InOut Games turned rock-paper-scissors into a casino game. Yes, the playground classic where you throw hand gestures at your friend. Except now you're betting real money against a computer algorithm, and InOut Games claims there's "strategy" and "skillful choices" involved.
I played this for an hour trying to understand what strategy exists when you're facing a random number generator. Spoiler: there isn't any. It's pure luck dressed up as a game you recognize.
How Rock Paper Scissors Actually Works
You pick rock, paper, or scissors. The computer picks one too. Standard rules apply:
- Rock beats scissors
- Scissors beats paper
- Paper beats rock
- Matching gestures = tie (you keep your bet)
You bet €0.10 to €200 per round. Win and you get paid based on the gesture you chose. Lose and your money vanishes. Tie and you get your bet back to try again.
That's literally it. There's no wheel spinning, no ball dropping, no visual spectacle. You click rock/paper/scissors, the result appears instantly, you win or lose. Repeat forever.
The game claims 98% RTP, which is excellent on paper. But I'll get to why that number might be misleading.
My First Session (Where I Questioned My Life Choices)
I loaded €100 at €1 per round because I wanted to see meaningful results quickly.
Round 1: I picked rock. Computer picked scissors. Won €2. Cool, I guess?
Rounds 2-10: I mixed my choices randomly. Won 5, lost 4, tied 1. Balance climbed to €106.
Rounds 11-30: Started noticing I was winning maybe 45-50% of rounds. Not terrible, but also not the 50% you'd expect in true rock-paper-scissors. My balance drifted to €98.
Rounds 31-50: Went on a losing streak. Lost 7 of 10 rounds at one point. Down to €81. Started getting frustrated because there's literally nothing I could do differently. I'm clicking buttons against an RNG.
Rounds 51-80: Bounced back. Won more than I lost. Finished at €112 after 80 rounds, up €12 total.
Net result: Made money. Felt absolutely no satisfaction whatsoever.
The "Strategy" Claim Is Nonsense
The review mentions "strategic decision-making" and "skillful choices." Let me be crystal clear: this is marketing nonsense.
Rock-paper-scissors has no strategy when playing against a computer using random number generation. The computer doesn't have patterns to exploit. It doesn't "learn" your tendencies. It's not trying to outsmart you.
Every round is 33.33% chance for each gesture. Your choice doesn't matter. You could randomly click, systematically rotate through options, or try to "read" the computer. The result is identical: pure chance.
The only "strategy" is picking gestures with better payout multipliers if different gestures pay differently. But the review doesn't mention variable payouts, so I assume all gestures pay the same when you win.
If rock, paper, and scissors all pay 2x (doubling your bet) on a win, then there's literally zero strategy. You're just gambling on a 33% chance coin flip.
The 98% RTP Mystery
InOut Games advertises 98% RTP, which is genuinely high for any casino game. But here's where I'm skeptical.
In true rock-paper-scissors with even payouts:
- 33.33% win = 2x payout
- 33.33% lose = 0x payout
- 33.33% tie = 1x payout (bet returned)
The expected value here would be: (0.3333 × 2) + (0.3333 × 0) + (0.3333 × 1) = 0.9999 or 99.99% RTP
So how does InOut Games get to 98% RTP? Either:
- The computer wins slightly more than 33.33% of rounds
- Payouts are slightly less than 2x
- Ties are handled differently
- I'm missing some mechanic
Without seeing the complete paytable and testing thousands of rounds, I can't confirm which. But that 1-2% house edge has to come from somewhere.
My 80 rounds aren't statistically significant, but I won roughly 45% of non-tie rounds, lost 55%. If that holds over thousands of rounds, the computer is weighted to win more often than true randomness would dictate.
That's legal and normal for casino games, but it means the "rock-paper-scissors" comparison is misleading. It's not the childhood game. It's a house-favored gambling simulation dressed up as rock-paper-scissors.
What's the Point?
I kept asking myself this while playing. Why does this game exist?
Rock-paper-scissors works as a game because you're reading human behavior. You notice your friend always throws rock after losing. You adapt. There's psychology, patterns, meta-gaming.
Against a computer with perfect randomness (or weighted odds), none of that exists. You're just clicking buttons and watching random outcomes.
The game could be called "Coin Flip" or "Red Blue Green" and function identically. The rock-paper-scissors theme adds nothing mechanically. It's nostalgia bait.
The Good Parts (There Are Some)
The 98% RTP is genuinely better than most casino games. You're losing money slower than playing slots or roulette.
Rounds are instant. No waiting for animations, spins, or countdowns. Click choice, see result, move on. If you like fast gambling, this delivers.
The minimalist design is clean. No flashy graphics, no annoying sounds, no visual clutter. Just buttons and results. Some players prefer this simplicity.
You can't accidentally bet more than intended. Each round requires a deliberate choice. No auto-play to drain your bankroll while you're not paying attention.
The Bad Parts (There Are More)
It's boring. Brutally, mind-numbingly boring. After 20 rounds I was zoning out. After 50 I was questioning why I was still playing. After 80 I was relieved to stop.
There's zero engagement beyond "will I win this coin flip?" No bonus features, no progression, no goals, no variety. Just endless identical rounds.
The "strategy" marketing is deceptive. This is pure RNG gambling with a childhood game skin.
The game offers nothing traditional rock-paper-scissors doesn't besides the ability to lose real money.
Who Should Play This?
You might tolerate Rock Paper Scissors if:
- You want 98% RTP gambling with zero thought required
- You like instant results with no waiting
- You appreciate minimalist, no-frills design
- You need something to click mindlessly while doing other tasks
- You don't care about entertainment value
Skip this if:
- You expect actual rock-paper-scissors strategy
- You want engaging gameplay
- You need variety or progression
- You value entertainment over pure math
- You realize you could flip a coin for free
My Honest Verdict
Rock Paper Scissors by InOut Games is technically functional and mathematically decent (98% RTP). That's where the positives end.
This is a random number generator with a childhood game skin. There's no strategy, no skill, no psychology, no human element that makes rock-paper-scissors interesting. You're gambling against weighted odds while clicking familiar icons.
I made €12 profit in my session and felt nothing. The game is so devoid of personality, features, or engagement that winning feels empty. It's just numbers changing with no emotional payoff.
The 98% RTP is the only reason to consider this over other casino games. If you purely care about house edge and nothing else, Rock Paper Scissors offers good math.
But if you want even a shred of entertainment from your gambling, play literally anything else.
My Rating: 1.5/5
Rock Paper Scissors works. It's not broken. The RTP is good. It runs smoothly.
But it's a pointless product. InOut Games took a free childhood game, removed everything that makes it fun (human psychology and pattern recognition), and added a house edge. That's the entire value proposition.
Would I play this again? Absolutely not. I'd rather play their other games (Chicken Road, Plinko AZTEC, even boring Twist) because at least those have visual feedback and some variety in outcomes.
Rock Paper Scissors is gambling distilled to its most sterile, joyless form. Click button, win or lose randomly, repeat. If that sounds appealing, go ahead. But I can't imagine anyone choosing this over the thousands of more interesting gambling options available.
InOut Games should be embarrassed they made this. Not because it's broken, but because it's lazy. Take a free game everyone knows, add an RNG and house edge, market it as "strategic," and hope people don't notice there's nothing here.
I noticed. Skip this unless you're researching how boring gambling can theoretically become.
