
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,149
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Croak!
- 2–4 players
- 20 min
- Complexity 1.6/5
- 1999

2017
Rules assistance for Little Big Fish
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Little Big Fish is a board game released in 2017 for 2 players, 15–20 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Igor Polouchine and David Perez (II) and its main mechanics are Grid Movement and Modular Board.
Little Big Fish is a tactical game for two players who compete to capture five fish first. To set up, each player has three little fish in the first line of an empty sea tile, with the board being comprised of four boards pushed together to form a square. To become bigger, fish must eat plankton. When you move to a space where there is a fish of the same size or smaller than you, you capture it. Small fish are fast but vulnerable; they can capture small fish but can be captured by any fish, and they are the only ones that can go through shipwrecks. Medium fish can capture small and medium fish, and they can't go through shipwrecks. Big fish can capture fish of any size, and they can't go through shipwrecks. On a turn, you move one of your fish two spaces or two of your fish one space each. Fish can move orthogonally, and you must resolve the action of a space before taking your second move. Move into a space with plankton, and your fish grows in size; land on a birth space, and you add a little fish from your reserve to the board. The shipwreck serves as a tunnel for small fish, and the "?" space makes you draw a tile, take its action, then discard it. You might rotate part of the board, put a fisherman to work, or have an unexpected birth. Race to eat five fish first!
Little Big Fish supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Little Big Fish is 15–20 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 Little Big Fish 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.
Little Big Fish has a complexity rating of 1.1 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.
Little Big Fish belongs to these categories: Animals, Abstract Strategy, and Miniatures. Its main mechanics are Grid Movement and Modular Board. 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 Little Big Fish are: Igor Polouchine and David Perez (II). 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 Little Big Fish 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.