Game Like a Mother

Quick Take: Select cards to create the sushi hand that is worth the most points. It is ideal for a family game night with mid to upper elementary school or middle school age kids. Two player works but it's a much better game with three to five players. This game is really easy to learn how to play, has cute graphics, and enough strategy to be engaging without being too complex for a range of ages playing together. I like that there are some aspects of memory and card counting to do well at this game, it's good training for more complex adult games. It's not a game I would pick for an adult game night but it's great for a family game night or younger kids playing together.

How to Play: Each player is dealt a hand of cards. From this hand they select one card to keep which they place face up in front of them and then they pass the remaining cards to the left. Players do this until all of the cards have been selected and are face up on the table in front of each player. At this point you tally up points. The cards all have how much they are worth written on the bottom and there are perks to collecting certain amounts of each card, like tempura and sashimi. There are a few specialties like wasabi which triples the value of the next nigiri card you select and the puddings where you can actually lose points if you end up with the fewest cards of this category. There is also a chopsticks card which you can draw and then use on a later turn to swap for two cards. You tally your points after each round and play for a total of three rounds. Highest cumulative points wins!

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Variations: They supply some approved game variants in the official rules, which I appreciate. You can switch the directions in which you pass the cards each round you play and they do have a way to improve the two player game by dealing a dummy hand as well. 

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Similar Games To Check Out: Sleeping Queens, Exploding Kittens, Love Letter, Splendor

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