Gorilla Person Pistol

Name and Purpose

• Gorilla Person Pistol is a whole-body Rock-Paper-Scissors game that builds energy, laughter, and connection.
• Players practise quick decision-making, reading a partner, and celebrating together with big physical expression.

a.k.a.

• Rock Paper Scissors Whole Body, Body RPS, Giant Scissors

Age / Group / Time / Space

• Ages 10-16 | 6-40 players | 10-20 minutes | Any indoor or outdoor space with enough room to pair up and move

Materials

• No materials required
• Optional: small prize or bragging rights ceremony for the final round

Quick-Run Card

1. Teach three poses: Gorilla (arms raised, big growl), Person (arms folded, chin tilt), Pistol (finger guns).
2. Pair up back-to-back.
3. Count together: “1, 2, 3!” Turn and show your pose.
4. Gorilla beats Person. Person beats Pistol. Pistol beats Gorilla. Tie: play again.
5. Round winners pair up with other winners. Continue until a champion emerges.

Setup and Boundaries

• Ensure there is enough space for pairs to turn around without bumping each other
• Signal: 1 whistle = freeze; 2 whistles = stop and gather
• No physical contact during reveals; poses are shown, not acted out
• Check for tripping hazards if players are moving around to find partners

How to Play

1. Staff teaches the three poses. Everyone practises together before pairing up:
   • Gorilla: raise both hands overhead, make a big growling face
   • Person: fold arms across chest, tilt chin with a thoughtful expression
   • Pistol: point both index fingers outward (finger guns)
2. The rule: Gorilla beats Person. Person beats Pistol. Pistol beats Gorilla.
3. Players pair up back-to-back. Everyone counts together: “1, 2, 3!” Both players turn and show their pose at the same time.
4. The player with the winning pose earns a point or advances. Ties play again immediately.
5. Winners seek out other winners to pair with. Players who have not won yet keep playing in a separate pool.
6. Continue pairing winners together until one champion remains.
7. Optional: build this into a weekly ritual at big gatherings, with players tracking their results across the week.

Note: The original lyric used “if you tie you die.” Replaced with “if you tie, try again” to avoid harm language.

I-OPt Options

• A (Active): Compete fully, track your wins, work toward the championship round
• S (Support): Cheer loudly for pairs, narrate the reveal, help facilitate pairing
• Q (Quiet): Play with smaller, quieter poses; participate without the big theatrics
• O (Observer): Watch the matchups, keep track of who is undefeated, join a round when ready

Inclusion Adaptations

• Players who prefer not to use the Pistol pose (finger guns) can substitute a “shield” pose (arms crossed in front of chest) with the same game logic
• Big arm movements are the default, but players can show poses at any scale they are comfortable with
• Pairs can face each other instead of going back-to-back if that is more comfortable

Stewardship Moment

• No materials, no waste
• Reflection: “What did you notice about your decision-making? Did you have a favourite pose, or did you switch it up?”

Consent

• Pre-brief: “This game involves big poses and maybe a bit of friendly growling. If you would prefer to keep your movements small and quiet, that is completely fine.”
• Mid-game check: After the first round, ask: “How is everyone going? Ready to keep going, or need a break?”
• Opt-out/re-entry: Step to the side at any time. Jump back in when a new pairing round starts.

Risks and Mitigation

• Players get too physical with poses (shoving, grabbing): remind the group that poses are held, not acted out; model calm reveals
• Pistol pose may be uncomfortable for some participants: offer the shield substitute and mention it before the game starts without making it a big deal
• Competitive tension if the same person keeps winning: celebrate the runner-up pool and frame both pools as equally fun

Warm-Up Suggestions

• “Pose Parade”: staff calls a pose and everyone does it at once three times in a row to build muscle memory
• “Mirror Me”: pairs mirror each other’s poses for 30 seconds to warm up the body

Debrief Questions

• What? “Did you have a go-to pose, or did you try to read your partner?”
• So What? “What made this feel different from regular Rock-Paper-Scissors?”
• Now What? “Where else in life do you make quick decisions based on what you think someone else might do?”

Cleanup and Reset

• No cleanup needed
• If used as a weekly ritual, note which players have made it to the final round for continuity