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Shady Pets - Card Game

Created by Brian Rauch

Shady Pets is a highly strategic card game that requires you to play in a most shady way as you strive to correctly guess the identity of the mystery pets. It's a little like Clue, Uno and Exploding Kittens. You have to steal, take, show, sneak peek, expose, ambush, stop other players, grab and even throw an occasional octopus at an opponent on your way to victory.

Latest Updates from Our Project:

Throw Octopus! now LIVE. It's Tetris meets Dominoes in the Ocean!
about 2 years ago – Wed, Mar 23, 2022 at 07:08:15 AM

Hello Shady Pets Backers,

Our much beloved new game, Throw Octopus! is now LIVE on Kickstarter!  The best way to describe this game is that it's Tetris meets Dominoes in the Ocean! It's a total blast for all ages!

HURRY!  We only have a few units left via our Early Bird Special offer!  The Base Level, $25 ... Only 31 left!  SuperDeal, $49 ... Only 75 left!  Please grab these special offers now to ensure you get the huge discount!

Click Here For Kickstarter Page

85 Tiles, 35 Cards, Plushie Octopus, Instructions

EARLY BIRD: Base Level, $25 ... Only 31 left!

Throw Octopus is a challenging co-op tile placement game for 1-5 players that allows you to throw octopuses at your opponents as you place your tiles in a growing seascape of colorful creatures. Be the first to play all your tiles and win the game.

  • Highly Rated by ALL Reviewers.  "Solid 9/10!" by Everything Board Games!
  • Think Tetris meets Dominoes but in the ocean!
  • Play 2-5 players, 2 player Duel Mode, or 1 Player Challenge!

Click Here For Kickstarter Page

SuperDeal - Best Bet! Includes Large Octopus & NSFW!

EARLY BIRD: SuperDeal, $49 ... Only 75 left!

Click Here For Kickstarter Page to learn how to play and what's included in this special.


Please let us know if you have any questions.

With Octopus Hugs,

- Brian, Jenn, Kenna  & Monkey (the dog) - The Shady Team

Introducing our new game, Throw Octopus!
about 2 years ago – Tue, Mar 01, 2022 at 09:05:53 AM

Hello Shady Pets Backers,

We're very excited to announce that in 3 weeks (March 22) we will be launching our new game called Throw Octopus! It's an innovative tile/puzzle placement game for 1-5 players that allows you to use clever strategies to place tiles in a growing seascape of colorful creatures.  Be the first to play all your tiles and win the game. Or play 2 player Octopus Duel for a head to head battle of wits and speed!

Throw Octopus! makes players interact with each other in a fun yet competitive manner. It requires players to use dexterity to place tiles strategically.  In an effort to impede your competitors, you get to attack your opponents by throwing an included baby throw octopus plushie at them,  and finally it's a fantastic race to be the first to play out all your tiles!

To be notified at launch - click here

Learn more about the game: www.throwoctopus.com


The reviews for the game have been outstanding ...

“Throwing the octopus and seeing the finished seascape at the end of the game are so satisfying. The art is great, and the concept is unique. I just know we will be playing this game for years to come.”  -- Purple Phoenix Games

“Overall I would give this a solid 9/10! We have dozens of games in our personal collection and our son requests this one about 1/3 of the time he picks a game!”  -- Everything Board Games

"The art is vibrant and bright and is a great match for the game and target audience. With the visual appeal, the very accessible rules and simply gameplay this is a game that is great for families with younger children. The added bonus of a octopus that your children can throw (gently of course) will be an instant hit.” – The Friendly Boardgamer

To read theses full reviews and read additional reviews - click here

To be notified at launch - click here

To learn more about the game and see all of our pledge levels visit; www.throwoctopus.com


With Octopus Hugs,

- Brian, Jenn, Kenna  & Monkey (the dog) - The Shady Team

Pets Gone Shady Arrives on Kickstarter Sept. 22
over 3 years ago – Thu, Sep 17, 2020 at 01:41:46 PM

We’re super excited to release the Series II for Shady Pets. It's called Pets Gone Shady.  It features the same basic rules but also includes amazing stories behind every pet, new original action card artwork, 2 new expansion packs, and 2 new pet packs.  We even created a Baby Throw Octopus! 

We're offering all of these items via our 50% OFF Early Bird Kickstarter Special! We launch next Tuesday, September 22.  Here's how you can be notified when we launch ... 

Kickstarter Notify Me - Enter email address via our Kickstarter pre-launch page.

Reservation - Enter email and/or cell phone via our website reservation form.

It's our masterpiece of zaniness! It's the Pets Gone Shady video. Take a sneak peek!

Here's some of the really cool new things about Pets Gone Shady:

Expansion packs that give you some amazing new powers!

Pet Packs ...

and the Baby Throw Octopus

Kickstarter Notify Me - Enter email address via our Kickstarter pre-launch page.

Reservation - Enter email and/or cell phone via our reservation form.

Thank you,

Brian Rauch, creator of Shady Pets and Pets Gone Shady

FREE Print and Play Pet Card (for your pet)
almost 4 years ago – Tue, May 05, 2020 at 03:41:22 PM

We hope you all are enjoying Shady Pets! We've received so much wonderful feedback! One of the things we often receive questions on is how to have your pet considered for the next printing of the game. And now there's a way ...

We are now allowing ALL of our backers to receive 1 FREE Print and Play Pet Card with your pet that can be easily taped over an existing Shady Pets Pet Card and used in the game! It's so much to see your pet in a popular card game!

Here's a few examples:

The only requirement is that you tell us your pet's story (50 word min - 5,000 word max) as part of our Amazing Pet Story contest.   https://shadypets.com/amazing-pet-stories/

Not only will you get a FREE Print & Play card but you'll be entered to win cash and prizes too! $1,000 guaranteed prize pool!

If you have a cool pet ... If you like to tell and read stories ... if you like cash and prizes ... Enter the contest today!

When you submit your pet photo and story, we'll create your pet profile page, contest entry page, and your FREE Print and Play card!  Please notice on the new Series II cards, when you scan the QR code (lower left corner) on the Pet Card with your phone, you'll be taken to that pet's profile page where you can view more pics and read their story!

Visit www.shadypets.com today to read a ton of amazing stories already posted!

Good luck, Stay Safe!

With many kind regards,

The Shady Pets Crew




Delivery Nearly Completed & Game Survey Request
about 4 years ago – Wed, Feb 05, 2020 at 09:21:10 AM

We're very excited that about 85% of all of our backers have already received their Shady Pets game boxes (and Throw Octopuses) yet we're also very sorry if you did not receive your order by now since we had hoped to deliver all orders by January 31st.  The remaining 15% should be delivered by February 12. A small batch of approximately 100 orders got delayed a few extra days since we were unable to get that shipment completed by the Chinese New Year (4 day holiday) and concerns with the coronavirus. But, all orders have shipped now and are on their way!

Did you get a tracking email yet?  

Everyone should have received a tracking link by email. If you did not receive a tracking link, please contact us at [email protected] asap and we'll research your order. Once you click on the link, you should see something like this that will contain your "expected delivery by" ...

 What did you think of the game?  

Once you've played the game a few times, please take our post campaign survey. We'd love to know your thoughts on everything from our Kickstarter campaign, delivery, game play, how to improve the game, etc.

Take the Shady Pets Survey  -  We really need your input!

So far here's how we stand with completed surveys:

  • Rating of Kickstarter experience? 4.9/5 
  • Likelyhood refer game to others? 4.6/5 
  • Overall rating for the game? 4.7/5 

If you have any questions, please email us at [email protected].  

With Octopus Hugs,
                   Brian, Jenn, Kenna  & Monkey (the dog) - The Shady Team

P.S. Please visit www.shadypets.com for additional information