Happy Salmon Game
I first came across Happy Salmon at the North Star Games booth at Gen Con 2016.
It was hard to miss all the cool fish bags in their booth. Plus they had a table right in the front corner where people were playing Happy Salmon non-stop.
Happy Salmon is a fun party game for groups of friends and family. It is filled with action, running and laughter. It is a simple game and takes little to no time to explain and begin playing. Play is quick and is excellent for multiple rounds. Happy Salmon is a simple, fast-paced card game that gets everyone moving and laughing in two minutes. Everyone simultaneously calls out the action shown on their top card - 'High 5', 'Pound It', 'Switcheroo', or 'Happy Salmon'. When two players have a match, they celebrate by performing that action together. THE INTERNATIONAL GAMING PHENOMENON! – The Happy Salmon Game is ASTRA’s 6+ Game of the Year. A Toy of the Year (TOTY) Award Finalist. Origins Best Family Game of the Year and Fan Favorite. Parents’ Choice Award winner; Autism Live’s Parent’s Choice Top Toy Award, and many more!KEEPS EVERYONE ENGAGED AND ACTIVE - gets everyone moving and laughing in under two minutes.SILLY ACTIONS. Happy Salmon is the simple, fast-paced card game packed to the gills with high-fivin’, fin-flappin’ fun. Actions including the classic 'High 5', the unifying 'Pound It', the frantic 'Switcheroo', and the delightful “Happy Salmon” will leave players doubled over in laughter. Happy Salmon is the simple, fast-paced card game packed to the gills with high-fivin, fin-flappin fun.
With all the shouting, running around, and slapping, it definitely caught my attention.
It’s a party-style game that has a way of pulling people in with its active and quick play.
In fact, reading our review of Happy Salmon may take longer than playing a game of Happy Salmon.
How to play Happy Salmon
Happy a Salmon is super, super simple to play.
Players each take their stack of 12 colored cards in hand. At the same time, everyone turns their hand over so the first card in the stack is face up.
Players then have to perform the action of that card.
Once they’ve performed it, they discard the card and do the next one in their stack.
The first player to get rid of all 12 of their cards, wins the game.
The catch is that the actions require two people to complete them!
So players are constantly shouting out what card they have to get the attention of other players who may also have the same card so they can do them together.
The 4 action cards are:
- High 5: As you’d guess, both players give each other a High 5.
- Pound It: Both players fist-bump each other.
- Switcheroo: Both players switch places. (Did I mention yet that this game is played standing up?)
- Happy Salmon: The name of game is built into this action. Both players slap each other’s forearm 3 or more times.
As you can see, these actions are definitely active – fist bumps, high-fives, slapping arms, and running around. It’s a frantic game and one that evokes laughter with it.
Can the whole family enjoy playing Happy Salmon?
One of the reasons we love North Star Games is because their games are focused directly at family audiences. And Happy Salmon fits right in.
Happy Salmon Game Directions
It’s may be a silly game. But it’s a fun one for families to play together.
Since up to 6 people can play, it’s a great game to take along with you get together with extended family as well.
And the fish pouch it comes in makes carrying it along super easy. It’s nice and soft and can be tossed around without damage to the cards.
Speaking of which, the cards are good and sturdy.
For a frantic game with players holding their whole deck and tossing cards all over when discarding them quickly, the cards have to stand up to the beating. And the Happy Salmon cards do exactly that. They’re perfectly suited for the type of game play Happy Salmon engenders.
How does Happy Salmon score on our “Let’s Play Again” game meter?
Happy Salmon scores high on our “let’s play again” game meter for a few reasons.
First of all is that the game is so simple and quick. One game is not enough. Each game flies by and we’re left wanting to play again and again.
Second is that it’s a great game for getting the wiggles out. It’s nice to play a game that gets us on our feet and moving around.
Third is how simple it is to take along to play anywhere. If we’re heading out the door to go to grandma’s for dinner, it’s so easy to grab the cute fish by the tail and toss the game in the car. It’s even a good game to take along camping. With a game like this, there’s no need to even be around a table at all.
Happy Salmon Game Amazon
Happy Salmon gets multiple thumbs up from us. And you can get a copy for under $13 from Amazon.com.
Happy Salmon Game Rules
We’d like to thank North Star Games for a review copy of Happy Salmon.
A Salmon game that’s slammin fun!
The point of the game is to discard all your cards before the other players. The manner of which you discard however is action packed and a lot of fun. All players pull a card from their stack and shout out what it says. If you and another player have the same card, stating to do the same action, you do it and then you discard from the top of your pile. The cards have various actions such as “High 5,” “Pound it,” and a few more actions to take. The set includes 72 cards, rules and a super cool salmon pouch. Fun for 3 to 6 players.
Salmon Game Free
- SKU: 56203
- Dimensions: 5.5x8.5x2 inches
- Manufactured by Northstar Games
- Made in China
- For ages 6 & up