
- BGG rank
- BGG #14,918
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Tricky Landing
- 3–6 players
- 15–30 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2025

2025
Rules assistance for Sakana Stack
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.
Sakana Stack is a board game released in 2025 for 2–5 players, 15–30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Mike Petchey and its main mechanics are Ladder Climbing.
Sakana Stack is a climbing/shedding card game in which players play stacks of seafood from their hand with the aim of having the most valuable stack in play. Stacks can be played of matching numbers, but they must match the last played card by suit or number. Players score the top card from their stack if the next player passes, so the bigger the stack, the higher the scoring opportunity. Play continues until a player sheds all cards in their hand, or the draw pile runs out twice and all cards scored are counted and recorded. Play a number of rounds equal to the number of players to determine the most successful market vendor. —description from the publisher
Sakana Stack supports 2–5 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 Sakana Stack 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 Sakana Stack 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.
Sakana Stack has a complexity rating of 1.3 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.
Sakana Stack belongs to these categories: Card Game. Its main mechanics are Ladder Climbing. 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 Sakana Stack are: Mike Petchey. 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 Sakana Stack 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.