A true ninja must master not only speed and stealth, but also appearance, voice, and disguise. In this contest of shinobi skill, players maneuver through shifting suits and deceptive tricks, trying to prove they have the sharpest judgment and the most refined ninja technique. The rulebook frames the game around becoming a first-rate ninja who can stand above the others.

Hattori Trick is a five-player trick-taking game using a 60-card deck in three suits, with cards numbered 1–20 in each suit. Players are dealt 12 cards, and each trick begins with a lead card, followed clockwise. The game uses may-follow play with no trump suit, but each trick may contain at most two suits, so later players are restricted by which suits have already appeared. Trick resolution determines suit winners and the next lead player, then players collect cards from the trick according to the suit results. At the end of the deal, each player chooses one collected suit to score positively, while cards in the other suits may become penalties; positive cards can cancel some penalty cards, and the lowest score after three deals wins.