Happy Salmon: Rules, Actions & How to Win
Find matching players, high-five, fish-bump, swap places and race to discard all 12 action cards.
Happy Salmon is a fast real-time party game by Ken Gruhl and Quentin Weir, published in a current edition by Exploding Kittens. All players search for matching visible action cards at once and perform the matching physical action together.
This guide covers the complete four-action rules, the blocked-card option, the winner’s condition, special three-player setup and the official silent variant.
Easy to learn, frantic to play
The crucial rule is that you need a partner displaying the same action. If nobody matches, you can move the card to the bottom of your deck—but you still have to complete it later.
Game at a Glance
1. Reveal
Expose your current action card.
2. Find
Locate someone showing the same action.
3. Perform
Do the action together, discard both cards.
4. Win
Discard every card in your personal deck.
Happy Salmon setup
Happy Salmon is a fast, physical party card game for 3–8 players, designed by Ken Gruhl and Quentin Weir. The standard 96-card edition contains eight different color decks of 12 cards each. Each player picks a color and takes the 12 matching cards; return unused decks to the box.
Shuffle your own deck and hold it facedown, positioned so only the first exposed action is visible when play begins. Stand around a table with enough space to move and safely reach a partner. All players start at the same time.
Each personal deck has three copies of each of four actions: High Five, Fish Bump, Happy Salmon and Switch It Up. The published rulebook describes games lasting around 90 seconds, though the actual length varies with the group.
How to play: everyone acts simultaneously
There are no turns. At the start, everyone exposes the top card of their own stack and calls out that card’s action to find a matching player. If two players have the same visible action, they perform it together, then both discard their action cards. Each immediately reveals the next card in their deck and starts searching for a new match.
For example, if you and another player are both showing High Five, do the high five, discard both High Five cards and reveal your next actions. You cannot discard an action merely because another player calls it: you need a matching exposed card and must complete the action.
All four Happy Salmon actions
| Card | What both players do |
|---|---|
| High Five | Touch palms with the matching player |
| Fish Bump | Bump the front knuckles of your closed fists |
| Happy Salmon | Tap each other’s forearms at least twice, simultaneously |
| Switch It Up | Swap places around the table, carrying your own card deck |
Matching the action text is what matters; player-deck colors do not need to match. Calling the card names aloud helps partners find each other, although an optional silent variant exists.
What if nobody has a matching action?
If your visible card seems stuck because nobody else currently shows that action, you may move it to the bottom of your own deck without performing it. Then reveal the next card. This is a postponement, not a discard: you still need to complete that action later to win.
Example: you are showing Switch It Up but everyone else is calling Fish Bump or High Five. You can put Switch It Up at the bottom and expose your next action. The Switch It Up remains in your deck and will eventually need a partner.
How do you win Happy Salmon?
The first player who correctly performs and discards every card from their 12-card deck wins immediately. A card moved to the bottom still counts as uncompleted and cannot be ignored when checking victory.
There are no rounds, penalties, point scores or final scoring table in the base game. Players who finish their own actions quicker win; a slower player can still recover by finding new partners efficiently.
Official three-player variant
The publisher supplies a special three-player setup to reduce the difficulty of finding compatible partners. Before starting, each player removes their three Fish Bump cards and returns them to the box.
Using one of the unused color decks, give each of the three players one extra High Five, one extra Happy Salmon and one extra Switch It Up. Every player now has 12 cards again: four copies of each of those three actions. The added cards may be a different color, and that is fine. Shuffle personal decks and play normally.
Official silent Happy Salmon variant
The published rulebook offers an optional silent variant: players must not shout their card names or otherwise speak, so partners have to find one another visually. The actions themselves, matching requirement, card cycling and winning condition remain unchanged.
This is useful for groups that want less shouting, though it does not eliminate physical movement. You can also agree on gentle, low-impact actions and provide sufficient space so players do not collide.
Happy Salmon editions and card-count differences
The rulebook linked below describes the widely distributed 96-card edition with eight 12-card color decks. Some current product listings describe 98 action cards; packaging information can vary by printing. The important setup instruction is to give every participating player their complete 12-card personal deck for the standard game.
If your box or regional printing has different components, use its included rules to identify the complete colored decks rather than distributing all the cards evenly across players.
Seven practical tips for playing faster
- Keep the active card visible. Others need to recognize your current action quickly.
- Announce clearly. Calling the precise action name helps potential partners locate you.
- Look beyond the nearest neighbor. A matching player may be across the table.
- Cycle a stuck card. Moving an unmatched action to the bottom can unlock an immediate pairing.
- Carry the deck when switching. You still own your cards after changing places.
- Don’t forget your postponed cards. A skipped action must eventually be performed.
- Prioritize safe motion. High fives and forearm taps can be light; force is unnecessary.
These are original rules-based suggestions, not claims of hands-on playtesting.
Happy Salmon frequently asked questions
How many people can play Happy Salmon?
Three to eight in the standard published rules.
How many cards does each player get?
12, all from the same color deck in the regular setup.
Are there turns?
No. Everybody plays simultaneously.
Can you match a different action?
No. You must find another player with the same visible action.
What does Fish Bump mean?
Touch the front knuckles of your fists with another Fish Bump player.
What does Happy Salmon mean?
Simultaneously tap each other’s forearms at least twice.
Do you lose a blocked card?
No. Put it on the bottom of your deck and complete it later.
How do you win?
Be the first to perform and discard all your cards.
Is there a three-player special rule?
Yes. Remove Fish Bump and replace those slots with extra copies of the other three actions from an unused deck.
Can you play without shouting?
Yes. The rulebook includes a silent variant.
Official sources and editorial scope
- Exploding Kittens official Happy Salmon rulebook (96-card edition)
- Exploding Kittens official rules hub
- Exploding Kittens official product page and edition details
Official rules reviewed October 11, 2026. Original instructions and game-selection advice; no claim of firsthand playtesting. Card counts may vary with printing. Editorial policy and corrections.