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FroGames — Moments You'll Remember
Everyone swears to save the ship. Then someone sees that ruby gleaming on the water — and changes their mind.
What it's about
The ship is sinking. The treasure is not.
The ship is under attack. Water is rising. The kraken — or maybe skeleton pirates, the megalodon, sirens — presses from outside. Inside, you six pirates try to survive. Or at least, that's what you tell the others.
We're Sinking! is a semi-cooperative survival game for 3-6 players where each turn you discuss, plan — and then secretly act with your compass dial. Bucket empties the water. Patch repairs the leaks. Fire shoots the enemy. Plunder steals the loot floating around. The final choice is yours alone, hidden until simultaneous revelation.
If the ship is saved, the player with the most treasure wins. If it sinks, the player with the least treasure wins — light enough to swim to the lifeboat. Two possible victories. Only one table full of suspicion.
The essence of the game
Everyone pledges loyalty to the ship. The compass dial doesn't lie — but you do.
The secret of We're Sinking! in one line
There's always a moment when the floating ruby is worth more than collective salvation. That moment divides friends.
From the game experience
We're Sinking!
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, international reviews, and gameplay sessionsYour role on board
Four actions. Only one compass. No excuses.
Bucket — bail out the hold
Lowers the water level. The most selfless action — and the easiest to pretend to do while doing something else.
Patch — repair the leaks
Closes leaks and gets the cannons working again. Essential. Someone has to do it. Maybe not you.
Fire — shoot the enemy
Direct damage to the threat. The only way to win together — if you really want to.
Plunder — steal the loot
Take the treasures revealed by damage to the ship. Prepares you for a solo victory — in case things go wrong for everyone.
In a few hours, someone will be the traitor of the evening. Usually, it's the one who swore the most they wanted to save the ship.
🃏
Recommended sleeves1 size · 117 cards total
📖
RulebookEnglish · Official PDF
A game in five acts
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
The ship is under attack — all hands on deck!
Choose your enemy: the kraken, skeleton pirates, megalodon, or sirens. The ship is set up, compass dials distributed, water level reset to zero. Everyone seems focused. Everyone seems cooperative. For now.
The first discussion — and the first lie
Everyone states what they intend to do. Someone says "bucket", someone says "fire", someone stays silent. The dials are turned. They are revealed simultaneously. Someone lied. The water level rises. Accusations begin.
Treasure floats up — and everything changes
The ship takes a hit. The panel slides down. Hidden chests appear — rubies, useful items, gold. Someone stops thinking about the ship and starts thinking about the lifeboat. Priorities silently rearrange.
The situation deteriorates — or everything is saved
You are one step away from beating the enemy or the water is almost at its limit. The table is divided: those who took treasure want the ship to sink, those who remained loyal want to win together. Improvised alliances last one turn.
End — and revelation of true plans
The ship is saved or sunk. Treasures are counted or hands are weighed. Someone wins. Someone else reveals they've been plundering for three turns while pretending to help. The table explodes. Everything is put back in the box, demanding a rematch.
How to play
The flow of each round
Four repeating phases. It takes ten minutes to explain, bluffing is perfected in three games.
Each player states (or pretends to state) what they intend to do that turn. Plans are coordinated, promises are made, glances are assessed. No one is obliged to tell the truth.
Each player turns their compass dial to one of the four actions: Bucket, Patch, Fire, or Plunder. The dial is placed face down on the table.
Everyone turns their dials together. Actions are resolved in the established order. If the water rises too high or cannons fire, the consequences are immediate and collective.
The water level is updated, leaks and damage are checked, ship panels are moved down if necessary — revealing any new hidden treasures.
Why it's different from others
Six mechanics that make a difference
Compass dial — the weapon of bluff
You don't choose with a visible card or token: you turn the dial in secret. The moment of simultaneous reveal is a social bombshell on the table every time.
The physically sinking ship
The hull panels lower as the ship takes damage — revealing hidden treasure chests. The progression is visible, concrete, and increases pressure with every turn.
Two opposing victory conditions
If the ship is saved, the player with the most treasure wins. If it sinks, the player with the least wins. This creates interests that change throughout the game — and no one ever truly knows what others want.
Four enemies with different dynamics
Kraken, skeleton pirates, megalodon, sirens — each has unique characteristics that alter tactical priorities. The threat changes, and so does the tension.
Mandatory discussion, optional trust
The game actively encourages communication — and then punishes you if you trust too much. Negotiation is part of the system, not a social optional.
Scalability from 3 to 6 without downtime
Simultaneous revelation eliminates dead turns. With six players, the chaos is total but each round is quick. With three, it's more tactical and psychological. It works in both cases.
How it ends
Two ways to win, zero certainties
The best strategy depends on what everyone else does — and what you expect them to do.
Victory — ship saved
- The group defeats the threat before the ship sinks
- The player with the highest treasure score wins
- Accumulating loot during the crisis can be key
Victory — ship sunk
- The ship reaches the bottom before defeating the enemy
- The player with the fewest cards in hand wins — light enough for the lifeboat
- Those who plundered excessively end up with too much and lose
We're Sinking! is one of those games that turns a normal evening into a story to tell. Treasure is the pretext — the dilemma is the real game.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ about We're Sinking!
Is it really semi-cooperative or cooperative with a traitor?
Neither in the traditional sense. There is no assigned "traitor" role: each player decides turn by turn whether to cooperate or pursue their own interest. Anyone can be the evening's traitor — even without planning it from the start.
With how many players does it work best?
With 5-6 players, social chaos is at its peak and the reveal of the dials is a spectacle every turn. With 3-4, it's more psychological and tactical — it's easier to tell who's lying. Both versions work, but with more people, the table explodes more.
Is it difficult to learn?
No. There are four possible actions, a dial to choose one secretly, and a ship that descends. The rules can be explained in 10 minutes. The difficulty isn't in the rules — it's in understanding what others are doing.
Do the four enemies significantly change the experience?
Yes, each has specific mechanics that alter the game's priorities. This ensures replayability and prevents the optimal strategy from always being the same after a few sessions.
Can people who don't play often also play?
Yes, that's one of its strengths. The simplicity of the rules makes it accessible even to infrequent players, while the bluffing and group dynamics make it interesting for experienced players too. It's a great gateway for mixed tables.
Is it available in Italian?
This is the English edition. There are four actions and the rules are simple — the language barrier is minimal. That said, text on cards and the rulebook are in English.
We're Sinking! is a semi-cooperative board game with secret actions for 3-6 players (ages 10+, approx. 45 minutes). Published by Ludamus Games. Main mechanic: secret action selection with simultaneous revelation via compass dial. Each player manages the crisis of a ship under attack by choosing between four actions — Bucket, Patch, Fire, Plunder — with the possibility of bluffing about their intentions. The ship physically takes damage, revealing hidden treasures; victory is shared if the ship is saved (most treasures) or individual if it sinks (fewest cards in hand). Four different enemies: kraken, skeleton pirates, megalodon, sirens. English edition. Available on FroGames.it.
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