Designed by: Reiner Knizia
Previously published (and differently-themed!) as Trendy, Whale Riders: The Card Game was launched as a sister game to the board-based Whale Riders. In that game, players ride whales (obviously) to collect stuff and complete contracts. In this version, you’re just collecting stuff – but at some risk.
Everyone is dealt a hand of cards, which are numbered from 3 to 7. Turns are simple: you play a card to the table in front of you, face up, and draw a replacement from the deck. As soon as all players have collectively played a number of cards that matches the number on them (three 3s, four 4s and so on) two things occur: anyone who played that number flips their cards over – they’ll score their numeric value at the end of the game. The other – less productive! – thing that happens is all other face-up cards are discarded, meaning players who might be on the verge of a big set (eg seven 7s) are now back to square one. So there’s an element of risk to things: the 3 cards are easier to complete, but score less. The sixes are sevens are harder to come by, but will score a lot more points.
Mixed into the deck are some doubles (a single card representing two of that number) and storms. When a storm card is played all cards matching it’s number get discarded, adding an extra level of risk/sabotage to a game of luck-pushing. There are also optional port cards that add simple this-round-only rules to the game, incentivising certain things or outlawing others.
As soon as the deck runs out, everyone scores their claimed cards, and the player with the highest total wins.
Reasonably high, especially if you're perceived as points leader. Prepare for a storm!
Very low - each turn is the playing of a single card.
Low - the goal is to maximise your own points (play cards) and moderate income for everyone else (busting them, or playing storms). But Whale Riders cleverly interweaves these two objectives, giving each decision miniature weight and agency.
Cards are dealt randomly, and the port cards give even more variety.
2-5
Players
6+
Years
15-30
Mins
Sam says
It's a speedily deft little game that takes 30 seconds to teach and 10 minutes to play, yet gives both tension and control in moreish doses. For an even simpler version (but with less control and more luck) we quite like Fuji Flush. But if this lacks Fuji Flush silly boisterousness, it's definitely the more elegant game.