Sushi Go!: A Delightful Card Game for All

Sushi Go! is a popular and engaging card game designed by Phil Walker-Harding, published by Gamewright. It can be played with 2 to 5 players and requires the Sushi Go! deck of cards, which you can easily obtain from Amazon.

Game Overview

Sushi Go! is a pick-and-pass game, where players collect and pass cards in an attempt to accumulate the most points during three rounds. The game combines strategy, luck, and quick decision-making, making it a delightful addition to any board game collection.

Objective

The objective of Sushi Go! is to score the highest number of points over three rounds by collecting combinations of cards representing various sushi dishes, condiments, and utensils.

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
• 3 players: 9 cards
• 4 players: 8 cards
• 5 players: 7 cards

Place the rest of the cards in a face-down pile in the center of the playing area. Assign one player as the scorekeeper and provide each player with paper and pencil to keep track of scores.

How to Play

The game consists of three rounds, and each round follows these steps:

1. Simultaneously, all players choose one card from their hands that they wish to keep and place it face-down in front of them. This process continues until every player has placed a card.
2. All players reveal their chosen cards at the same time.
3. Players pass their remaining hand, face-down, to the player on their left. After everyone has received new hands, the next turn begins.
4. Face-up cards remain with you until the end of the round when they are scored. It's helpful to group cards of the same type together.
5. If a player chooses a squid, salmon or egg nigiri card and already has a wasabi card in front of them, the nigiri must be placed on top of the wasabi. This signifies that the nigiri has been dipped in wasabi and triples its value!
6. If you have a chopsticks card in front of you, you may take 2 sushi cards on a future turn by calling out "Sushi Go!" before everyone else reveals their cards, taking an additional face-down card from your hand as well. Then all players reveal their cards. Before passing hands, put the chopsticks card back into your hand.
7. 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.)
8. At the end of each round, scores are tallied for maki rolls, tempura, sashimi, dumplings, nigiri and wasabi, chopsticks, and pudding (if applicable).
9. After the third round is scored, there will be some cards remaining in the draw pile. These are ignored, and it's time for dessert! Pudding cards are now scored.
10. The game ends after the third round, with players tallying their scores from the previous rounds for the scorekeeper to record. Discard your cards face-up beside the draw pile. In the next round, deal every player another hand of cards from the draw pile, equal to the amount from the last round.

Scoring and End of Game

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 also 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: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and more
• Points: 1, 3, 6, 10, 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.

Common Variants

While Sushi Go! is best enjoyed following the official rules, some players may introduce variants to add more excitement and challenge to the gameplay. One such variant involves increasing the number of rounds from three to four or five, thus providing more opportunities for players to earn points and strategize their card collection. Another variant includes allowing players to swap cards with each other during turns, introducing a level of interaction between players that can add another layer of strategy and enjoyment.

Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

New players should avoid focusing too much on collecting specific types of cards at the expense of others. It's essential to have a balanced collection in order to maximize point-scoring opportunities during each round. Additionally, players should carefully consider which cards to pass and keep, as well as when to use chopsticks, to ensure they're optimizing their hand for scoring opportunities in the following rounds.