イカイルカ？ (IkaIruka?) is a bluffing card game from Japan that raises the simple question we have all pondered at some time. Squid or Dolphin?
Players are trying to push each other to elimination by getting too many squid or dolphin cards in front of them. The start player picks another player and offers them one or two cards face down, saying Squid or Dolphin?. The target replies that the cards offered are Squid, or Dolphin, and the offer is shown.
If the target was wrong, the cards go on the table in front of them. If they get to 7 Squid, or 7 Dolphin, or 3 special ±ル (le) cards, they are eliminated from the game.
If the target was correct, the offer goes face up in front of the questioner.
The ±ル cards are used to swap a Squid to a Dolphin or the other way round. So playing a Squid plus a ±ル card means you have played one Dolphin. There are 12 normal ±ル cards, and 6 special ±ル cards, which have an extra effect, forcing the loser to pick up the cards in front of the other player.
A player is also eliminated if they cannot play a card because their hand is empty or they have only ±ル cards in hand.
There is a stricter rule which prohibits the same type being called in succession, and this can be waived by playing a card to your own field.
The last player standing is the winner.
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