"Alright, Silas," he whispered to himself. "If you can't sell the liquid, sell the dream."
Released in 2010 by Out of the Box Publishing, Snake Oil is a card game for 3–10 players. One player is the "customer" (e.g., a , a Cheerleader , a Zombie ). Everyone else pitches two-word products from word cards in their hand (e.g., Rocket + Lasso = Rocket Lasso ). The customer picks the best (funniest/most fitting) product. It’s Cards Against Humanity with improvisation instead of shock value.
These are the heart of the game. You'll need a large deck of cards, each with a single noun or a versatile concept. The original game includes words like "Socks," "Mouth," "Cage," "Shell," "Lace," "Giggles," and "Desire". The list is extensive, and you can certainly create your own. For a comprehensive starting point, search online for "Snake Oil word card list" or look for community-shared PnP files that provide ready-to-print sheets. snake oil print and play
A burly miner stepped up, squinting. "What you got there, Silas? Another bottle of swamp water?"
The game relies on two decks: (objects or descriptors) and Customer Cards (various roles like "Caveman," "Rock Star," or "Alien"). "Alright, Silas," he whispered to himself
A paper trimmer or guillotine ensures straight lines. Scissors work, but they take longer.
The magic of Snake Oil lies in its simplicity. There are no complex rules or heavy strategy. The fun comes from the players themselves—their ability to think on their feet, their sense of humor, and their willingness to be a little silly. Everyone else pitches two-word products from word cards
If you want your PnP version to last for years, slide each printed card into a standard clear card sleeve. If you printed on thin paper, slip a regular playing card behind the paper inside the sleeve. This gives the card perfect rigidity and makes shuffling incredibly smooth. Setup and Rules of Play
The customer declares the product in which they’re interested. Each inventor then takes turns delivering a short (usually 15–30 second) sales pitch, explaining why their invention is exactly what the customer needs.
If you want full control, open a blank document in your preferred software. Create a table or use text boxes to map out a grid of card-sized rectangles. The standard card size is about 2.5 x 3.5 inches (63 x 88 mm). Here's how to design them:
To play Snake Oil, print out the following: