Roshambo

About Roshambo

Roshambo is rock-paper-scissors given a proper stage: colorful graphics, snappy rounds, and a first-to-three format that turns the world's oldest duel into a best-of series. Play against the computer or — where it truly belongs — against a friend on the same device.

Everyone thinks it's pure luck until they lose three straight to someone reading their habits. That's the game: patterns, psychology, and the eternal truth that most people lead with rock.

How to play

Player 1 picks with A, S and D; player 2 picks with J, K and L. Each key is one of rock, paper and scissors. The first player to reach 3 points wins the game, and a single-player mode against the computer uses the same keys.

Controls

• Player 1 — A / S / D
• Player 2 — J / K / L
• Touch controls also supported
• First to 3 points wins

Tips to win

• Humans repeat a throw after winning with it — punish the encore.
• After losing, most players switch to what would have beaten your last throw. Stay one step ahead.
• Announcing your throw and actually playing it is the deepest mind game in the book.

Roshambo strategy guide

Two hands, six keys, one keyboard — that is why this works as a quick two-player game. Roshambo puts player one on A, S and D and player two on J, K and L, which leaves plenty of room between the two players and needs no setup at all. First to three points wins, so a full game takes under a minute and a best-of series fits into any short break.

Humans are terrible at being random, and that is your edge. Against a friend, the game is not really rock paper scissors — it is prediction. Most people avoid repeating the same throw twice in a row, favour one particular option under pressure, and switch after losing. Paying attention to which of those your opponent does is worth more than any strategy you could plan in advance.

Watch what they do after they lose a point. The most readable moment in the game is immediately after someone loses. A large majority of players change their throw at that point, and many change in a predictable direction — to the option that would have beaten what just beat them. Two or three rounds of observation usually gives you something to work with.

Repeat a winning throw at least once. Because your opponent assumes you will switch, throwing the same thing twice is unexpectedly strong. It feels unsubtle, which is exactly why it works, and against a player who is trying to read you it collects points that a more elaborate plan would not.

In a first-to-three, one read is the whole game. Short matches mean there is no time for a long-term strategy to pay off. Commit to an observation early, act on it, and accept that you will sometimes be wrong. Playing cautiously and randomly across three rounds is how you end up losing to someone who guessed once and guessed right.

Roshambo FAQ