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About ito
ito is a cooperative Japanese party game by the designer 326, originally from Arclight and published in English by Arcane Wonders. Everyone holds a secret number from 1 to 100, and a theme card sets a scale, such as cheapest to most expensive thing. You describe your number only through that theme: a coffee is low, a private jet is high. The table then argues its way into putting the cards in order, and the reveal is a great moment either way.
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Is ito Right for You?
Best for
ito is for groups who enjoy talking and want a cooperative game that is over in ten minutes. It is excellent with four to six players, where the discussion is lively but the order is still manageable. It suits families and mixed ages well, since a clue can be as simple as 'a mouse' or 'an elephant'.
Maybe skip it if…
Groups who like to win individually will miss the competition. At eight to ten players the conversation can get chaotic, and quieter players may be talked over.
How to Play ito
Setup
Deal each player a secret number card and a player card to mark it. Draw a theme card and agree what the scale runs from and to.
On Your Turn
- Each player says something on the theme that matches the size of their number, without saying the number.
- Discuss and question each other's answers as a group.
- Place the number cards face down in what you think is ascending order.
- Reveal them one at a time from lowest to highest.
How to Win
The whole team wins if every card is in order. After a win, deal an extra number card next game; once everyone holds two, try Extreme Mode.
💡 Strategy Tips
Agree the extremes of the theme out loud before anyone gives a clue. Most failures come from two people picturing a different scale.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Not agreeing what the theme scale means before clues start. If one person thinks 'scary' runs from mildly spooky and another from terrifying, the order breaks.
- Giving a clue that is too vague. 'Something big' tells nobody anything; 'a double-decker bus' does.
- Locking in the order too fast. Challenge the clues that sit close together before anyone commits.
- Treating numbers in the middle as easy. Most mistakes happen between cards in the 40s to 60s, so spend the most time there.
Advanced Strategy
- Anchor the extremes early. Whoever has a very high or very low number should speak first to set the scale.
- Ask questions rather than accepting clues. 'Is your elephant bigger than my horse?' is often the clearest way to settle a pair.
- Pick clues that are easy to rank against each other, like famous objects or animals, rather than personal experiences.
- When holding two cards, describe them with clues from the same family so the gap between them is obvious.
Variants & House Rules
Extreme Mode
The official step up once every player holds two number cards. You stop using player cards to mark your numbers, which makes placement much harder.
ito Rainbow
A separate related game from the same family, which works on a strict pass or fail: every card is in the right order, or you lose.
Video Guides
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Our Verdict
ito is one of the best new cooperative party games we have played, and its strong BGG rating backs that up. It takes a minute to teach, every round tells a little story, and the reveal is tense even when you win. We recommend it for any group of four to six that likes Wavelength or The Mind.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is ito a cooperative game?
Yes. The whole table works together to put the numbers in order, and you win or lose as a group.
How many players is it best with?
Four to six is ideal. It works with up to ten, but the discussion gets noisy and harder to manage.
Is there an English version?
Yes. ito began as a Japanese game from Arclight, and Arcane Wonders publishes the English edition.