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Ramen Fury is the "use-your-noodle" card game for 2- 5 players, a take-that game full of colour and spice! Most importantly, it's quick simple and leaves you wanting to outsmart your opponent(s) more and more! Put simply, it's a perfect filler game (A Tasty Starter before the main course… YES Pun intended)
I came across this game completely by chance, in a bargain bin in my local games store! I am going to start the review by comparing the game to another more known game, Sushi Go/Sushi Go Party. Ramen Fury is a worthy competitor in my opinion.
So, I am sure at this point many of you will be wondering: if you already have Sushi Go, then why bother getting a very similar game? I really enjoy Sushi Go, unfortunately, my wife DOES NOT. Game Over! So, with the second lockdown in full effect, this was an attempt (Compromise) to get an unplayed game to the table!
The game itself comes in a foil packet. Very thematic but, in truth, a little annoying when opening. The game is made up of 104 cards and 10 spoon tokens. Each player starts the game with 3 ramen bowl cards (noodle side up) and 2 spoon tokens. Each player is then dealt a hand of three cards. The deck is then placed on the table and a line of 4 cards are flipped face-up (poker style).
How to Play Ramen Fury
The game in a nutshell - On a turn, the active player must take two actions from the following choices: Prep, Restock, Draw, Eat, Spoon, Empty.
Prep – Place an ingredient card from your hand onto one of your ramen bowls. This card must always be placed on top of the other ingredient cards in the bowl. There is a 5-card limit for each bowl and only one Flavour card in each Bowl.
Draw – Take a face-up card from the row of 4 or a face-down card from the deck.
Spoon – Discard a spoon token and take the topmost ingredient card from any ramen bowl. You can place this card onto one of your bowls or into your hand.
Restock – Discard all four face-up cards and replace them with four new cards. If you display Chili Peppers or Nori, deal with them immediately by popping them into a bowl of your choice.
Eat – Flip a bowl and all its ingredients over. A bowl must have at least 2 ingredient cards in it to be eaten. Once flipped, it cannot be changed.
Empty – Discard all the ingredient cards from one of your bowls.
The game ends when a player eats their third ramen bowl or the Ingredient card deck is exhausted. Whenever either happens, all other players get one more turn and then the game is scored.
Scoring
Put simply: in each bowl, there must be only one Flavour card. This card gives you the basic scoring rule for the bowl, which is met by the ingredients in that bowl. In addition, you score +1 point for a Nori card. You score -1 point for each Chili Pepper. However, if you have a Fury flavour packet in the bowl, Chilli Peppers then score +2 points each.
The player with the most points wins. If it’s a tie, the player with the most Ingredient cards wins.
Does it pack enough Flavour?
Ramen Fury is quick to understand and it packs a punch. Better yet, the wife and I both loved it. Admittedly, I have only played a 2-player game but, in truth, I feel the game would only get better with more players, as more chaos would most certainly be the outcome.
The spoon tokens really add to the game in that they allow you to steal ingredients from another player. However, you should plan your strategy as you only have two spoon tokens and once they're used, you're done.
Another big positive about this game is the chaos. You can have all the planning in the world but in the heat of the moment, it can all come crumbling down. You might find yourself madly searching for new ingredients that can get you that all-important sweet victory or leave you sour in defeat.
I see Ramen Fury as a perfect filler game for both new and experienced gamers, offering laughs aplenty which don’t go past their sell-by date!
