Pop the Pig Game: A Review

My kids, ages 8 and 5, had seen the ad for Pop the Pig by Goliath at least a half dozen times before Christmas. Thinking that it would be an entertaining family game for the four of us, I picked it up at Amazon for less than $20.00. There were several options, but I chose the upgraded Goliath version, which the manufacturer asserts is new and improved. The kids were excited to play it and as we opened up the baggie of little plastic hamburgers, we all exclaimed, “Awwww!” because they were so cute. We were off to a good start. I consulted the directions to make sure we were setting things up correctly and we began a game.

How The Game Works

Here is how the game is supposed to work: with each turn, players roll the die, feed the pig a burger, and then press down on his chef’s hat the number of times shown on the bottom of the selected burger. The pig’s stomach (which has a balloon-type device underneath it) is supposed to get bigger and bigger with each press of his hat until he finally “pops,” causing his belt to open. My kids thought this concept was hysterical and could not wait to see the pig “pop.”

“Popping” The Pig

Unfortunately, there were a few problems with getting the pig to pop, the first of which is that his hat is very difficult to press down, especially for my little one. But with two hands, he was finally able to do this. I can’t imagine any child younger than 5 is strong enough to pull this off. While the original version of the game had many problems, I noticed that in this edition you could noticeably see the growth of the pig’s stomach.

The first time the kids played they managed to get Pig’s belt to pop open but the stomach never really got big at all. I asked them, “Are you guys sure the belly is supposed to get big?”. “Look at the picture,” they said. And sure enough, the image on the front of the box shows a good ole Pig with a big, inflated stomach. “This game is stupid,” my daughter said. “It’s junk,” my son said. Neither of my kids tends to mince words. When we played with the upgraded version, their sentiments changed. With the visible growth and the excitement of the pop, they said they had a more enjoyable experience and would love to play again.

What Others Are Saying

“Maybe ours is defective,” I said, opening up my laptop to check the reviews on Amazon. I noticed a variety of reviews with an average rating of 4.7  stars out of 5 (with 8,444 customer reviews). Some noted the quality and size of the pig’s belly had shrunk. Most of the other comments proclaimed that it was fun, exciting, and perfect for toddlers. One person even noted, “They can’t stop popping with the kids,” and that the game was not only bursting with excitement but nostalgic for the adults. The bottom line? This game is new, improved, and fun for the whole family. The concept is charming, Pop the Pig, and delivers “pops” and laughs.

Have you played this game?  What has been your experience?

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Shay Huntley

Shatel Huntley has a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Georgia State University. In her spare time, she works with special needs adults and travels the world. Her interests include traveling to off-the-beaten-path destinations, shopping, couponing, and saving.