The octopus is probably one of the most sneaky, clever, and cunning creatures in the ocean. INKtentions is a card game for two to four players that requires players to outsmart their opponents to get the most food in the ocean. The game is designed by Matthew Kambic with artwork from Chris Adams, and is being published by MaKa Games. Let’s jump into the deep end and learn more about INKtentions.
Delicious Ocean Food
Each player has a stack of nine cards, all the same, with the players color represented on the back of their cards. Over the course of the round, players will add eight of these cards into the display in the center of the table. The goal is to snag some of the delicious sea life (food) found in the center of the table. Each food tile has a different scoring method and you don’t want to end the round hungry.
At the start of INKtentions, you’ll choose the food tiles that you’ll compete for in the center of the table. The game comes with nine different food tiles that all score differently. Based on the player count, you’ll select five, six, or seven of these tiles to put in the center of the table. Players will play their cards off of the edge of these tiles as they compete to eat these underwater morsels.
INKtentions plays over the course of three rounds as you accumulate tiles to get your final score. Let’s talk about what the cards do.
Eight Arms of Fun
Players take turns around the table playing cards onto any food tile they want. These cards are played facedown, adding to the growing tentacle until they reach the card limit (based on player count). At the end of the round, you’ll go tentacle by tentacle, turning over cards and resolving them one at a time. Here is what each card type does:
- Hunt cards (x3) allow you to take a food tile at the base of that tentacle as long as this card isn’t eaten.
- Shark cards (x1) will eat any Hunt cards to the left and right of this card.
- Eel cards (x1) will eat a single Hunt card to the left or right of this card, chosen by the player who played the Eel card.
- Ink cards (x1) will cause a Shark card that is adjacent to go away.
- Hide & Hunt cards (x1) are immune to Shark and Eel cards, allowing the player to nab a food tile at the base of that tentacle.
There are two additional cards in the players hand that get played directly in front of the player and not in the center of the table. The Punch card lets you move a card from one tentacle to another uncapped tentacle. Finally, the Octobility card will let the player pull a special ability tile that was set out at the start of the round.
Octobilities give players a unique ability that will be used immediately or when directed on the tile. These abilities allow you to play your ninth card, swap a card on the table with one from your hand, gain a point and peek at a card, cap a tentacle and more. With every player having the same card set, you’re looking to outwit your opponents each round.
Underwater Deduction
The heart of INKtentions is a programming game where players are trying to predict what their opponents are playing. The Hunt & Hide card is the only guarantee of earning a food tile. Playing your Shark and Eel card at just the right time will take out another players Hunt card. One of the most devious moves in the game is using a Punch card to move another players Shark card to cancel out their Hunt card.
Since everything is played facedown, you’re going purely off intuition and anticipating players strategies. I’m a fan of programming games like Colt Express, Mountains Out of Molehills, and How to Rob a Bank. Players are trying to bluff or misdirect the other players with their card play. INKtentions shines when players catch on to their opponents patterns and block them from getting the food that gives them victory points.
Final Thoughts
Scoring in INKtentions feels a lot like Sushi Go or Bugs on Rugs. The scoring variety across the different food tiles works really well. Players have to diversify which foods they go for since your opponents can easily block you when you focus on a single food source.
The way cards build the arms of the octopus from the center of the table makes for a great table presence. Players who enjoy deduction, programming, and hand management games will really enjoy INKtentions.
You can visit the Kickstarter campaign for INKtentions when it launches on June 10, 2025.
A prototype of the game was provided for this coverage. Components and rules covered in this preview are not finalized. Read more about our preview policies at One Board Family.
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