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Tag (game)

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''For other uses, see Tag (disambiguation)
Tag (also known as it, had, he, tips, tig, chasing, chasey, tiggy and other names) is an informal playground game that usually involves one or more players attempting to "tag" other players by touching them with their hands. Played throughout the world and since ancient Egypt[[Citing sources citation needed]], if not earlier, tag is inherently simple — most forms require neither teams, nor scores, nor sports equipment such as balls — but it may be made more complex with various rule modifications. Both of these aspects make tag a popular game amongst children, and it is often played in informal areas such as playgrounds or backyards.

Contents

Rules

The rules of tag are very flexible. Rules such as the following can be either decided upon before the game, or added as the game progresses to make play more fair.

At the beginning of the game, one player is designated "it". After "it" is chosen, the other players scatter. "It" must chase them down and tag them, usually by tapping them somewhere on the body. A tagged player becomes "it", and the former "it" joins the others in trying to avoid being tagged. This process repeats until the game ends.

In a typical game of tag, no score is kept, nor is a winner selected. Those who can avoid being tagged or who can stay "it" for the least amount of time are generally regarded as the best players. There is usually no time limit; the end of the game is chosen arbitrarily, perhaps when the players tire of the game, when recess ends, or when players get called home for dinner.

An anomalous property of tag is that although being "it" gives a player the most influence upon the game and thus could be considered the best role to play, the position is stigmatized and avoided. While most agree that the temporary stigma associated with being "it" is harmless, some have criticized tag because, they allege, a player who is often pursued to be made "it" or who is physically slow can be singled out and embarrassed. Because of this, tag and dodgeball were banned from New Jersey schools on November 18, 2002[[Citing sources citation needed]].

Borders

In order to keep the action fast and fun, a game of tag often has arbitrary borders that the players cannot step beyond, such as a fenced-in back yard, a school yard, or the end of a street. This prevents players from running far beyond the area where the game started to avoid being tagged and keeps all the players in a close vicinity to give "it" a better chance of tagging somebody.

Bases

A game of tag may also have one or more "bases", usually a landmark such as a bench, flagpole, fence, tree trunk, section of wall, or patch of dirt. When a base is touched or stood upon, it grants a player invulnerability from being tagged. It is usually considered cowardly to spend so much time on the base that becoming tagged is impossible, so prideful players usually resort to the safe haven of "base" only in emergencies. "Base" is sometimes called, "Home," "Bar," "Tee," "Bali," "Goo", "Goul" or "Gool", "Den", "Ghouls", "Goal" "Homie" or "Cree".

Sometimes, players are considered safe if they simply grab the hands of someone who is at a base. This is known as "electricity", as the safety of the player at the base is transferred to the other person. There also sometimes limits to amount of time a player can spend on a base.

In cases that only one player may inhabit a base, sometimes a person can force another person standing on base to leave so that the first person can take base. Sometimes, a player may shout "Budge!" before the person on base must move. It allows for tactical play by allowing a person to force another person out of base when "it" is nearby.

In cases when an unlimited number of people can touch a base the "it" can call out "1 2 3 Bases on fire"; at which point everyone touching a base must leave the base they are at for a arbitrary amount of time. this is used when everyone is on base and the "it" person has no one to chase after.

No tag backs

"No tag backs" (also "can't get the butcher back", "no tiggy butchers", "no catch backs" or "no tap backs") is a phrase that can be used in most tag variants. If the person who is "it" tags another player, and then the player tries to tag the person back, the former "it" player can say "no tag backs". This means that the person who is "it" can't immediately tag the person who made them "it". This rule was created to allow the former "it" player not only a chance to get out of close proximity of the current "it" player, but to give them a few moments of immunity to catch their breath. Another way of ensuring victory is to tag someone and then immediately quit the game (often to the annoyance of the other players, who may exclude the person using this strategy from future games).

Babysitting (No Puppy Guarding, No Monkey Guarding, No Camping)

A player who is "it" who hovers around base, waiting for players to leave it is said to be "babysitting" (also, "puppy guarding", "monkey guarding", or "camping"). If a player is unable to leave base because of the imminent threat of being tagged, the player on base can say, "no babysitting!" meaning the person who is "it" can't trap the player on the base. If "no babysitting" is said, the person who is "it" should move away to give the other player a chance to move off the base.

In England this is called "doggy watching". If "it" is continuously waiting for players to exit the base, children can sing the words "Dooooggy watcher, doggy watcher, doggy watcher" in an attempt to alienate "it" and make him or her go elsewhere and allow trapped players to exit the base.

Names of Tag Around the World

Variants

There are many variants on the basic game of tag. The following list should by no means be viewed as complete or authoritative. These are just some of the most popular forms of the game. The names given to different games vary with time and place so the titles should not be seen as the most common or most definitive names for each type of game, but merely serve as examples.

Freeze tag

Freeze tag (or frozen tag) varies from normal tag in that once a player is tagged, he does not become "it"; rather, he is "frozen" and must stand in place without moving while "it" continues to tag and "freeze" the other players. Whoever is the last to be tagged is the winner. Another variation is that "it" wins only if he or she is able to tag all the other players.

Freeze tag often includes some mechanism for freeing frozen players and thus forcing "it" to re-tag them. For example, one player who is not it and not frozen may tag frozen players to release them. Also, in versions where frozen players are merely not allowed to move their feet, if two frozen players can extend their arms far enough to touch each other (without moving their feet), they may shout "electricity!" and become un-frozen. In another variant, sometimes known as "stick in the mud", "Chinese freeze tag" or "scarecrow tag", players may be un-frozen when someone crawls between their legs. Such an action helps prevent "it" from winning, but puts the person crawling in a position where he can be easily tagged and frozen as well. Frozen players in playing scarecrow tag can also be unfrozen by a player running under either of the arms in variants of the game.

A continuous version of freeze tag goes something like this: A player that is frozen may be unfrozen if tagged by a player who is not "it." A player that has been tagged and frozen by "it" becomes the new "it," and all freeze-counts are reset. This variation is called "Koori Oni" in Japan.

Blob tag

Blob tag (Also known as chain tag or amoeba tag) varies from normal tag in that players who are tagged by "it" must join hands or arms and work together to tag further players who must also join the chain. The "blob" of "it" players continues to grow until the final player has been tagged. Blob tag is popular with elementary school physical education teachers as it works well with large groups of children and emphasizes teamwork. In the Midwest U.S., this game is called "Chinese tag" with each new person tagged becoming part of the "Chinese dragon."

A variant known as Tags-Out, where tagged players must go and hold onto a base, each player tagged next will hold onto the player holding the base. holding the next player and so on and so on, until a chain of players with one player holding the base. In order to free all players holding the base the free players must tag the base and shout Tags-Out! Providing this is a fair tag to the base and is seen by "it" and heard as well then everyone apart from the person who is "on" (a tigger) then the game continues as all who were previously caught are now free. The game can be won by "it" if they catch everyone. This game gets harder, the more people who play. If a tagger can catch more than 10 people they are considered an excellent player.

Roundup

In roundup, one person is "it", and time is given for people to run off and hide. "It" chases the players until he tags one. "It" and his tagged victim are now a team and must go around and tag everyone else. Players who have become "it" do not necessarily have to stay together. The game ends when there is no one left to tag. This is sometimes also known as Gang tiggy.

Bulldog

British bulldog ((or just bulldog) is not usually considered a form of tag, but the game is similar enough to be included here. Bulldog is played across a broadly rectangular area, with a physical or imaginary line across the area near each end (often the goal box on a soccer pitch or the 'D' of a hockey pitch). The catching player cannot cross this line, and cannot catch any player who is across it, even if he can physically reach them.

The catching player gets his chance to catch the others when they attempt to run from one end zone to another. Using the idea of "safety in numbers", when one player runs the others will generally follow. Such mass runs generally happen often—the game would be rather boring otherwise. If, however, the catcher feels that the runners have waited too long in the end zone, he can call "bulldog" to force them to run.

In most versions of the game, those who are caught become catchers themselves, alongside the existing ones. Thus, the game ends with one (presumably skilled) runner facing a horde of catchers, and eventually being caught.

Usually, a catch is achieved by simply touching a player. However, versions exist where, to be caught, a runner must be immobilised on the ground, or (in parts of the UK, at least) lifted off of the ground.

Marco Polo

In this variant, named for the 13th-century traveller, "it" is either blindfolded or made to keep his eyes shut firmly. The game then progresses as per normal tag, but "it" may shout out "Marco!" at any time. The other players must then reply "Polo!", thus giving the blinded "it" an audible clue to their locations. Marco Polo is most often played in swimming pools due to their small size and the difficulty of trying to escape "it" without making noise. If "it" suspects that someone has exited the pool, they can shout "fish out of water," and whoever has been out of the pool the longest becomes the new "it."

Another rule sometimes used is "Alligator Eyes" or "Shark Eyes". If "it" calls out one of these names, he or she may swim with his or her eyes open underwater for as long as he or she can hold his or her breath. This rule is discouraged often by teen players, especially when in a smaller pool.

Hide and seek

Hide and seek (sometimes called hide and go seek) is a popular tag variant that is best played in areas with lots of potential hiding spots, such as a forest or a large house. "It" covers their eyes or faces away from the playing field and counts out loud to some predetermined number while the other players hide. "It" then tries to find the hiding players. The next "it" is either the first or the last player found, depending on the rules agreed to by the players.

Dub-dub-in

This variant is a cross between hide and seek and cops and robbers. As in hide and seek, the game starts with "it" closing their eyes and counting out loud to a predetermined number while the other players find places to hide. Like cops and robbers, this game includes a base—ideally a pillar of some sort, like a lamp-post, a drainpipe or a tree. "It" has to seek out the other players, and upon finding them must touch the base and call "dub-dub-out!" followed by the player's name, while pointing out their location. Those who have hidden themselves have to touch the base and shout "dub-dub-in!". They are then "safe" and play no further part in the game, although they may move about freely (provided they do not get in the way of the other players, or reveal the locations of those still hiding). In some variations the players can shout "...save all!" to save the players who have been spotted at that point. This heightens the tension as it is possible for the last hiding player to save all the others and put the seeking player back in for another turn.

The game ends when all players are either "out" or "safe", and the next person to be "it" is chosen according to the rules agreed by the players.

There are many variations on the 'magic' words used to find and to save in this game, such as "rin tin tin all free", "forty five and in", "forty forty..." (Oxfordshire,England. 1960s and 1970s); "tinkinalurkie..." (Derbyshire,England, 2000s); "tin pan alley" (Hertfordshire. England, 1970s). Some variations have changes in terminology which permeate the whole game, as in "forty-four save all" (attested in Sussex, England), where the catcher counts to forty-four, and the calls in the game are "forty-four see you", "forty-four in", (only to save) "Olly, Oll Oxen Free".[[Citing sources citation needed]]

Hide O' Tic or Hide N' Tag

Hide O' Tic is a variation on Dub-dub-in which is a cross between hide and seek and cops and robbers. In Hide O' Tic the game starts with one or more persons being "it" or "on". They must close their eyes and count to a large number whilst staying at their home base. Meanwhile the other players run away and try to find places to hide.

When the person that is "it" has finished counting they must physically seek out the other players and upon finding them "tag"/"tic" them so they are out. Meanwhile the other players must make their way back to the home base trying to avoid being spotted, when they reach the base they must touch it and shout "safe".

The last person to reach the base or be tagged is the person who is "it" in the next game.

This game is harder, fast paced and involves more running and chasing than Dub-dub-in, and so is popular among children in the UK aged around 10+.

Kabuki

This variant (named for the Japanese theatrical tradition) is played in darkness, but is otherwise similar to hide and seek. Being "it" is harder due to the low visibility. The "it" player can shout out "Kabuki!", however, thus forcing the hiding players to reply with the same and therefore give a clue as to their whereabouts.

Smear the queer

Smear the queer (also called smear) is a rougher tag variant more common among older children and teenagers. In this game, "it" is instead called "the queer". The queer does not try to tag the other players; instead, he tries to avoid being tagged, or, more often, tackled (knocked down to the ground) or attacked with a toy weapon.

Smear the queer is often played with an object such as a ball which is held by the "queer". Once the "queer" is tagged or tackled, he throws the object into the air. The other players then try to grab the object, thus becoming the new "queer". Unlike other forms of tag, those who stay "it" the longest are considered the best players.

Queer is used in the Victorian sense of "strange person" rather than the modern definition of "homosexual", though contemporary players may interpret it in the latter sense. As a result, various renamings have proliferated. examples include: "Kill the Carrier", "Murder Call", "Kill the man with the ball", "Kill the man with the pill", "Pick 'em Up Bust em", "Keep off", "Cream the Carrier", or "Kick the dog with one shoe". In GoldenEye 007, a video game for the Nintendo 64 console, it was called "The Living Daylights [Flag Tag]," and in the Halo video game series it is called "Oddball," using a human skull for the "ball," which players must pick up to become the "oddball."

Played somewhat less violently, and without an object being carried, the game is sometimes known as backwards tag. This derives from the sense that the nature of being "it" is reversed, changing from an undesirable status to one very difficult to maintain. Played in this manner, the game can retain the playfulness of "normal" tag, with a higher need for stamina.

The Japanese variant "Shippo-tori" is somewhat similar to smear the queer. In this variant, every player carries an object, usually a handkerchief, and is considered "it." A player is eliminated from the game when another player still in the game takes his object; the winner is the last player to retain his.

Ghost in the graveyard

This variant is played outdoors after dark. The "it" player is known as the "ghost in the graveyard" and runs away from the group to hide. The other players start at a location chosen to be "base", close their eyes, and count aloud to 12 in this fashion:

"One o' clock, two o' clock, three o' clock ghost! Four o' clock, five o' clock, six o' clock ghost! Seven o' clock, eight o' clock, nine o' clock ghost! Ten o'clock, eleven o'clock, twelve o' clock ghost! Midnight! Ghost in the graveyard!"

At this point the group ventures out into the yard or forest in search of the "ghost". If any player sees the ghost, he yells "Ghost in the graveyard!" and all players run as quickly as possible back to base. The goal of the "ghost" is to tag another player, thus making him the "ghost" for the next round. If all players make it back to base safely, the "ghost" retains that role for the next round.

Another variant on Ghost in the graveyard is similar to musical chairs in which there are a finite number of spots, generally referred to as "graves" at the base. For example, in a 5 person game, there may be only 4 "graves". Gameplay continues as above, except after a player finds the ghost and yells, "Ghost in the graveyard!" it is a race back to the base to claim one of the remaining "graves" The last person to arrive with a spot ends up as the "ghost" for the next round.

Another variation on this game is called "Bloody Murder" the game has basically the same rules as mentioned above except the exclamation is "Bloody Murder" instead of "Ghost in the graveyard".

Line tag

Line tag is played like normal tag games, only players can only run on lines drawn/painted on the ground, such as those on the floor of a basketball court. Players are not allowed to run off the lines, therefore they can easily be trapped, especially if two people are "it". However, players can sometimes jump from one line to another.

A very similar variation of this game is called "Pac-Man tag". Played on the lines of a basketball court, there are four people who are "it", symbolising the ghosts in Pac-Man. These four people must try and tag out all the other players running around on the lines. Play ends when all the other players, the Pac-Men, are caught. Optionally, there are four dodgeballs placed on the four corners, and they can be collected by the Pac-Men and they can then use them to tag the ghosts, forcing them to go back the center before chasing the Pac-Men again. The ball is then removed from play.

Manhunt

Manhunt refers to several distinct tag games.

One of these game takes place after dark, preferably in very dark places, where someone is "it" and has to search for the others one by one.

A variant of this, if there are enough players, is the concept of teams trying to flush out then trap other teams. Generally two teams alternate as hiding as It, scoring points based on their successes until a total is reached. Sometimes methods of identifying teams, such as wool bangles, are used, and their taking stands in for the act of tagging.

Sometimes Manhunt is also used to refer to the game IRA.

IRA (Manhunt)

Although IRA is sometimes referred to as Manhunt, it is very different from all other games bearing that name. This is generally played by slightly older players than other forms of tag. The Game consists of 2 teams of roughly equal amount of players. One team is on, and each player on that team secretly has a letter, which may be written on them. The letters all make up a word, which the other team has to figure out. The team that is on gets time to run away, and then the other team has to find them. It is usually played in a large area.

Once the team catches someone, they have to torture them, until they reveal their letter, usually by punching them in the arm. Once all the letters have been found, the other team has to figure out the word.

It is against the rules to make a captured player reveal any letter other than his, and also for a captured player to lie about their letter.

Ringolevio

In New York City, a game with two team similar to Manhunt is played without the spelling but with the opportunity to free captured team members. See Ringolevio.

Scrap Tag

This tag variant, invented in central Delaware, is usually played by older players. Similar to the "Smear the Queer" variant, it is a more physical version of Tag. Unlike other forms of tag, the game is not limited in time or play area — the game is always active. The person who is "it," has the job of yelling "scrap tag," and tackling other players and wrestling them to the ground when they least expect it. The game is built on a system of honour whereby the player tackled must surrender when successfully tackled and not escalate the wrestling to the point at which other players are hurt. The key to the game is not in getting rid of the "it" condition as quickly as possible, but doing it with the most style at the moment other players least suspect it.

TV tag

In TV tag, when "it" is about to tag one of the players, the player can avoid being tagged by squatting and slapping the ground while calling out the name of a television show. If the player successfully does this, "it" must turn his or her attention to a different player. If the player is too slow, fails to name a show, or repeats one already said by another player, he or she may be tagged, and thus becomes "it". This version can also use other categories, such as movies.

Cops and Robbers (aka Cops and Fugitives)

Cops and robbers is a tag variant with two teams of one player or more. When played with more than two players, the cops team typically has more members. At the beginning of the game the robber(s) must "steal" a previously assigned object, or touch this. The cop(s) must then chase and catch the robber(s) by tagging them.

In a larger scale version, the Cops and Fugitives start in one location, and the Fugitives are given a head start of some designated time. The Fugitives try to get to some location usually more than a mile away on foot. Cops drive sometimes with partners and if a cop tags a fugitive, the fugitive rides along with the cop. The fugitives run to the location and once they get there, they are safe. The game ends at a designated time or when all the fugitives are tagged.

In another version there are 2 teams, and one team has to take something of the cops and the cops have to do some kind of maze until they sort of know who took it and can't guess who it is until the end. Then they have to find it and then figure out who did it then find them and arrest them.

Fox and Hounds

This variation is best played in as large an area as possible, with as many participants as can be found. If played in a school, it should use the entire area covered by the grounds and, ideally, the interior of the building as well. Possibly the best games are played across an entire housing estate and involve more than a hundred players, with rules against players using their homes or gardens as hiding places. Such a game can take several hours to conclude, particularly when some players are very skilled.

The game begins with a single player (the "hound") giving the "foxes" a big enough head start to allow them to get out of sight. The hound then gives chase and tries to hunt down the foxes. Upon being tagged (or sometimes, wrestled to the ground), the foxes switch sides and become hounds.

Ultimately, all but one of the players will be hounds, chasing down a lone fox. Great kudos are due to any player who can evade the hounds for a great length of time without resorting to foul play.

In Australia, this is also known as "Gang-up chasey". In Northern Ohio, Fox and Hounds is also known as "Sardines." However, please note that Sardines in Australia is an entirely different and satisfying tag variant.

Sardines

Sardines is often played inside a darkened house. One person hides and the others try to find him or her. When the person is found, the finder joins them in their hiding place. They must try to keep quiet to avoid giving away their hiding place. This is repeated until everyone is stuffed like sardines into a wardrobe, for example, trying not to giggle.

Arrow tag

Similar to "Fox and Hounds" above, this is played over a large area such as several blocks. The players who are being chased leave chalked arrows on the ground which may or may not give an indication of which way they have gone.

Sharks and Minnows

This game requires a swimming pool to play. To begin, a person is selected to be the "shark" and all the other players, the "minnows," go to one side of the pool. The shark then tells the minnows to swim from one side of the pool to the other while he/she tries to tag as many minnows as he/she can before they reach the other side of the pool, which serves as a base. When a minnow is tagged by the shark he becomes a shark and all the sharks tell the minnows to swim to the other side of the pool. This process is repeated until there is only one minnow left, who is the winner. The first minnow tagged is then the shark at the beginning of the next game. A variant known as "killer shark" is sometimes played in which the shark is required to pull the minnow to the surface and tag the top of their head above water. One variant are similar to "killer shark" in that a minnow can only be tagged if a part of their body is above the surface of the water, but a shark can not pull them to the surface; this game favors those with great lung capacity.

Sharks and Minnows is best played in the deep end of a swimming pool so that the minnows can try to swim under the shark. This greatly prolongs the game.

Zombie tag (variant Assassin)

Zombie tag is a game of four or more people split up in teams of two. One team hunts the other. The game is played in stores such as Target, Expo, Burlington and Mervyns. If you are tagged you become a zombie until one "human" remains. Ironically if you win as the last human in the store the next round you are the zombie ("it"). This game originated in Dublin, California and has since spread all across California. It's also known as Matrix tag; "humans" hide from "agents."

Another form of Zombie tag is a slight variation on normal tag, where each person who is tagged becomes another "it", until everyone is chasing the last. This version does not require a particular number of people or a specific place.

A variant of 'Zombie' is Assassin. This plays exactly the same as zombie, but if two people meet at about 20 feet apart one must hold up his or her hands signalling if they are Assassin or not (a gun shape for assassin, flat hands if not). This gives space for a non-assasin to run away, and produces spectacular chases. This form of tag is is best played with larger teams over a larger area, with lots of walls or obstacles in the way (such as around a school campus), because there is not always a way to tell if someone is assassin or not until you see their hand signal.

Teams

This is played by two teams of roughly equal numbers, sometimes as Boys v. Girls. One team is designated "on" and must catch the players on the other team. When a player is caught he/she is brought to an area called "Jail". Other areas (e.g. a fence, a pole) are designated "Den" and when a player is touching Den he/she cannot be caught. But if a player has stayed in Den for too long a chaser may count down from 10 and the player must run before 0 is reached. Players in Jail can escape if another player on their team gets close enough to touch them. When all of the chased players are in Jail, the teams swap around and the chased team are now "on". If a chased player breaks the rules by jailbreaking without being touched, refusing to leave Den or refusing to go to Jail, his/her team is made "on".

Tornado Tag (Hurricane Tag, Hurricane, Hurricaneo, Tornado)

This version of tag is played like normal tag except the tagger must be spinning around with their arms stretched out. If they tag somebody without doing that, the person they tagged is it but they are out, or it doesn't count.

Alien Tag

This is played by designating an area to be an alien spaceship (and occasionally a base). Then you decide who is it. Then they have to catch people and escort them to the spaceship. You can get out of the spaceship by someone other than the tagger tagging you. If everybody except the tagger is in the spaceship the person had been in the longest since their last escape is the new tagger.

Hot Lava Monster

This is played on a playground. The Hot Lava monster stays on the ground or a certain color and tags people. Everybody else stays on the playground.

Battle Tag (War Tag)

It is a battle between the Freezer, the Heater and the Runners. The tagger freezes people as in Freeze tag. The Heater unfreezes people. The runners run away from the Freezer. The Freezer can throw balls or tag to tag people. However the Freezer may not freeze the Heater.

Everybody's it (Band-aid tag)

In this version everybody tags each other. A player who is tagged must put his or her hand over the place where they were tagged. A player who is tagged three times, and hence cannot cover all three places, is out for a set amount of time.

Shadow Tag

This form of tag was originally played in mid- to late- afternoon or morning, but the modern ubiquity of outdoor lighting makes it a popular game for summer nights. It is exactly like tag in all respects except that shadows are used. The shadow of the player who is "it" must touch another person's shadow. The other person is now "it."

Color Tag

All players stand on one side of a designated playing field except for one. This person stands in the middle of the field and calls out a color. If the color is visible on any person standing on the edge, that person or persons must attempt to run across the field. If they are caught, they must join the original player in the middle and attempt to catch other players. When everyone has either:

A) Reached the other side safely B) Been caught C) Remained where they are because they did not have the color

A new color is called out. This is repeated until all players but one are caught. That person goes to the middle, everyone else to the edge, and a new game is started.

In Australia, this is known as "All Over, Red Rover". In this variant, the person/people who are 'it' can also call out "All over, red rover!", which forces all players to run. In New Zealand, it is known as "Bullrush", for when they call bullrush everybody must run. Also they do not have to wait until everybody is across before calling another colour or bullrush.

No Touch Gravel

(Also known as Off Ground Tig/Tag and Grounders/Don't touch the ground tag) All players except the one who is "it" cannot touch the gravel of the playground. The person who is "it" may go wherever they wish. Non-"it" players must jump and remain on playground equipment for however long they can. If the "it" person catches a regular player on the gravel then the person who is "it" yells that so-and-so was found on the gravel and is now it. If a player touches the gravel and gets away with it then they are not penalized.

Similar to the indoor game No Touch Carpet or Hot Lava where the gravel is replaced with carpeting or indoor flooring.

''See also: Hot Lava Game
A variation, normally called "Ground Tag" is the same, except the person who is "it" must close their eyes. If the person who is "it" is caught with their eyes open, "Broken Dishes" must be yelled. If caught, the person who is "it" must go back on the ground, and count to an amount of seconds determined by the players before moving again.

Virus

This variant of tag is intended for larger teams, and includes elements of "cops and robbers". If, for example, there are eight players, one of them is chosen to be "it" and the other seven are assigned numbers. "It" then counts to a number, and starts to go and look for the corresponding person. When a person is tagged, he joins the "it" team and starts looking for the other people, hence the name "Virus".

Warp Tag

This varient of tag is usually played in a fairly large backyard. It involves a designated spot in the yard that is the warping spot. There are different dimensions that a player can warp to. Usually 3-4 dimensions, otherwise it can get a little hectic. The "it" must be in the same dimension as one of the players to tag them. If the "it" and another player are in different dimensions then they can be right next to each other and the "it" cannot tag him/her. The game ends when all of the players are tagged and then usually the first person tagged is the next "it".

Variants requiring equipment

Some variants of tag use special equipment such as balls, guns, or even flashlights to replace tagging by hand.

Airsoft uses "markers" to shoot plastic pellets. It is comparable with paintball, though without paint. Airsoft pellets are less painful than a paintball. They both hurt and leave welts and bruises, and both have risk of serious injury especially to the eye.

Dodgeball

Dodgeball is a playground team-based tag game which uses rubber balls. Players throw balls at members of the opposite team to eliminate them from the game.

Ball Tag

Ball Tag is a variation of tag typically played with rubber balls similar to those in dodgeball. The person who is "it" must throw the ball at the others to tag them. If a person catches the ball thrown at them, the person who threw the ball is still "it", and the catcher can throw the ball anywhere on the course, making the "it's" job more difficult. If a ball that is bounced off a tagged person is caught by another player without the ball touching another object, the person who was tagged is it. The ball may not be picked up off the ground by anyone other than the "it." If a person who is not "it" intentionally picks up the ball, they are it for two turns, unless they tag the person who was originally "it."

In Australia 'Ball Chasey' is often referred to as 'Brandy' and played among older players. The name originating from the variant in that the tennis ball is soaked in water and when hit will leave a mark and thus branded; this is also more violent in that players will intentionally try to hurt someone by aiming at the skin of players' arms or legs.

Flashlight tag

Flashlight tag, also called "Spotlight", is played at night. Rather than physically tagging each other, the "it" player can tag the others by shining a flashlight beam on them. Many of the various games of tag can be played in this manner.

Follow the arrow

This extensive variant requires chalk and a large arena (typically an entire housing estate) and, well played, can last all day. The hiders are given a substantial lead (at least two minutes, often more) and head off, leaving hints as to their route in the form of chalk arrows. They will, from time to time, leave double-headed arrows to confuse the chasers. The chasers (usually a pair, since the game can last a while) must decide which arrows are genuine. If they follow the wrong route they will eventually find a 'double-back' arrow and will have to retrace. It can be played as pure 'chase' or with the object of the hiders coming up behind "it" and tagging them.

Kick the Can

In Kick the can, tagged players must sit in a "jail" until a free player kicks a soda can or some other object near the jail, freeing everyone.

Laser tag

Laser tag is very similar to flashlight tag in that it uses beams of light for the purposes of tagging. However, laser tag uses special equipment to avoid the inevitable arguments that arise in flashlight tag about whether one was actually tagged. Players carry "guns" instead, which emit beams of light. They also wear electronic equipment that can detect these beams and thus register being "hit". The equipment can be quite sophisticated, often with built-in scoring systems and various penalties for taking hits.

Paper-ball tag

In this game, "it" must tag the other players by throwing a piece of crumpled paper at them.

Paintball

Paintball is similar to laser tag, except that it uses air guns (usually called "markers") that fire paint pellets to tag other players. Paintball can be played freeform, but games often include complex rules on custom-designed courses.

Phone Tag

Phone tag is not exactly a game, but more a reference to the game of tag. Phone tag occurs when two senders try to reach each other by telephone but always reach each other's voice mail and leave messages instead. After two or three back and forth messages, it is not uncommon for a person to jokingly say, "Tag, you're it." A more recent derivative of phone tag is IM Tag.

Pickle

Pickle (or sometimes referred to as Hot Box, particularly when using a baseball) is a form of tag that is played with a ball (generally something soft like a tennis ball) and two bases (usually trees). One player guards each base while the others run between them. Players are safe while touching a base; however, while running from one base to another, players are vulnerable to being tag by balls thrown by the base guards. If a runner is hit by the ball, he replaces the guard who threw it, and that guard becomes a runner.

Spud

Spud is a tag variant that is best played in large, open areas. Players begin each round in a central location. "It" then throws a ball high into the air. The other players run but must stop as soon as "it" catches the ball and shouts "Spud!" "It" may then take three large steps toward the player of his choosing before throwing the ball at that player. If the ball hits the target, that player becomes "it", and the game starts over.

One variation of Spud requires numbering the participants. "It" throws the ball in the air and calls out a number. Whichever player's number is called instantly becomes "it", and must catch the ball and shout "Spud" as above. This variation does not require all participants to gather in one location at the beginning, but if one player is far away and his or her number is called, it will take longer for him or her to catch the ball.

Cone Tag

Essentially a game of tag played with a cone. Instead of tagging the cone is left on a doorstep or lawn. Players acquire a traffic cone and then place the cone on someone's doorstep and that person has been tagged. Then the person who is now it must tag another person.

Army Dodgeball

Army Dodgeball consists of two teams, and is normally played in a small to medium-small sized arena (such as a basketball court, or small parking lot). The two teams are picked and a line is made in the center of the playing area. Each team is assigned a side and neither team may cross the center line. One or several balls is/are then distributed to the team(s). Each player then tries to hit the other team's players with the ball, and the spot that is hit is therefore "wounded" and the player must move to the back of the playing area and wait for the "medic" to come heal them. The medic is one player assigned at the beginning of the game by each team. As the two teams throw the ball(s) at each other, if a "wounded" player is hit by a ball before being "healed" they are then removed from the game. The game ends when one player remains unwounded and not out. The game is best played by a medium-sized group (10-30) and lasts for 20 minutes to an hour.

Hospital

Hospital, also known as Doctor Dodgeball, is a variant of dodgeball and is similar to Army Dodgeball. It contains two teams, each consisting of usually 5 or more players. The play area is a basketball court. A line in the center of the play area separates the two sides and crossing to the other team's side is illegal in almost all circumstances. On the line, many dodgeballs are placed, and when the game begins, the players run towards them to get them. When hit by a dodgeball, you are out, though if you are hit in the head purposefully or if you catch a ball thrown at you, whoever threw the ball is out. One person is the doctor, and only they can heal people. When the doctor is out, a dodgeball must be thrown in the opposite team's basketball hoop before everyone gets out to revive everyone on their team. One or two players are spies. Spies are the only people that can go to the other team's side. When the identity of the spies or doctor is found out, the name is usually told to the other teammates so that they know who to target to make the game easier to win for them. Games last until all players on one side are out.

 

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