More than 100 seniors at Woodhaven High School are taking part in a fun high school game called “Senior Assassin,” a student-run game that has become one of the most-talked-about activities at school. About 118 students are playing the game, which challenges people to eliminate their assigned targets using water-based items such as water guns, buckets or bottles. The game runs throughout the week with a special event on Sunday called “purge.” During the week, each player is given one target. The goal is to eliminate that person while avoiding being eliminated by someone else that is targeting you.
Participants can protect themselves by wearing safety items, like goggles. If a player gets caught not wearing their goggles, they are at risk of being eliminated at any given moment. That rule changes on Sunday due to the purge, in which players can eliminate anyone in the game, not just their assigned target. Players who eliminate their target or someone’s target is eliminated by someone else they become safe for the rest of the purge day. The game also adds several tools that add suspense. A shared map, controlled by a student commissioner, shows player locations and allows the use of power-ups.
One feature is a “bounty,” which lets players place it on someone, making them a target for everyone. Another is “immunity shield,” which protects a player from a person or anyone if they are in the purge for 12 hours. Players can also use a “vanish,” which hides their location on the map for a certain amount of time, usually between two to six hours. A “trace” power-up alerts a player who has it on when someone views their location, but it does not show who viewed their location. Also, players can start a “map purge” at any time. When this happens, all players get a five- minute warning before the game becomes a free-for-all.
Even though the game is not run by the school, students say it’s a fun way to end their senior year before they become adults. “This is the final game before I become an adult so this is something very special to me,” said senior Jacy Caluag. As the game continues, the number of players will drop until only one remains.
