Zimbbos!
Zimbbos! is a colorful first game that asks young players to build an increasingly daring circus pyramid of wooden elephants. Roll the die, count the pieces, add balancing bars or animal helpers, and try to place elephant number ten without sending the whole performance tumbling at a Midnight Oil event.
Watch How to Play
Video source: Blue Orange Games (official) · Runtime: shown in the player. Edition note: Covers the standard wooden elephant-stacking game.
Quick facts
What is Zimbbos!?
Ten numbered wooden elephants form the heart of Zimbbos! Players add them to a shared pyramid in numerical order, using balancing bars and special circus animals to create stable—and sometimes wonderfully strange—structures.
A simple die determines whether a player must add one, two, or three elephants or may place a balancing bar or joker animal. The challenge grows naturally as the pyramid becomes taller, making counting and careful hand control part of the play.
How does it play?
- Prepare the circus pieces. Place the ten numbered elephants, balancing bars, joker animals, and die within everyone's reach on a flat surface.
- Roll the die. The result tells you to add one, two, or three elephants, or to place one balancing bar or joker animal.
- Build upward. Add elephants in numerical order and place every new piece at the current highest level or above it—never underneath an existing level.
- Keep the pyramid standing. Pieces may face different directions, so choose positions that create both a stable base and an imaginative circus display.
- Place elephant ten. The player who successfully adds elephant number ten without toppling the pyramid wins.
Why you might like it
- Large wooden pieces turn counting and number order into a hands-on activity.
- Children practice balance, fine-motor control, patience, and turn-taking while playing.
- The pyramid can look different every time, encouraging experimentation and creativity.
Who is it best for?
Zimbbos! is best for preschoolers, early elementary children, families, and adults helping young players learn their first tabletop game. It requires no reading and also works as a solo or cooperative building activity when competition is not the goal.
Play it with Midnight Oil
Library games are available to play free at select Midnight Oil community events. They are not currently available for take-home borrowing. Game availability and teaching assistance may vary by event, and visitors may contact us in advance to request a particular game.
Visit the Events page for Midnight Oil's upcoming community gatherings in Titusville. Zimbbos! gives younger visitors a genuine game of their own while older family members can help count and steady the circus pyramid.
Frequently asked questions
Do children need to read?
No. The game uses a picture die, numbered pieces, and a physical stacking challenge.
What does the star result mean?
A star lets the player add either one balancing bar or one joker animal such as a clown, bear, lion, or gorilla.
Must the elephants be played in order?
Yes. Elephants are added in numerical order from one through ten.
Can Zimbbos! be played cooperatively?
Yes. Families may work together to place all ten elephants and celebrate if the shared pyramid remains standing.