Cockroach Poker Royal Review – Sweating Bullets Over a Stink Bug Wearing a Tiny Yellow Crown

Eight years after the release of Cockroach Poker, the wonderful game of awful insects, Cockroach Poker Royal was unleashed. This new version introduces you to insect royalty, removes the spider suit from the game and adds a couple of new cards into the mix.

Outside of these changes, Cockroach Poker Royal plays almost identically to the original game. There’s still only one loser, and that’s the first person to collect four of the same type of critter cards.

You gain these cards as trophies cards for failing a bluffing challenge. Where either you’re trying to give someone a card from your hand, or they’re trying to give you a card from theirs.

In either situation, the player giving the card tells the other player what’s on it. Only, they might be lying about what’s on it. It’s up to the taker to either guess the card based on what they’ve been told or pass the card on to the next player.

If the taker guesses the card incorrectly, then the card is theirs to keep. However, if they guess correctly, then the card goes back to the player trying to give it away.

After the challenge is over, whoever ends up with the card starts the next round. As soon as someone has four of the same suit, it’s game over. We’ve found our loser.

Cockroach Poker vs Cockroach Poker Royal?

There are three major differences within Cockroach Poker Royal. First, is the removal of the spider suit of the critter cards. Second, and most importantly, is the introduction of the royal suit.

For each of the different types of creatures, there is one royal card within the suit. Recognisable by the large yellow crowns the animal wears. Now whenever a player fails a bluffing challenge with a royal card, they take two cards instead of one. The royal card, and one from a deck of 7 cards you prepared during setup.

Along with this new punishment, you can now claim cards are part of the ‘Royal suit’ as part of your bluff. Given the risk that comes with these cards, doing this is a great raise the stakes of the game.

The third, and final, new addition to Cockroach Poker Royal is the two special cards. One of these cards counts as you always telling the truth, and then the other one always counts as you lying. And if you find that confusing – so did my group and I.

But essentially, when you pass on the card and say an animal like ‘This card is a cockroach,’ one card will be a cockroach. The other special card will always not be a cockroach.

Is it better?

No matter what version of Cockroach Poker you play, you’re in for a delightful time of bluffing and laughter. Both of these games are downright hilarious. Especially, when a card goes around the table, and more people join in the secret of what it actually is.

The Royal cards add a new extra bit of spice to this formula. Since they are more punishing, there’s more risk whenever you try to remove them from your hand. Creating these pockets of increased intensity throughout the game.

Now these pockets aren’t game-shatteringly big and are mostly felt internally. But compared to the original, where there’s no variation in stakes or how you play the game. These Royal cards add some high and low points. Breaking the monotony of the original without changing any of what made Cockroach Poker great.

While these new royal cards are fantastic, the other two special cards aren’t.

Our group struggled with both of these cards, every time they came up, one player always forgot how they worked. Or they caught themselves in a nightmare of logic. As though they were standing in front of two doors with two guards, where one always told the truth, and another always lied.

They just never paid off the additional rules and logic that they added. So now whenever I bring out Cockroach Poker Royal, those cards stay in the box.

Despite this though, I much prefer Cockroach Poker Royal over the original. Purely because of the little moments of extra stress (and sweaty palms) the Royal Cards bring. These elevate the game by reducing the play time and making it interesting from start to finish.