Sushi Go! Rules

Sushi Go! Rules

Game Overview

Sushi Go! is a card game designed by Phil Walker-Harding, published by Gamewright in 2013. It is suitable for 2-5 players and requires a deck of 108 cards. The game can be found on Amazon here.

Objective

The goal of Sushi Go! is to score points by collecting and matching different types of sushi, wasabi, and chopsticks. The player with the highest score after three rounds wins the game.

Setup

To set up the game, shuffle all the cards well and deal the following number of cards to each player, depending on the number of players:

2 players: 10 cards each
3 players: 9 cards each
4 players: 8 cards each
5 players: 7 cards each

Place the rest of the cards in a face-down pile in the center of the playing area. Grab a piece of paper and pencil to keep score, and designate one player as the scorekeeper.

How to Play

The game takes place over three rounds. To start a round, all players simultaneously choose any 1 card from their hands that they would like to keep and place it face-down in front of them. When each player has done this, everyone reveals their chosen cards.

After revealing cards, pass your remaining hand face-down to the player on your left. Everyone picks up their new hands and the next turn begins. You now have a new and smaller hand to choose from.

Note: Face-up cards remain with you until the end of the round, when they are scored. It is helpful to group cards of the same type together.

Using Wasabi

If you choose a squid, salmon, or egg nigiri card, and already have a wasabi card in front of you, then this nigiri must be placed on top of the wasabi. This is to show that the nigiri has been dipped in wasabi and has tripled in value!

Note: You may have multiple wasabi cards in front of you, but only 1 nigiri card may be placed on each wasabi card.

Using Chopsticks

If you already have a chopsticks card in front of you, you may take 2 sushi cards on a future turn! Here's how it works: Choose the first card you would like from your hand as usual. Before everyone else reveals their cards, call out "Sushi Go!" and take a second card from your hand, also placing it face-down on the table. Then all players reveal their cards. Before passing hands, put the chopsticks card back into your hand. This means it will now be passed on, and other players may take it to use again.

Note: You may have multiple chopsticks cards in front of you, but may only use 1 per turn.

Ending a Round

When the final remaining card of each hand is passed on, simply place it face-up with the other cards you have collected. (Often this final card won't be of much use, but sometimes an unfortunate player will be forced to leave you with something valuable).

Scoring

Maki Rolls

Each player adds up the maki roll icons at the top of all their maki roll cards. The player with the most icons scores 6 points. If multiple players tie for the most, they split the 6 points evenly (ignoring any remainder) and no second place points are awarded.

The player with the second most icons scores 3 points. If multiple players tie for second place, they split the points evenly (ignoring any remainder).

Tempura

A set of 2 tempura cards scores 5 points. A single tempura card is worth nothing. You may score multiple sets of tempura in a round.

Sashimi

A set of 3 sashimi cards scores 10 points. A single sashimi card or a set of only 2 is worth nothing. You may score multiple sets of sashimi in a round, although this is very hard to do.

Dumplings

The more dumpling cards you have, the more points you will score, as follows:

Dumplings	Points
1	1
2	3
3	6
4	10
5 and more	15

Nigiri and wasabi

A squid nigiri scores 3 points. If it is on top of a wasabi card it scores 9 points.

A salmon nigiri scores 2 points. If it is on top of a wasabi card it scores 6 points.

An egg nigiri scores 1 point. If it is on top of a wasabi card it scores 3 points.

A wasabi card with no nigiri on it scores nothing.

Chopsticks

A chopsticks card scores nothing.

Starting a New Round

Announce your scores from the previous round for the scorekeeper to record. Discard your cards face-up beside the draw pile. The only exceptions are pudding cards which you keep in front of you to be scored at the end of the game.

Deal every player another hand of cards from the draw pile, equal to the amount from the last round.

End of the Game

After the third round is scored, there will be some cards remaining in the draw pile. These are ignored. Now it's time for dessert! Pudding cards are now scored.

Puddings

The player with the most pudding cards scores 6 points. If multiple players tie for the most, they split the points evenly (ignoring any remainder).

The player with the fewest pudding cards (including players with none) loses 6 points. If multiple players tie for the least, they split the lost points evenly (ignoring any remainder).

Note: In a 2 player game, no one loses any points for puddings. Only the points for most pudding cards are awarded.

Whoever has the most points after 3 rounds is the winner. In case of a tie, whoever has the most pudding cards wins!

Common Variants

Sushi Go! Party is a variant of the game that can be played with up to 8 players.

A Fun Fact or Record

The most delightful rule in the whole game is the one you have to say out loud: when you use a chopsticks card to grab two cards in the same turn, you announce it by calling out "Sushi Go!" before everyone reveals their cards. The chopsticks then go back into your hand and get passed along, so the same pair can travel around the table and be used again by someone else.

Where to Get the Game

Embark on a delightful sushi-making adventure with Sushi Go!. You can find the game here on Amazon.

Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

Forgetting to use chopsticks when you have them in play
Not grouping cards of the same type together
Failing to keep track of scores during the game

FAQ

Q: How many players does Sushi Go! support? A: The rules cover 2 to 5 players, and the hand size changes with the count: 10 cards each at 2 players, 9 at 3, 8 at 4 and 7 at 5. Note that at 2 players nobody loses points for puddings — only the points for the most pudding cards are awarded.

Q: Can I play Sushi Go! with more than 5 players? A: The official rules only support up to 5 players, but the Sushi Go! Party variant can accommodate up to 8 players.

Q: Can I play Sushi Go! with a deck of cards other than the official deck? A: While it is possible to create custom decks, doing so may alter the balance of the game and affect the scoring. It is recommended to stick with the official deck for the best experience.