You walk into the grocery store after your mom asked you to pick something up for the family. You kindly explain that you can’t go because you have no protection for a senior assassin. She doesn’t care. You walk into the market, petrified of seeing someone you know. As you turn the corner, looking for what your mom needs, your worst nightmare comes true. Your best friend sprays you with a water gun. The one person you trusted has betrayed you.
Seniors across the country are starting to go crazy because of Senior Assassin, a game that sounds like a dystopian novel, but really is a light-hearted, intense, but silly game with a lot of history.
History:
While Senior Assassin feels like a new game, it has actually been around for decades. Though the origins are murky, the game known and loved by seniors today is an evolved version of tag. According to the blog site, Omnilert, “Senior Assassin taps into Tag’s nostalgia and staying power. For kicks, it adds a touch of espionage, making things more exciting.”
Over time, the game became much more structured. For example, instead of chasing around random classmates and having a free-for-all, students are assigned targets. This creates a long chain where everyone is a hunter while also being hunted. Apps such as Splashin’ have made the game a lot more organized and easy to play. Social media has also played a large role in the game as most of the time when you get eliminated, players post the video on social media, leading to some embarrassment.
RULES:
Every school has a different set of rules, but the main one stays the same: every participating player gets assigned another player as their target. Some schools, like de Toledo, play in teams or pairs. In that case, you are assigned a team that you have to “assassinate” or eliminate from the game. While you are trying to eliminate your target, someone is simultaneously trying to eliminate you. To get someone out, you must spray them with a water gun. However, if your target is wearing a floatie or goggles (items vary depending on the school), they are considered safe. This is true for all days, except what some schools call a “purge day.” During this day, safe items no longer count. In de Toledo’s case, these last for 24 hours and are at the end of each round. Each round is one week. However, like most rules of this game, this varies based on the school. When you eliminate someone, you must film it as evidence of the elimination.
Furthermore, there are many rules about when and where you can eliminate someone. Again, this varies per school, so here are the rules for de Toledo. You may not eliminate someone on our school’s property or at the events they hold. You may not trespass on anyone’s property, so if a parent, sibling, or friend unknowingly lets you in, you’re in the clear. You may not eliminate someone in a moving car. Whether you are a passenger or driver, if it’s moving, it doesn’t count. You may eliminate people in places like malls, stores, restaurants, coffee shops, parks, and more. However, you may not disturb businesses, damage any property, create public panic, run through stores, cause a scene, or harass anyone not playing. Also, there are California law requirements for the water guns players are allowed to use; they must be brightly colored, and CANNOT resemble a real firearm. They must only contain clean water; nothing else can be inside.
STRATEGY AND TACTICS:
Despite the game having a simple premise, Senior Assassin actually requires intelligence, cunning, and a lot of planning. Players often have to catch their targets off guard by learning their daily routine and habits. Some people wait outside of their houses, gyms, favorite coffee shops, stores, or markets. Meanwhile, other players rely on sneaky friends who will report any sighting 
of theirtarget. The beauty of this game is that while you are running around trying not to be seen by your target, there is someone doing the same thing to you. You must constantly protect yourself and be aware of your surroundings. The vast majority of players never leave their house without wearing their safe items. In order to win, you must be able to perfectly balance the offensive and defensive sides of the game.
There are so many varying strategies to this game, so I was able to ask some players and get some insight on how they are playing the game:
“It’s smart to try and find people in public and wait outside of things like restaurants and stores. Especially nice restaurants because people don’t want to wear their goggles in nicer restaurants because they feel embarrassed, so it’s the perfect time to get them.” – Lily S. (‘26)
“We played the long game; it took sacrifice, tears, hours, and some blood. But we did it. We camped out in front of our target’s house and did not leave until we had an opportunity to eliminate them. We sat there for three hours. This game is serious and takes sacrifice; we will do anything to win. – Elad G. (‘26)
As we can see, this game gets intense, and you have to be smart and willing to sacrifice your time to win.
WHY SENIORS LOVE THIS GAME:
One of the reasons Senior Assassin is so loved and popular is because it adds excitement to the final months of high school. Senior year is an extremely stressful and important time. With college applications, difficult classes, AP exams, and worrying about your future, you constantly have something to think about. This game can not only be a distraction for some students, but in a way, it is a celebration and culmination of everything you have worked so hard for.
Finally, it creates unforgettable memories. Late nights sneaking around with your friends, unexpected betrayals, dramatic eliminations, and shocking reactions create never-ending stories to tell.
I thought there was no better person to ask about why this game is so loved than the person running it herself. Zoe K. (‘26) says, “No matter how stressful or annoying Senior Water Assassin may seem even for the person running it, it’s really nice closer to the end of the year for us all to get together and have fun this way!”
It definitely has not been easy to run this game, as no one is ever happy with Zoe’s decisions. However, she expressed that she enjoys the chaos and loves making people happy.
