Our Verdict
RECOMMENDED
Perfect for parties and groups who love laughing at their friends while lying through their teeth.
Highlights
- Rules explained in two minutes
- Extremely high social interaction
- Tension builds with every pass
- Portable and quick to play
Keep in mind
- Can feel repetitive after long sessions
- Depends entirely on group interaction
Rules manual not indexed yet
Upload the PDF rulebook to ask questions about this game with AI.
About the game
What you do in a play session
Forget everything you know about poker. There are no aces or queens here, only cockroaches, rats, and other creepy-crawlies. Cockroach Poker is a game of pure psychology and deception where the goal is simple yet cruel: push the 'hot potato' to your neighbor until someone is forced to collect four cards of the same animal. If that happens, congratulations, you are the sole loser at the table!
The dynamics are fast and chaotic. On your turn, you slide a face-down card to another player and declare: 'This is a stink bug.' Now the ball is in their court. The player can accept the card and try to guess if you told the truth or lied. If they are correct, you keep the card; if they are wrong, the card is theirs. But wait, there's a twist! They can also simply peek at the card and pass it along to someone else, either sticking with the original lie or inventing a new one. The tension builds as the card circulates, because every person who sees it gains more information about what is actually there.
The game ends in one of two ways: either someone completes a quartet of the same critter, or someone runs out of cards in their hand to pass. In both cases, that person loses and everyone else celebrates. It's the perfect kind of game to break the ice at parties, generate laughs, and discover which of your friends is the biggest liar in the group. It doesn't require complex strategy, just the ability to keep a straight face while convincing others that that cockroach is, in fact, a rat.
The dynamics are fast and chaotic. On your turn, you slide a face-down card to another player and declare: 'This is a stink bug.' Now the ball is in their court. The player can accept the card and try to guess if you told the truth or lied. If they are correct, you keep the card; if they are wrong, the card is theirs. But wait, there's a twist! They can also simply peek at the card and pass it along to someone else, either sticking with the original lie or inventing a new one. The tension builds as the card circulates, because every person who sees it gains more information about what is actually there.
The game ends in one of two ways: either someone completes a quartet of the same critter, or someone runs out of cards in their hand to pass. In both cases, that person loses and everyone else celebrates. It's the perfect kind of game to break the ice at parties, generate laughs, and discover which of your friends is the biggest liar in the group. It doesn't require complex strategy, just the ability to keep a straight face while convincing others that that cockroach is, in fact, a rat.
Gallery
Box and component photos
Tap any photo to open fullscreen. Photos submitted by the community or publisher.
Rules videos
Learn by watching before you open the box
In English
Best player count
BGG community vote
2
OK
3
REC
4
REC
5
BEST
6
REC
Soundtrack
Ambience suggested by Melodice
Loading playlist...
Where to Buy
Prices monitored daily
Finding best prices...
Prices unavailable at this time.
Price history — last 6 months (lowest new offer)
Alert enabled!
Join the BoardGamesBot deals group
Get the best board game deals every day — without message spam.
Join the WhatsApp groupGame details
Mechanics, categories, families and credits
Mechanics
Categories
Families
Publisher
Drei Magier Spiele, 999 Games, ADC Blackfire Entertainment, Coiledspring Games, Competo / Marektoy, Corfix, Devir, G3, Gémklub, Gigamic, Kod Kod, Korea Boardgames, Lanlalen, Lion Rampant Imports, Möbius Games, Oya, Rebel Sp. z o.o., Swan Panasia Co., Ltd.
Designer
Jacques Zeimet
Artist
Rolf Vogt
Community
Data from BoardGameGeek
30,057owners
2,260wishlist
210want to play
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers before you buy
Do I need to know how to play poker to play this?
Not at all! The name is just because of the bluffing. The rules are super simple and don't involve betting or card combinations.
How long does a game last?
It's a quick one! Usually around 20 minutes, depending on how much time you spend trying to trick each other.
Is it suitable for children?
Yes, as long as they enjoy bluffing and aren't terrified of cockroaches and rats (even if they are just drawings)!
What is the ideal number of players?
It works with 2, but it really shines with 4 to 6 people, where the chaos and lies become much more fun.
Is the game complex?
Not at all! It's one of the simplest games out there. You'll learn how to play during the first round.
Other Games You'll Like
Based on mechanics and theme