Sushi Go!

1 Game Overview

Sushi Go! is a card drafting game — the same core mechanic as 7 Wonders, but distilled into a 15-minute, family-friendly package. You're eating at a sushi restaurant, and dishes are rolling past on a conveyor belt. Pick what you want, pass the rest.

Each type of sushi card scores differently. Dumplings are worth more the more you collect. Sashimi needs exactly 3 to score. Tempura needs pairs. Nigiri multiplies with Wasabi. Maki rolls score at the end of each round for whoever collected the most. These overlapping mechanics in a simple package make Sushi Go! one of the best gateway games ever designed.

It's also genuinely cute — the cards feature smiley-faced sushi characters that make it immediately welcoming for kids and adults alike.

2 What's in the Box

• 108 playing cards
• 14 Tempura, 14 Sashimi, 14 Dumplings
• 12 Salmon Nigiri, 10 Squid Nigiri, 5 Egg Nigiri
• 6 Wasabi, 9 Maki Rolls (2+3 value), 6 Pudding
• 10 Chopsticks

3 Setup

1. Shuffle all 108 cards together.
2. Deal a hand of cards to each player: 2 players get 10 cards each; 3 players get 9; 4 players get 8; 5 players get 7.
3. Players look at their hands secretly. The game begins immediately — no other setup required.
4. The game lasts 3 rounds total.

4 How to Play

Each round is played identically:

1. Choose: All players simultaneously choose 1 card from their hand and place it face-down in front of them.
2. Reveal: Everyone flips their chosen card face-up.
3. Pass: Pass remaining hand cards to the player on your left.
4. Repeat until all cards in a round have been played.

Chopsticks Special Rule

If you play a Chopsticks card, it stays in front of you. In a future turn, you may call "Sushi Go!" to play the Chopsticks back into your hand — and pick TWO cards instead of one that turn. Powerful for grabbing sets.

5 Scoring

Scored at the end of each round (except Pudding):

• 🌀 Maki Rolls: Player with most maki roll icons gets 6 pts; second most gets 3 pts. (2-player: only 1st place scores)
• 🍣 Tempura: Every pair of Tempura = 5 pts. Unpaired Tempura = 0.
• 🐟 Sashimi: Every set of 3 Sashimi = 10 pts. Partial sets = 0.
• 🥟 Dumplings: 1=1pt, 2=3pts, 3=6pts, 4=10pts, 5+=15pts.
• 🍱 Nigiri: Egg=1pt, Salmon=2pts, Squid=3pts. On Wasabi: triple the value!
• 🌿 Wasabi: No points alone — multiplies the next Nigiri you play.
• 🥢 Chopsticks: No points.

After all 3 rounds — Pudding scoring:

• Player with most Pudding cards: +6 pts
• Player with fewest Pudding cards: -6 pts (skipped in 2-player games)

6 Strategy Tips

• Sashimi is high-risk, high-reward. You need all 3 for 10 points — but if someone in the group sees you collecting Sashimi and blocks you, you score nothing.
• Dumplings compound. 5 dumplings = 15 points — more efficient per card than almost anything else. But dumplings are obvious and easy to block.
• Wasabi first, then Nigiri. If you see Wasabi early, grab it. Squid Nigiri on Wasabi is 9 points from 2 cards.
• Watch what others are collecting. If your neighbor is going for Maki Rolls, decide whether to compete or focus elsewhere. Competing for Maki is often worth it even if you lose.