How to Play Sushi Go Card Game

Sushi Go! – The Pick and Pass Card Game

My daughter was able to teach up How to Play Sushi Go Card Game in about 5 minutes. This easy to learn card game is perfect for families, because all ages can have fun playing. The game is a Pick and pass card game… which is similar to a deck building game… but not as intense. You are given a stack of cards, you pick the one you want, and then pass on the rest. What you choose to collect is up to you. The game can be played with intense strategy…. or just for grins.

And there is pudding!

How to Play Sushi Go – The Basics

To play Sushi Go, you shuffle up all the cards, and then deal out a pile (upside down) for each player (2 player- 10 cards, 3 player- 9 cards, 4 player- 8 cards, 5 player- 7 cards). If you have more players… you need to get Sushi Go Party! Players look at the cards they are given, then choose 1 to place upside down in front of him/her. The rest of the cards are passed to the player on the right. At the count of 3… flip the upside down card to show everyone what you chose. Now, pick up the pile that was passed to you, and pick out a card to add to your collection. Pass the rest, flip the card… and repeat until all of the cards are used up.

Add up the points in front of each player and write it down (you need to provide your own pen/cil and paper). Set aside the puddings.

Then repeat the process 2 more times.

A total of 3 rounds are played. Scored are totaled up. Extra points given for the most pudding… and points deducted for least amount…
And a winner is declared.

And everyone goes out for sushi…

Details- How to Play Sushi Go Card Game- With Strategy

So, now you are probably thinking… I understand the mechanics.. pick a card, pass the rest. BUT! How do I know which card to pick? That’s where personal preference and strategy come in.

The more dumplings you collect, the more points you get. Sashimi only counts if you have 3, and Tempura must be collected in pairs.

You see, each type of sushi has a different value… and often the higher valued Sushi need to be collected in sets or combinations. You can pick the lower values… and stay steady… or take a chance on multiplying your score by choosing a combination card.

The player on the left has more Maki… and gets 6 points.

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For example… If you choose to collect the Nigiri… the point value is listed on the bottom of the card… 1, 2, or 3 points.
BUT- If you pick a Wasabi card FIRST, then the next Nigiri card you choose TRIPLES its value.

Nigiri have a value that is tripled IF you collect the Wasabi first

Cards like the Sashimi card are high value… but you must collect 3 to pick up those 10 points.

And Tempura… you need 2 Tempura for 5 points.

Sadly, collecting MORE of these sets does not give you more points… unless you’ve collected 2 more tempura or 3 more Sashimi.

Easy points can be scored with the Dumplings. Your first dumpling is worth 1 point.. each additional dumpling you collect bumps your score exponentially!

And Maki rolls? the trick with Maki rolls is to have MORE than everyone else at the table… but not more than that. The top collector of Maki Rolls gets 6 points, the next gets 3… everyone else… zero.

But what about the PUDDING?? 

The Player who has the most pudding after 3 rounds gets an extra 6 points!

I’m glad you asked… Puddings do not count in individual rounds. You set pudding aside each round and save them. At the end of the game, the player who has collected the MOST puddings gets an additional 6 points. It may not seem like much, but consider that the player with the least puddings LOSES 6 points. That’s a tidy 12 point difference… and one of our players LOVES the pudding strategy. It almost always works for him.

The Chopstick Card

The Chopstick Card… a bonus or an old maid

The trickiest card in the deck is the Chopstick card. This one can be very lucky, or very annoying, depending on when it shows up in your hand. If you choose the chopstick card, you set it in front of you with the others….  BUT the next time a hand comes to you with 2 cards (of the same type) you can shout (or mumble) “SUSHI GO!” and trade the chopsticks in for the 2 cards. The chopsticks then get passed along.. and much like the old maid, someone is stuck with it in the end.

Who can Play Sushi Go?

The box says that the game is for ages 8 and up.. but I would argue that younger kids could easily figure out how to play Sushi Go Card Game. There isn’t a lot of math, and collecting the sushi is easy. This is a game for all ages, and it’s great for families. That said, my college age daughter plays with her friends, and they are more cut-throat… they make sure to not only collect sushi, but also to foil their fellow players collections!

Sushi go plays in about 15 – 20 minutes, so it’s a nice filler game. The box is small enough to carry in your purse (although, you do need some space to play the game.

Up to 5 people can play the basic set… 8 can play the Sushi GO party set.

Where To Buy Sushi GO!

There is a Sushi Go pick and Pass….and a Sushi Go Board Game. The chief difference between the two is that Sushi Go board game has different art (it’s the International Version) Otherwise, it’s the same game.

Sushi Go Party adds more sushi, a few more desserts, and allows you to play with up to 8 people.

Sushi Go! – The Pick and Pass Card GameSushi Go! Board Game

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Sushi Go Party! Card Game

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