when people spot other cars based on their name or model. A person will shout the name and usually react by punching another person. The game ends when the travellers reach their destination, and the person who spotted the most wins. Cars in a dealership lot do not count since they are not owned by anyone. Certain models of car may trigger other effects beyond or instead of awarding points, as listed below.

Car Name Reaction
Volkswagen Beetle When a person spots this car they yell "Slugbug!", or, "Punch Buggy!" The person who spotted the car then punches the person they're playing the game with.
Mini Cooper When a person spots this car they poke someone else in the car. During the poke the person who spotted the car with yell Mini Coop!
PT Cruiser When a person spots this car they pinch someone else in the car. During the pinch the person says PT Pinch or Cruiser Bruiser
Ford If a player sees a Ford pickup truck they may punch another player in the arm twice and yell "Crazy Fists'
Hummer When a person spots this car they punch someone else in the car. During the punch the person says Hummer Bummer
Smart (automobile) When a person spots this car they stab their elbows into some else in the car. During this action the person yells Smart Car.
Fence, Yoshi & Blue Yoshi Cow When a person spots any of these three they yell Box Car.
Yellow Car When a person sees a yellow car they yell "Banana Poke" They then proceed to poke whoever else is playing.

There many car games around divided to small categories such as Driving games, Drifting games, racing games, General car games parking games and even monster truck games.

Counting animals

An alternative to car cricket for the open countryside is for players to count animals on their side of the car. This game recurs under many titles, such as Counting Cows, and diverse sets of rules.

Two players are given a side of the road, left or right. The aim is for a player to score 100 points for animals on their side, with these rules:

  • three for a pig
  • minus ten for a horse
  • cat looking out of the window is 100
  • one point for any other animal

The usual rules include these points:

  • you only count animals beyond the carriageway on your side;
  • estimate for flocks of sheep and so on;
  • humans, birds and other non-mammals don't count;
  • scores never drop below zero under the horse rule.

See also


Stub icon This game-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.