Sushi Go!

1 Overview

Sushi Go! is a fast card-drafting game for 2 to 5 players designed by Phil Walker-Harding and published by Gamewright. Players draft sushi cards from rotating hands, trying to score the best combination of nigiri, sashimi, tempura, dumplings, and maki rolls. The game plays in 15 to 20 minutes and is one of the best light card games for mixed-age groups.

The core mechanic is simple: pick one card, pass your hand to the next player, repeat. The depth comes from watching what your opponents are collecting and deciding whether to race for the same sets or pivot to a different scoring strategy.

2 Components

• 108 cards across 8 food types
• 1 scoring notepad

Card distribution: 14 Tempura, 14 Sashimi, 14 Dumplings, 12 Maki (4x3-roll, 5x2-roll, 6x1-roll), 12 Salmon Nigiri, 10 Squid Nigiri, 5 Egg Nigiri, 10 Pudding, 6 Wasabi, 4 Chopsticks.

3 Setup

1. Deal cards face-down to each player based on player count:
   • 2 players: 10 cards each
   • 3 players: 9 cards each
   • 4 players: 8 cards each
   • 5 players: 7 cards each
2. Return unused cards to the box unseen -- they play no role this round.
3. Play 3 rounds total. Reshuffle and re-deal between rounds.
4. Exception: Pudding cards stay in front of players across all 3 rounds. They score (or penalize) only at the very end of the game.

4 Gameplay

Each turn follows these steps simultaneously:

1. All players choose one card from their hand and place it face-down in front of them.
2. Everyone reveals their chosen card at the same time.
3. Pass your remaining hand to the player on your left.
4. Repeat until all cards are played.

Score the round after all cards are played. Then shuffle and deal a new hand for the next round. After 3 rounds, add Pudding scores and determine the winner.

Chopsticks Special Rule

When you play Chopsticks, place them in your area. On any future turn in the same round, you may call "Sushi Go!" before revealing to pick a second card from your hand. Place both cards in your play area. Then put the Chopsticks back into your hand (they pass along with the other cards). This is a powerful combo tool.

5 All Card Types and Scoring

6 Winning

After 3 rounds: add up all round scores plus pudding scores. Highest total wins. On a tie, the player with the most pudding wins.

7 Strategy Guide

Sashimi Is High Risk, High Reward

A complete set of 3 Sashimi scores 10 points -- by far the best per-card value in the game if you complete it. But 1 or 2 Sashimi score nothing. In a 5-player game, completing 3 Sashimi is very difficult because cards pass quickly. In a 2-player game, it is very achievable. Adjust your Sashimi appetite based on player count.

Watch the Maki Race

Maki rewards the player with the most rolls (6 pts) and second most (3 pts). Racing for first in Maki is often worth it, but getting caught in second or third is a significant point loss. Either commit early and aggressively, or let someone else win it and focus elsewhere.

Wasabi + Squid Combo

Play Wasabi early in a round, then wait for Squid Nigiri. Squid Nigiri on Wasabi scores 9 points on a single card -- the highest single-card score in the game. The risk is that Squid Nigiri passes by before reaching you.

Pudding Denial

In the third round especially, if one player has zero pudding and you have several, you can afford to ignore pudding. But if the person in last place for pudding might hand you a -6 penalty, taking a pudding defensively is often correct even if it costs you a better play.

Block What You Don't Need

If Sashimi is not your strategy but it clearly is your neighbor's, take their Sashimi anyway and let it sit useless in your area. The 0 points you score from an incomplete Sashimi is still better than the 10 points you gave them.

8 FAQ