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About Sounds Fishy
Sounds Fishy is a bluffing party game from Big Potato. The Guesser reads out a question, and everyone else sees the real answer. One player, the True Blue, gives that answer; the Red Herrings have a few seconds to invent fake ones that sound convincing. The Guesser then flips fish to expose the liars, pushing their luck for more points. It is quick to teach, works well with a big table, and the made-up answers are often funnier than the real ones.
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Is Sounds Fishy Right for You?
Best for
Sounds Fishy is for big, chatty groups who enjoy bluffing and trivia without needing to know the answers. It is best with six to eight players, and it holds up well at ten because each turn is short. It is a good pick for parties and for families with older children.
Maybe skip it if…
Players who hate lying or making things up on the spot will not enjoy being a Red Herring. With four players there are few fake answers to choose from, so turns feel slight.
How to Play Sounds Fishy
Setup
Choose a Guesser. Deal the other players one secret fish each: one True Blue and the rest Red Herrings.
On Your Turn
- The Guesser reads a question card; everyone else sees the true answer on the back.
- The True Blue gives the real answer. Each Red Herring invents a fake answer within 15 seconds.
- The Guesser flips fish one at a time. Each Red Herring found is a point, and they may stop and bank at any time; flipping the True Blue early loses all points for that turn.
- Red Herrings who stay hidden and a True Blue who gets flipped also score, based on the fish on the table. Then the next player becomes Guesser.
How to Win
When everyone has been Guesser (twice each with four or five players), the most points wins.
💡 Strategy Tips
As a Red Herring, give an answer that sounds slightly too strange to be made up. True answers to these questions are often the weirdest ones.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- As a Red Herring, giving an answer that is too sensible. The real answers on these cards are often strange, so a plain fake can stand out.
- As the Guesser, getting greedy. Banking a couple of points is better than losing them all to the True Blue.
- As the True Blue, sounding nervous. You want to be flipped, so act like a liar.
- Taking too long to invent an answer. The time limit keeps the game moving, so stick to it.
Advanced Strategy
- Watch how people deliver their answers. The True Blue often hesitates because they are reading the real answer for the first time.
- As a Red Herring, borrow the shape of the real answer: if it is a number, give a nearby number.
- As the Guesser, flip the most confident liars first, then stop while you are ahead.
- Remember the scoring. The True Blue wants to be caught, so a player acting suspicious may be telling the truth.
Variants & House Rules
House rule: written answers
Red Herrings write fake answers instead of saying them, which helps quieter players and stops people copying each other.
House rule: no time limit
With younger players, relax the 15-second limit so everyone has time to come up with an answer.
Video Guides
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Our Verdict
Sounds Fishy is light, loud and quick to teach, and its BGG rating reflects a solid party game rather than a standout. We recommend it for large groups who like bluffing and silly answers. It shines at seven or more players, where there are plenty of fakes to sort through.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many players is it best with?
Six to eight is ideal, and it still works well at ten. With four or five, everyone takes two turns as Guesser.
Do you need to know trivia?
No. Everyone except the Guesser sees the real answer, so the game is about bluffing, not knowledge.
Who makes it?
Sounds Fishy is published by Big Potato.