Pop-up Pirate is a popular luck-based game for children manufactured by Tomy. It originated in Japan in 1975 under the name One Shot Blackbeard Crisis (黒ひげ危機一発) and has seen many iterations over the years.

Rules

The pirate is placed into a spring-loaded barrel and rotated to randomize the unlucky slot. Players must take turns to insert plastic swords into slots in the side of the barrel. If a player inserts the sword into a specific slot (which changes randomly every time the game is played), the pirate is launched out of the barrel, and the player is eliminated. The last player remaining after all others have been eliminated wins.

Educational value

According to Dominic Wyse, a professor of early childhood and primary education at University College London, the game improves children's motor skills, as well as in common with other games promoting turn-taking and having fun together with others.

Variations

Video game

Tomy has also released a video game version of Pop-up Pirate. Available as a WiiWare game, it was released in Japan on November 25, 2008, and in Europe on February 13, 2009. The North America version is titled as Party Fun Pirate, which was released on April 13, 2009. The game is essentially a digital version of the game, but also includes a single player logic puzzle mode. Players are also able to replace the pirate with one of their own Miis.