I first played Surf’s Up! at Generation Games at the demo tables. There was no water, no sand, no sunscreen, and I was not wearing my bikini under the lab coat. And yet, this game ended up being one of my highlights in the tabletop area. Surf’s Up! is quick and fun, and it easily breaks into a raucous game of “NOOOO!!” when the blue bottles appear. Doesn’t that happen with any trip to the beach? However, unlike my previous visits, this one doesn’t demand a high level of overthinking to win the day. Sure, you can play it strategically, attempting to read the minds (or tells) of your fellow surfers. Perhaps you’re better off with a drop of chaos in your coffee cup? Or simply sit back and enjoy the beach, man. Either way, the family is going to enjoy this one for many game nights! 

Surf’s Up, minions!

What is Surf’s Up?

It’s bright, bold, and genuinely looks like a beach set-up. Top marks for the aesthetic. But Surf’s Up! is more than a vibe. This tabletop game is a quick play that’s perfect for the whole family or any friends you are willing to sacrifice to the Tabletop Gods. It’s designed for 2-6 players, including the youngest of players–at least ages 8 years and older but I’m pretty sure the EG Spawnlings would have enjoyed this from around the age of 6 years old with a lighter approach to strategy. 

The game plays out over 20-30 minutes, with a moderate level of set-up and rule explanation for first-timers. The key concept here is ‘auction/bidding’ with blind bluffs, as players simultaneously bid on the best waves to collect sets and points. Bidding is controlled by energy cards, ensuring you can’t just put out your highest bid each time. The additional feature of ‘blue bottle jellyfish’ flips the gameplay top-to-bottom, which helps keep players on their toes. 

What’s in the Box?

• 1x Game Mat
• 36x Starting Energy Cards (numbered 1-5 plus a 0-Rest Card)
• 28x Ocean Cards
  • 23x Wave Cards with various numbers and colour symbols
  • 5x Blue Bottle Cards
• 24x Respect tokens (shakas)
• 2x Player Aid cards (because we have learned how to share)
• 6x Beach Towels cards (cardboard, not real towels)
• 18x Blue Bottle tokens, with numbers on the flip side
• 42x beach cards
  • Including temporary energy cards and surfboard cards
• 18x Shared Goal cards

A quick chat on the game components: The mat itself is made from neoprene, making it durable and quite beautiful with the printing. However, it really needs to be aired out the first time you play it. 

The cards are made with good-quality cardboard and a light gloss finish. Most of them are standard size, except for the Beach Towel cards. But since you aren’t holding them in your hand, the Beach Towels don’t really matter. The tokens are made with thicker, stiff cardboard. I’m impressed with the printing on all components, using vibrant colours, strong images, and relatively easy short-hand details in writing. 

The box also comes with extra plastic bags for storage and packing the game away. Honestly, I would love to find a better way to pack the game without so much plastic. As a regular visitor to our local beach, I definitely try to steer away from excessive plastic. Once I have figured out a better packing system for Surf’s Up! I will update you here. At least the cardboard divider properly fits the neoprene play mat. Well done for that!

The neoprene mat also makes it easier to set up. The mat lays vertically/portrait down your play area, with the Ocean Deck at the top, behind where the ‘waves’ are rolling in. Three ‘ocean cards’ are then flipped onto the three horizontal card spaces, face up. The vertical card spaces at the bottom of the map are for ‘beach cards’, featuring bonuses you can purchase with your respect tokens (more on that shortly). The ‘beach deck’ sits below this. And yes–you will then notice it is colour-coordinated! The Ocean Deck is blue, and the Beach Deck is sandy yellow. Then you can pretty much set up everything else around it. 

How to Catch a Wave (AKA How to Play Surf’s Up!)

1. Each player picks a Beach Towel card. Clearly, this is important because the purple towel is the best and it is mine. 
2. Each player also receives six (6) starting energy cards in their hand, along with two (2) respect tokens. 
3. Your ‘energy cards’ indicate how much energy you are willing to expend to catch the next wave. To catch the wave, you must choose the highest energy while holding the highest respect against the other surfers. 
4. At the beginning of the round, each player chooses a numbered energy card from their hand and places it face down in front of them. 
5. All surfers simultaneously count down “3, 2, 1, SURF’S UP!” and reveal their energy card.
   1. Any surfers with the same energy card AND the same number of respect tokens will Wipe Out and not catch the wave. 
   2. The remaining surfer with the highest energy card wins – they catch the wave.
   3. If it is tied, the surfer with the highest number of respect tokens wins the tie.
   4. In games with three or more surfers, the next remaining surfer with the highest energy card and most respect tokens catches the wave as the runner-up.  
6. The Winning Surfer places their revealed energy card into the collective trash pile. It cannot be retrieved. They collect the wave card and place it near their towel. They can then either gain one (1) respect token or visit the beach to purchase a bonus. 
7. The runner-up places their revealed energy card into their own discard pile, which can be retrieved when using the Rest/0 card. They can also either gain one (1) respect token or visit the beach to purchase a bonus. 
8. If either the Winning Surfer or the runner-up has four (4) respect tokens, they must visit the beach and go shopping. Four is the maximum number of respect tokens. 
9. All other surfers with revealed energy cards higher than 0 must discard their cards onto their towel. 
10. If a surfer uses the Rest/0 card, you can collect a respect token AND take all the cards from your beach towel (including your 0 card) and replace them into your hand.
11. At the end of the round, move the remaining ocean cards one (1) space closer to the beach. Reveal the new ocean card and replenish the Beach Cards.  
12. Cards purchased at the beach will either grant set bonuses (matching the colours of waves) or energy boosts, such as 3½ energy rather than the weaker 3. 
13. When the dreaded Blue Bottle arrives on the beach, the goal is to NOT have the lowest energy card–you want to outswim those jelly monsters! The action is like catching a wave, but when surfers reveal their energy cards, ALL SURFERS with the lowest energy card will collect a blue bottle token. The secret number on the other side indicates the point-hit you will take at the end. There is no tie-breaker. You’re all stung. 
14. The Game Ends when the 5th bluebottle card is played through to the sting. Alternatively, the game will also end when a surfer has no cards on their towel and only the Rest card left in their hand. 
15. Points are scored from the wave cards, including bonus points from your ‘surfboards’ and minus your blue bottle points. Highest score wins! If there is a tie, you share the win!

Is this a Fun Day at Tabletop Beach?

Personally, I love this game! It captures the beach vibe well and really sets the scene, both aesthetically and in the gameplay. Honestly, I’m not a surfer. But I grew up at the beach and enjoy watching EG Dad take EG Zaltu surfing each summer. The balance of ‘energy cards’ with ‘respect tokens’ is a genuine element of Australian beach and surf culture. I can’t tell you how much I love the use of this as part of the game mechanic. 

There is longevity in the game, thanks to the Shared Goals deck. Each card gives the opportunity for extra points if you meet the criteria. It’s a nice touch when you want to spice it up. 

One thing to note: the game says it is suitable for 2-6 players, but honestly, you will need some minor rule adjustments to play with two (2) players. The sweet spot is definitely four (4) players. With two players, I would recommend you remove the ‘runner-up’ consideration and reduce the blue-bottle card end-game trigger to three (3). 

Big thanks to Kim Brebach from Good Games Publishing for playing the demo with me. He is a sneaker player, with excellent bluffs. Mind you, his daughter is an even more formidable opponent. I never had a chance against this team!

Surf’s Up! can be purchased for around AUD$38 through most tabletop/boardgame outlets, including Good Games Australia. The game was released in May 2024 and has been demo’ed at a few conventions, including Generation Games. I expect to see it at PlayCon in Sydney this weekend and would definitely recommend giving it a run. 

EG Mum received a review copy for the purpose of this review. No payments or further incentives were received. All views are my own (with some necessary input from EG Zaltu because, let’s face it: this is a family game and she pretty much rules the family now). 

Score: 4 out of 5 thick wetsuits (I don’t like cold water)

Categories: Curriculum of Evil Gameschooling

Tagged as: board games boardgames family family games game reviews games games night kids review spawnlings tabletop

Evil Genius Mum

Evil Genius Mum
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