Origami Games

Kinokuniya bookstore in Little Tokyo, LA- an advertisement for Joel Stern's book

Ilan Garibi has put together a collection of origami contest/games, commonly seen at origami conventions around the world. 

It got me to thinking about different ways in which to have origami games, in general (Not just amongst expert paperfolders).

One of the things I've been doing for the past several years at the Monterey Park Cherry Blossom Festival is the "Quick Fold" contest. 

Typically, Yami would end our onstage demonstration by teaching a highly complex piece of origami to the audience- his simple banger.  I'd then host a quick draw contest, complete with showdown music (Sergio Leone's spaghetti western sounds) and origami cowboy hats; followed by Samurai music (Abarenbo Shogun and Hissatsu Shigotonin) and various Samurai hats for contestants to wear. 

Dueling folders stand on opposite ends of the stage and on the count of 3, pick up a fresh sheet of paper and start folding a banger.  First one to successfully fold and make their model snap wins a prize (I usually give a prize to both participants).  I've yet to see anyone simplify a banger after understanding the concept of what creates the sound (they assume they need to fold the exact model they were just taught; and that they should fold it neatly).