Shrimp Cocktail

By Blue Orange Games
Price $14.99
Age 7 +

The squeaky-toy Starfish in the game Shrimp Cocktail is pure genius. Why? Because it's an integral part of the action and produces instant hilarity. Players eyeball it, grapple over it, squeeze it, even long for it. And sometimes, amazingly, they forget to use it, an offense that costs them part of their prior haul of shrimp. Here's how it works. There are 3 Fishing Zones, each represented by a circular piece. Players take turns flipping cards from their Shrimp Piles face up onto these Fishing Zones until all 3 are covered. The first player to spot one or more characteristics-in-common among all 3 top cards calls them out while grabbing and squeezing the Starfish, and in doing so reels in a catch. The characteristics are quantity, size, color, and origin. One characteristic-in-common earns you all the cards from all the Fishing Zones. Two earns you that PLUS 7 cards from the player(s) of your choice. Three wins you the game on the spot. But you've got to be fast, and keep your wits about you. Forgetting to squeeze the Starfish or call out the characteristics, or getting the characteristics-in-common wrong will cost you a penalty. It's a rare and special game that engages a player's visual, mental, and physical acuity, punctuated with wild squeaks and frequent peals of laughter. For 2 to 6 players.