How it plays
Taking turns, players flip the top card of their own face-down pile into the middle and say the next word in the fixed sequence: Taco, Cat, Goat, Cheese, Pizza. If the picture matches the word, everyone slaps the pile. The last to slap takes the cards in the middle, as does anyone who slaps wrongly, breaks off a movement or forgets the word. Gorilla, Groundhog and Narwhal cards require a gesture first, such as beating your chest. Whoever has no cards left and is the first to slap on a match or a special card wins.
What it can help develop
As in a go/no-go task, the rule is: slap when word and picture match, otherwise keep your hand down. If someone says “Taco” and turns over a pizza, hands stay still, even though “Pizza” was said only a moment ago: this holding back is inhibition. Working memory keeps track of which word is next while the picture distracts. Special cards call for a quick switch to a gesture; whoever slaps last takes the cards, so reaction speed counts.
Especially suitable for
- Children from age 8 who love speed and silliness
- Children who can practise waiting in a playful way
- A quick wake-up game during a games night
Less suitable for
- Children under 8: the junior version is a better choice
- Quiet groups and sensitive hands
Our verdict
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza is a worthwhile choice for children from age 8 who like speed and silliness, and as a wake-up game at a games night. Spiel des Jahres jury members commend its humour and rules that are learned in minutes, and the special cards add variety. Its limitations are sore hands from slapping and quiet groups in which the game does not catch fire; for children under 8, there is the junior version.
Getting started
- Before the first round, go through the five words once in turn without cards.
- Show the gestures for the special cards beforehand: for the Gorilla, beat your chest; for the Groundhog, knock on the table with both hands; for the Narwhal, hold your hands above your head like a horn.
- Make clear beforehand that slapping wrongly, breaking off a movement or forgetting the word means taking the cards from the middle.
In detail
Variants and player count
The game has 64 cards of eight types and, according to Blue Orange, is intended for 2 to 8 people from age 8. With 2 to 5 people, each player is dealt 12 cards; with 6, each gets 10; and with 7 or 8, each gets 8. In German, the word sequence is “Taco, Katze, Ziege, Käse, Pizza”, and in French “Taco, Chat, Bouc, Cheese, Pizza”. The special cards are called “Gorilla”, “Murmeltier” and “Narwal” in German and “Gorille”, “Marmotte” and “Narval” in French; in the Italian edition, “Taco Gatto Capra Cacio Pizza”, they are called “Gorilla”, “Marmotta” and “Narvalo”. As a spin-off, there is Taco Kitten Pizza for 2 to 6 children from age 4 with adapted rules; in its German edition “Taco Katze Pizza Junior”, it was nominated for the Kinderspiel des Jahres in 2024.
What reviewers say
The review round-up by the Spiel des Jahres jury (March 2021) brings together reviews by jury members from Spielbox, Spiel doch!, Frisch vom Tisch and Fux&Bär. They call the game funny, explainable in a few minutes and recommendable for the most varied levels of playing experience. The special cards break the routine; quickly processing what you see and the word sequence are regarded as the challenge. A certain tolerance for sore hands is also needed. The website jungundaltspielt.de praises the easy start and the humour and considers the game suitable for several generations.
How it compares
Ghost Blitz (from age 8, 2 to 8 people, about 20 minutes), like Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza, calls for impulse control as well as perception and speed. In addition, the constant switching of rules between grabbing and ruling out calls for cognitive flexibility. Ghost Blitz is less suited to deliberate children who freeze under time pressure. Fruit Punch (from age 6, 2 to 6 people, about 15 minutes) also calls for impulse control as well as perception and speed, plus adding up fruit. Fruit Punch suits young school-age children who are just learning to calculate, and is less suited to children who cannot yet count reliably to five. Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza, by contrast, relies on words and gestures and suits children from age 8 who enjoy speed and silliness.
Sources
- Blue Orange: rules (PDF, in German)
- Wikipedia: Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza
- Blue Orange: rules (PDF, in French)
- jungundaltspielt.de: review (in German)
- Blue Orange: rules (PDF, in Italian)
- La Feltrinelli: Taco Gatto Capra Cacio Pizza (retailer page, in Italian)
- Spiel des Jahres: award winners 2024 (in German)
- Wikipedia (German): Taco Katze Pizza Junior
- Spiel des Jahres: Kritikenrundschau (review round-up, in German)
Frequently asked questions
What age is Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza suitable for?
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza is recommended from age 8. A child who keeps track of the word sequence and keeps their hand down when word and picture do not match is ready; for younger children, there is the junior version from age 4.
How long does a game take and how many people can play?
A game takes about 10 minutes. The game is for 2 to 8 people, who play against each other; the winner is whoever has no cards left and is then the first to slap on a match or a special card.
What skills can Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza help develop?
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza can help develop impulse control as well as perception and speed. If “Taco” is said while a pizza is face up, hands must stay down, even if “Pizza” was the word just before; on a match, however, what counts is who slaps last.
Do your hands hurt?
That can happen: jury members speak of needing a certain tolerance for sore hands. As a house rule, adults playing against children slap with their non-dominant hand, flat and without jewellery on their fingers.
