Last night my casual gamer brother and his wife came over and they wanted to play some games so we broke out one of the simplest titles in my library, Sushi Go. This little drafting game from Phil Walker Harding needs little introduction, but I’ll take a shot at it; Each round players take turns drafting a card and passing their hand to the left. Once all the cards have been drafted the game is scored. The game is played over three rounds.
The cards feature different kinds of sushi, each with cutesy artwork that pops on the table. Each type forms a suit that scores differently. For example Sashimi scores 10 points for every 3 copies you draft, Tempura scores 5 for each pair. Dumplings score 1, 3, 5, 10 or 15 points if you have 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 of them. Puddings don’t score at all during a round but are set aside for the end of the game. The player with the most Puddings at the end of 3 rounds scores 6 points, while the player with the fewest scores -6. Whomever has the most points at the end of the game wins.
Sushi Go is a great game. It is so simple and elegant. It is easy to teach, draft a card pass them on. Yet it has tactics and strategies you can employ. Each round will present you with interesting but quick decisions. Drafting puddings requires a little forward planning but not so much that new players will feel overwhelmed. It’s also quick, around 20 minutes, so it fits nicely at the beginning or end of a game session and doesn’t outstay its welcome with casual gamers. And, once you’ve gotten to grips with the concept you can easily expand your options with Sushi Go Party, the best way to play Sushi Go in my opinion.
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