
Fish 'n' Flips: Frische Fische
- 1–6 players
- 15–30 min
- 2026

2019
Rules assistance for Fish 'n' Flip
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 1 player

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Fish 'n' Flip is a board game released in 2019 for 1–6 players, 15–30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Kevin Luhn and its main mechanics are Cooperative Game, Pattern Building, and Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game.
Fish 'n' Flip is a game about maritime animals caught in fishing nets as bycatch. Players can compete or cooperate in freeing as many as possible of them. The animals are laid out in rows and columns. On a turn, a player can play one of their two action cards. These cards can exchange positions or flip a card so the animal looks the opposite way. When several of the same animals are looking in the same direction, they will escape from the net, while any animals on top of them will slide down (tetris-style), which may lead to other groups of animals being able to escape. After each turn, another animal is added at the top of each column. When a column is seven cards high, all players lose. When all animal cards have been played, players can compare how many animals were left in the net (cooperative mode) or how many they freed (competitive mode). The game has a campaign in which difficulty rises in each level. For one, each animal has a special ability. These make the game easier but also more complex. On the other hand, more animals are added, which makes it harder to form groups. Also, garbage cards come into play. These can disrupt groups or stop animals from using their special abilities.
Fish 'n' Flip supports 1–6 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Fish 'n' Flip is 15–30 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Fish 'n' Flip for ages 8 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Fish 'n' Flip has a complexity rating of 2.2 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Fish 'n' Flip belongs to these categories: Animals, Puzzle, and Environmental. Its main mechanics are Cooperative Game, Pattern Building, and Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Fish 'n' Flip are: Kevin Luhn. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Fish 'n' Flip as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.