How to Play Mickey Mouse Darts?
Key Takeaways
- Mickey Mouse darts is a popular variation to cricket darts
- It is a fun and easy game to learn for beginners and advanced players
- The darts game of Mickey Mouse is a two player game
- Players have three darts per round to close out the predetermined numbers
- They are different ways to play the game depending on your preference
How to Play Mickey Mouse Darts?
Mickey Mouse darts is essentially a variation of cricket darts, that is, if you are in the UK. If you play in America, cricket darts is pretty much Mickey Mouse darts.
Now, there are different ways you can play the game, and I will focus on two of the more popular ways:
- The Beginner friendlier variation
- The advanced variation
What is the Objective of Mickey Mouse Darts?
In any variation of Mickey Mouse darts, the objective is the same:
To open and also try to close out all the numbers in the game, including the bullseye. While the numbers are open, the player needs to score as many points as possible. The player at the end of the game with the highest score wins.
- The beginner-friendly variation, requires the numbers 20 through to 15 and the bull to be opened and closed off
- The advanced variation includes the numbers 20 through 12, plus the bullseye, but also includes the doubles and triples
- Different variations of Mickey Mouse darts around the world include different numbers, like for instance 20-10 plus the bull in the Netherlands
The first player in the game, has a slight advantage, because they get the first attempt to put a score on the board. They also have the opportunity to close off the segment that can yield the most points, i.e. the number 20.
Prisoner darts is a fun and challenging game that is similar to this game, however the other players darts can be captured and used by other players in the game.
So to decide who throws first, closest to the bullseye, is a good way of working it out.
What are the Mickey Mouse Darts Rules?
- Players have 3 darts per round to close a number
- To open or close a number on the board, players need to hit each number in the game 3 times,
- It doesn’t need to be with three darts in a row, the ‘hits’ can come in any combination during the game, and every part of the segment counts
- When players open a number, the number is only open for that player to score in
- They can continue to score in the segment until their opponent closes it
- When the other player closes the number, no more points can be scored in the segment
- Once all the numbers have been open and closed, the game ends, and the scores are counted
- Players with the highest score wins the game
What Are the Hit’s Worth?
- Singles count as one hit
- Doubles are worth two hits
- Triples are three hits
- Inner bullseye is two points
- Outer bullseye counts one point
In variations of the game, where triples and doubles are not included as separate targets:
- Singles count as one hit
- Doubles are one hit
- Triples are one hit
- Inner bullseye is two points
- Outer bullseye counts one point
When Doubles and Triples Are Included?
As I mentioned above, during the advanced variation, doubles and triples also have to be opened before being closed off.
When a double or triple is hit, a player can either:
- Use the dart towards the opening or closing of the double or triple, or
- Use it towards the opening of the number segment
Scoring Mickey Mouse Darts?
To score in Mickey Mouse darts, the values of each segment, represents the points tally they do in popular games like 501 and 301.
- Singles are 1x the numbered segment
- Doubles are two of that number
- Triples are three of that number
- The outer bull counts as 25 points
- The inner bull counts as 50 points
Here’s an example
- Player A hits a single 18 and a triple 18 with their first two darts
- Player A decides to count them towards opening the number
- The first two darts now counts as 4 hits (1+3)
- 3 hits were needed to open the number 18
- The 4th hit is now counted as a score of 18
- After 2 darts, player A has opened 18 and registering a score
Mickey Mouse Darts Strategy
When one player opens a number, the other player doesn’t have to try and close it.
During the game, they can CHOOSE to Either:
- Open their own number to start scoring themselves
- Or attempt to close off the other players scoring number
Considering players have choices to make, it’s not just solely about scoring as high as possible at every opportunity.
Sometimes the need will call to be strategic and identify when the best time is to score or to stop your opponent from scoring.
In the Netherlands, the game is called tactics, and it’s quite clear to see where it got the name from.
