Sushi Go and Sushi Go Party come from the same publisher, Gamewright, and they are the same game at heart. Everyone holds a hand of cards, picks one, and passes the rest to the next player. You are trying to collect sets of sushi dishes that score well together, while watching what your neighbors keep.
The difference is how much is in the box. Sushi Go is a small deck for two to five players with one fixed set of dishes. Sushi Go Party is the bigger version: a board for scoring, room for up to eight players, and a menu of more than twenty dishes you choose from before each game.
This guide compares the two on what changes when you sit down: how many people, how much setup, and who the box is for.
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The Short Answer
- Two to five players who want something simple, or a stocking stuffer? Sushi Go. It is the small one, with nothing to choose before you play.
- Six to eight players? Sushi Go Party. The original stops at five.
- Want a different game each time? Sushi Go Party. You build a menu from the dishes in the box, so the cards in play change.
- Already own Sushi Go? Buy Party only if you need more players or more variety. Party includes a menu that recreates the original, so it covers everything the small box does.
- Buying for kids? Both boxes are rated 8 and up, so either one works from age eight.
Side by Side
| Sushi Go | Sushi Go Party | |
|---|---|---|
| Players | 2 to 5 | 2 to 8 |
| Ages | 8+ | 8+ |
| Play time | About 15 minutes | 15 to 30 minutes |
| In the box | 108 cards | 181 cards, 22 menu tiles, 8 pawns and a board |
| Dishes in play | One fixed set | A menu you choose from more than twenty dishes |
| Scoring | On paper | On the board’s score track |
Players, ages and play times come from the product listings; Sushi Go Party’s contents come from its rulebook.
How Both Games Work
The core is the same in both boxes. Each player gets a hand of cards. Everyone picks one card to keep, places it face down, and passes the rest of the hand to the next player. Then everyone reveals what they kept, and you do it again with the hand you were passed. When the cards run out, the round is scored. A game lasts three rounds.
The dishes score in different ways. Some pay off only as a set, some score more the more you collect, and some reward whoever has the most of them at the end of a round or the game. The decision each turn is between the card that helps you most and the card the next player obviously wants.
Because everyone picks at the same time, there is very little waiting between turns.
What Sushi Go Party Adds
A menu. This is the main change. Before each game you choose which dishes are in play: nigiri is always included, and then the rulebook has you add one type of roll, three appetizers, two specials and one dessert. The menu tiles show the options, and the rulebook suggests ready-made menus, including one called Sushi Go that recreates the classic set from the original game and one called My First Meal for first-time players.
More players. Party goes up to eight, and the number of cards in each hand shrinks as the table grows. Some dishes are limited by player count, and the rulebook marks which menus suit two players and which suit six to eight.
A board. Scores go on a track with a pawn for each player, instead of on paper.
The cost of all this is a little more setup. Someone has to choose a menu and sort the cards for it before you start, which the original never asks of you.
Players
Sushi Go is rated 2 to 5 players. Sushi Go Party is rated 2 to 8.
For two, both work, and Party has rules made for it: a few dishes are left out at two players, and the rulebook lists a Dinner for Two menu as working well for a pair. If two is your usual table and you want more options than one fixed set, Party gives you that.
For six to eight, Party is the only one of the two that fits. The rulebook adjusts a couple of rules for big tables and suggests a Big Banquet menu for six to eight players.
Kids and First-Time Players
Both boxes are rated 8 and up. The game is mostly matching pictures and counting sets.
For a first game, the original has an advantage: there is nothing to choose before you start. With Party, pick the My First Meal menu, which the rulebook describes as a mellow menu for first-time players, and keep the more complicated dishes for later.
As a Gift
The original is the compact one. It is one of the three games in our list of small board games adults enjoy too that fit in a stocking, and it is on our list of board games for non-gamers.
Sushi Go Party has a board and more than 180 cards, so it comes in a bigger box. It suits a family or a group of friends who play together often, or anyone who already owns the original and wants more from it.
If you are buying for someone you do not know well, the original is the safer pick: it has fewer rules to explain and no menu to choose.
The Boxes
Sushi Go!
2 to 5 players | Ages 8+ | About 15 minutes | Gamewright
The original: 108 cards, one fixed set of dishes, and nothing to prepare before you deal.
Sushi Go Party!
2 to 8 players | Ages 8+ | 15 to 30 minutes | Gamewright
The bigger version: more than twenty dishes to build menus from, a scoring board, and room for up to eight.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Sushi Go and Sushi Go Party?
Sushi Go is a small card game for 2 to 5 players with one fixed set of dishes. Sushi Go Party plays 2 to 8, adds a scoring board, and lets you build a menu from more than twenty dishes before each game.
Do I need Sushi Go to play Sushi Go Party?
No. Sushi Go Party is a complete game, and its rulebook includes a menu that recreates the original.
Is Sushi Go Party good for two players?
Yes. The rulebook has adjustments for two players and suggests a Dinner for Two menu for a pair.
Which one is better for kids?
Both are rated 8 and up. The original is simpler to start, because there is no menu to choose. With Party, the rulebook suggests the My First Meal menu for first-time players.
How long does a game take?
About 15 minutes for Sushi Go and 15 to 30 minutes for Sushi Go Party, according to their product listings.
Where to Start
For two to five players who want a simple, fixed game, or for a stocking, buy Sushi Go.
For six to eight players, or a table that wants a different menu each time, buy Sushi Go Party.
If you already own Sushi Go, buy Party only if you need the extra players or the menus.
For more gift ideas, see our Christmas board game gift guide, sorted by who you are buying for.
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