Top 160
Match colours to build snakes with a head, at least one middle-section and a tail. Whoever places the final card collects the whole snake. After the last card is played, the player with the most collected cards wins.
✓ Rulebooks cross-checked · verified with a physical copy
Match colours to build snakes. Whoever adds the final section collects the whole snake. Players can join in by recognising colours, heads, middle-sections and tails without reading card text.
| Card | Count | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Heads | 6 | One end of a snake |
| Tails | 6 | The other end |
| Middle-sections | 36 | Connect colours and extend a snake |
| Rainbow jokers | 2 | One rainbow head and one rainbow tail |
| Total | 50 | Use all cards |
For 2–5 players aged 4 and up, taking about 15 minutes. Collect completed snakes to finish with the most cards. Simply counting the number of snakes is not enough.
Use open ends
An end already closed by a head or tail cannot be extended. Colours must match at each connection; the whole snake need not be one colour.
A complete snake has one head, at least one middle-section and one tail. A head and tail alone do not make a complete snake. A snake does not have to include every colour.
The rainbow head and rainbow tail are jokers that connect to any colour middle-section. They do not replace a middle-section: every complete snake still needs at least one.
Who collects it?
The player who completes the snake takes all of it, regardless of who added earlier cards. Snakes still missing a head or tail remain in the middle.
If the middle-section just drawn matches the open ends of two incomplete snakes, place it between them to connect them. Collect the entire combined snake if it now has a head, middle-section and tail. If still incomplete, it stays in the middle.
Do not join existing snakes directly
The connection must use the card drawn this turn. You cannot simply push existing snakes together or move an old middle-section between them.
For example, one seven-card snake beats two three-card snakes totalling six cards. Compare the longest snake only when total cards are tied, so keep collected snakes distinguishable. The checked English rules give no further tiebreaker if the longest snakes are also equal.
No. There must be at least one middle-section between them.
No. The jokers are a rainbow head and tail. They match any middle-section colour but do not replace a middle-section.
Yes. Everyone builds the shared snakes. Whoever places the final card to complete one collects all of it.
No. You must place the middle-section drawn this turn between them, matching both ends.
No. Compare total collected cards first. The longest snake matters only in a tie.
Designed by Brigitte Pokornik, the game is listed on BGG as Hisss (2001) and is also known as Serpentina. It was a 2002 Japan Boardgame Prize Best Childgame nominee, not a winner.
The owner's Korean edition is Korea Boardgames / AMIGO KBG-CH04BJ6. The ownership record confirms both sides of its Korean rules were checked; that record was compared with AMIGO's English rules. Physical photos are not distributed as site assets.
Searches of English Wikipedia and Namuwiki on 2026-09-23 did not confirm a dedicated article for this game. Unverified Korean release dates and expansion history are omitted.
Sources
AMIGO official English rules — PDF pages 9–12 (printed pages 16–22)Gamewright official Hisss product and rules page — players, age, time and 50 cardsBGG 7708 — Hisss (2001), designer, components and 2002 Japan Boardgame Prize nominationWikipedia cross-check — search did not confirm a game-specific article (2026-09-23)Namuwiki cross-check — search did not confirm a Serpentina article (2026-09-23)Rule summaries are reference content written by us, not quotations from the official rulebook. Always check the official rulebook for exact rules. Diagrams are original schematics, not rulebook illustrations.
Spotted a mistake? Tell us in the comments below →
Last updated 2026-09-23
💡 Master tip
When you draw a middle-section, check whether it can complete a snake by joining two incomplete snakes before simply extending one. Keep collected snakes distinguishable so you can compare the longest ones in a tie.
If this one has gotten too easy, try these — same feel, one step up in weight.
Comments
Share your thoughts, report a mistake, or request a tool. No sign-in needed — nicknames are not verified, so anyone can use the same one.
Loading…