Manhunt (urban game)

Manhunt refers to a number of variations on the game of tag. The goal is to avoid being tagged by anyone designated as "it" or (for those already "it") to tag anyone who has not been tagged. It is played in the dark. Some variations include teams and point scoring. Many variants exist, such as playing in teams you may use flashlights or light sources of any kind.

These games pit one player, with a unique goal, against all other players, who share a common goal. Players may be required to indicate their participation with a marker such as a bandana. Game play begins after one player has been designated (either as Manhunter or Hunter, see below) and given time to run and hide. Games are usually played with time limits and boundaries.

This variation is called regressive due to the potentially exponential increase of tagged players. One person—the "Manhunter"—is chosen to be "it", and everyone else—"Fugitives"—runs away and hides. When a Fugitive is tagged, he or she becomes an additional Manhunter, or if the Fugitive get tagged a teammate who is untagged may tag them back in. The goal is to be caught last, to avoid being tagged until everyone else gives up, or optionally to stay untagged until a predetermined end time.

This is often played at night. Anybody who is "it" is usually permitted to use additional tools that aid him/her in their task to find the Fugitives. Popular tools are radio communication systems, flashlights, etc.

(This is basically "cops and robbers", but at night.) In this variant, two team captains are designated. This is almost always played at night. They take turns picking people one by one until the teams are chosen. If the teams are even, someone will step forward and decide if their team wants to hide first, but if there is an odd number of people playing, the team with one less person will choose to "hide or find."

Before the game starts, a base and a jail are both designated. (Ex. Trees,swing sets, slides, patches of grass/pavement,etc.) Boundaries are usually set in neighborhoods to make sure players don't go too far. If a player intentionally goes out of bounds, consequences will be decided; such as being "out". The cops/seekers count to a certain number, a 100 or so, while the robbers/hiders run and hide. The goal of the robbers is to get to the base without getting tagged. If a cop tags a robber they are out and have to go to jail. A robber can only be tagged out of jail if another robber tags them out. If all the robbers get to base, their team completely wins the round. But, for example, if there are 4 robbers on base and 1 in jail, the team captain or the entire team will decide if they want to end the round or try to tag the other robber out of jail, but risk getting out too. If they decide that they want to end the round there, the cops and robbers will switch positions and the game will continue. Points can be awarded for each robber that makes it to the base, or manhunt can just be played for fun.

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