Fish & Katz (GER)

Fish & Katz (GER)

The elderly fish stall owners at the famous Jagalchi Fish Market in Korea sometimes need a break from their hard work. When they take a nap, their beloved cats take over the stall. These loyal kitties love their owners more than anything, but they also love fish. What could possibly go wrong?

Designer Benjamin Leung’s game, which lasts less than 20 minutes, is both charming and fun: Fish & Katz offers fast-paced gameplay at its finest, complete with a special “cat paw” finger for full feline authenticity. In Fish & Katz, cute cats and delicious fish meet at an Asian fish market brought to life by the well-known Korean artist Hami. Like well-known reaction games with a bell, Fish & Katz is incredibly engaging and has no downtime, thanks to the cat-paw finger. Fish & Katz is a reaction game that’s also wonderful for playing together with children and across different generations.

In Fish & Katz, you use your “cat paw” finger to catch and collect the best types of fish, which are laid out as playing cards in each round. You literally “fish” by reaching for the fish of your choice with a sort of lucky cat-style motion—and everyone does this at the same time. Whether you can take the fish from the fish market display depends on what the other players have grabbed: If multiple players have their “cat paw” finger on the same fish, no one gets the card, and it goes to the discard pile of Fish & Katz. If a player has three fish cards of two different species, all other players may count them and score points, with each fish species having a different value. If no player has collected enough valuable fish yet, simply start a new round of Fish & Katz fishing fun!

With “Trees for the Future,” we’ve found a trusted partner in sustainable initiatives, which we wholeheartedly support through sales of Fish & Katz: We’re thrilled that, for every game of Fish & Katz sold, we can help plant a tree! Since trees aren’t the only solution, “Trees for the Future” also focuses on supporting local families who make their living from agriculture by providing them with knowledge and tools. The organization’s thoughtful approach is based on the principle that “there is no one-size-fits-all solution.” Therefore, they work with local communities to determine what assistance is needed to achieve more sustainable agriculture. The organization was founded in 1989, just like Heidelberger Spieleverlag, and operates primarily in sub-Saharan Africa. Detailed information is available at: https://trees.org.

All plastic markers in the Fish & Katz line are made from RE-Plastic®, a sustainably recycled plastic. For RE-Plastic®, our supplier Wissner uses 100% reusable polystyrene from “post-consumer production”—that is, post-industrial waste that has been recycled locally and reintroduced into production. Since RE-Plastic® can be recycled repeatedly, this recycling cycle is maintained continuously, effectively, and responsibly. RE-Plastic® is absolutely equivalent to new plastic granules in terms of quality, appearance, and feel. The use of RE-Plastic® represents a sensible use of resources; it is environmentally friendly and CO2-neutral. As Wissner puts it: “This is environmental protection in action without any loss of quality.”

"1, 2, 3!" TATZ

- Catch the most fish with your cat's paw
- Supports Trees for the Future
- 2–6 players, 20 minutes, ages 6 and up