
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,837
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Oasis
- 3–5 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2004

1991
Rules assistance for Fishy
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Fishy is a board game released in 1991 for 3–6 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Alan R. Moon and its main mechanics are Hand Management.
Fishy is the second of the set of games published by Alan Moon himself. It is not one game but three games that can be played with the same set of playing pieces. 1. Rotten Fish: The first game is about fish in a barrel. Round by round the fish moves toward the rotten bottom of the barrel. The players play one card from their hand. Depending on how many players have chosen a card, fish can be taken from the barrel. The game ends when a player has five fish on the bottom of the barrel. 2. Fresh Fish: The card playing mechanism in this variant is similar to the one in Rotten Fish. In this game players try to buy fish from the different "displays" in the barrel. 3. Fish in the Barrel: By playing their cards players try to sell their fish to the market (the barrel). Depending on the cards the other players played a player can place 1 - 4 fish in the barrel.
Fishy supports 3–6 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 Fishy is 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 Fishy for ages 10 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.
Fishy has a complexity rating of 1.2 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a 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.
Fishy belongs to these categories: Animals and Bluffing. Its main mechanics are Hand Management. 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 Fishy are: Alan R. Moon. 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 Fishy 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.