The History of Hungry Hungry Hippos

The game Hungry Hungry Hippos was brought to America by a WWII veteran named Fred Kroll, who later worked for the Pressman Toy Corporation and discovered the game in Japan. Kroll licensed the international rights to the game from the Agatsuma company in Tokyo and then later sold the rights to Hasbro. Hungry Hungry Hippos debuted in America under Milton Bradley in 1978. When it first debuted, each of the four hippos had names: Lizzie Hippo (purple), Henry Hippo (orange), Home Hippo (green), and Harry Hippo (yellow). Later versions of the game changed the colors, the names, or both. Today, Hungry Hungry Hippos remains a beloved, quirky game for children that also has plenty of adult fans — some communities, including Grand Rapids, Michigan and Washington, D.C. have even hosted real-life versions of the game played by adults on ice rinks!