Battle of the Birbs - Songbirds Review

[@pjnorman262]

I’ve spotted an error in the video and I feel bad for mentioning it given that it’s Ava’s first solo video review. At one point when she is Interviewing the birds in the field she says that there is a “cow” on her neck but I believe it’s actually a bird. Other than that, great video Ava!

[@riverOfWinds]

This made me laugh so much. Thank you!

[@knightlon]

Damn it, wanted to comment the same thing. Now I don't feel original anymore :(

[@recklessroges]

@@knightlon Birds of a feather flock together ;-)

[@christopherchild4022]

Alas, I noticed that as well.

[@TimJeanes]

To be fair, the bird was behind her at the time so I think we can forgive the mistake.

[@VagabondTE]

SUSD: So why should we try your game? Game: It's got birds in it SUSD: 10/10 We'll take 5 copies

[@dailymagicgames]

So, this video dropped on Friday, March 4th and we sold out of Songbirds on that VERY SAME DAY! ...well, we did only have 1 copy left in stock...but still! :) We're looking into a reprint, of course. Thanks for the very entertaining review.

[@MattTheSpratt]

But you >did< sell out of copies. 🐍✨

[@ThomasLuongo]

Great game, DMG. I'm a big fan of most of your games. This one is a permanent addition to my game bag for the end of the night filler game.

[@cablecallen]

“Ornithological thunderdome” is my new favorite phrase

[@jacobbillings3692]

Reminded me of the energy in some of Paul's old solo reviews, which is an energy I've missed.

[@adsilcott]

I had the exact same thought as I was watching, especially at 6:21 when Ava channeled Paul's "it's fine." One of the things that I liked about Paul was that I always got the sense that he was approaching games from his own distinct sensibilities and passions and wasn't afraid to push back on the others. I love Quinns, Matt, and Tom, and they really do have their own individual opinions and styles of reviews, but I can't help but feel that the three of them are just a little too similar to form an objective review group. Through Ava's presence on the podcast she's come to fill the role that Paul did for me, providing a different perspective and nicely rounding out the group dynamics. I'm so glad she's bringing that to videos now!

[@Hogy58]

agree a definite change of pace from the other reviewers. Ava brings an intimacy to her reviews which I love

[@mahna_mahna]

Holy cow (honestly, that wasn't intentional), you're right! I encourage to Ava to lean into this side of her presentation style. Being wacky is great, but she doesn't have to be to make a fantastic review. Both her and Paul just have voices that are so soothing.

[@tren3220]

I agree, Ava is the spiritual successor to Paul

[@francescotamburini5790]

Great call, I miss Paul’s solo reviews

[@georgewsinnott]

'Can I see the Matrix?' Laugh out loud moment right there. Chapeau Ava, chapeau!

[@Heimal]

Are we sure that "thing" at the end wasn't just Matt in some kind of weird suit again?

[@cozytar5070]

This is honestly the most hilarious opening I've seen on this channel. Ava, thank you for being on this channel.

[@vuuvovuuv]

the middle and end are absolutely on point too

[@tjs50]

"Tell me beautiful bird, how were you effected by gang violence?" That killed me

[@colinfinkel7587]

It is excellent

[@adriansolis5362]

"...and then they beat me!" *scratches head in confused disdain* "But it's FUN!" I present to you....Boardgames

[@synthsocialist]

As someone who does research involving birdsong, seeing Ava interview those birds in a field at the start, my heart broke for them. Terrorised by a rival gang and afraid to sing for fear of repercussions :( definitely picking this one up to continue my bunch of birdy board games

[@MinatoAri]

This was awesome! That first bit really reminded me of Paul for some reason, in the best possible ways. But I think Ava brings something very special to the SUSD crew, and that is an overwhelming feeling of coziness. I felt like Ava was just sitting there with me, and telling me about her new favorite bird game. I look forward to seeing more of her solo video reviews!

[@DustinPorta]

Spending the day wandering a field is definitely a Paul-style review. Ava's clearly an og fan. Glad there's finally someone to balance out whatever glorious madness Matt and Quinns spawned when they unleashed Tom.

[@MattTheSpratt]

i love how "Arbortorirorium" has canonically become the name of that game within susd

[@Cpt_nice]

Reminds me of that anime butterfly meme "Is this a bird?"

[@BarbarianGod]

I just wanna hug those big fuzzy ground birds in the intro

[@paulsmith5060]

I'm starting to suspect Ava exaggerated the birdology qualifications on her CV.

[@space-jello5800]

I love when a game is way more brutal than it first appears. Always into Arboretum but need an aspirin afterwards in a 1v1

[@voltcorp]

whenever a game is card based with numbers and colors all I can think of is "I could probably play that with a standard deck"

[@benjohnson1419]

Very similar to the game cross crib. Very good card game. This looks a bit more cute but cross crib is ruthless.

[@hardeslaper]

But the berries! 🐦

[@jeanelliot3243]

You know it's shut up and sit down when you say "miss ava that's cattle" in the first minute of the video

[@benvlynch]

Great review Ava, I love how you've made a review that perfectly reflects the humour and high standards of a SU&SD video while also completely putting your own spin and personality to it as well! Great job and I look forward to your future videos and the future misclassification of animals... ;)

[@LordHoboJo]

Finally got my hands on a copy and played it with my family. It’s fun, simple teach, and yet surprisingly complicated. Thanks for the review and recommendation! ❤️

[@danopticon]

It takes a lot these days to melt the chunk of ice where my heart once was … but those illustrations made me so happy! I was sold on this game the moment I saw them-although, of course, I also appreciate the review reaffirming it’s the right choice. Thank you so much for this intro to a game I’d not previously heard of! 🕊

[@blueshadesable]

I love that you gave a game like this a thorough review and really tested the mechanics properly. Something this small can be so easily overlooked but I really enjoy seeing reviews of all types of games, including this one. Great job Ava! I think I’ll add this to my Check-out list!

[@itaintjust]

There is no going back from the Matrix of seeing spreadsheets under every game, oh no

[@threarah380]

This video was 100% responsible for me going and getting a copy of this to play with my mum, who loves birds but does not always get games.

[@TheBronchitus]

Thank so much Ava! Love the game as well! BTW nice that you totally included that SUSD classic: kneeling next to a very small table :D

[@timstimbre9762]

This was as entertaining as it was an informative and tempting offer for future buys... Ava´s colorful, articulate, and extremely funny. Here´s to many more solo reviews!

[@ARCADEkid55]

The birds at the start of the video are beautiful

[@phaze2010]

"..all games are just numbers with pictures on them..." *mind blown*

[@K3end0]

The birds on those cards are so cute, I wonder if the artist has done anything else

[@pietrocoelho2448]

He's done the following: Tulip Bubble, Songbirds, Shahrazad and Buta Babel.

[@K3end0]

@@pietrocoelho2448 Ty for the list!

[@jackiejlw5493]

The sassy card 4 series of birbs needs to be a postcard set (please). My favorite game review yet on SUSD, thank you Ava!

[@dukerayburn]

This was delightful! I can't wait to pick this up, I think it'll be a great fit for the groups I play with. I'm also definitely pronouncing it Arbotoreoreum from now on. Also also, my theory on the 4 cards is that they're all breaking the fourth wall. 3 of the 4 are looking out of the card at the viewer. The fourth one is strutting with their eyes closed, but they KNOW the viewer is there. You can tell.

[@Sihoiba]

Excellent review there Ava, with a bit of Matt 'hand model' Lees helping out with the close up shots. One to consider getting family later in the year assuming it doesn't vanish from stock thanks to the SU&SD effect!

[@MrBfiguero]

So great to see Ava turn from a friend of the show to a fully fledged contributor.

[@shadowscribe]

1:47 so a rap battle. Also I get the canceling rule. Most of nature is picking your battles, so a clear winner never busts a rhyme. But an equal match means they gotta start tweeting mad verses. While they do that they're so distracted a third party that had no chance can slip by.

[@BoardGamePix]

So if two gangs are tied with each other…*cow backs away*…

[@Snarkysean]

So happy to see Ava giving a solo review, and doing a wonderful job! I’m looking forward to seeing more from her!

[@Tokengesture]

“What if I can see the matrix”….. lol

[@JeremyTuohy]

The hardest I've laughed at a susd cold open in a while

[@freek204]

Getting some great Paul-vibes with the humor and tempo

[@Gfloresadam]

I came here to comment the exact same thing!! Great review Ava :D

[@mikemudrow]

I backed this years ago when it Kickstarted. It's adorable and soooo puzzly. My wife and I love this game. Glad to see it getting some love here!

[@Fatcat1010]

Great video, and now I need to play this game, but also, I need a video by Queen Fiddle herself where she breaks down a big game. Maybe weather machine? I want to know more bout that

[@IanBarker2021]

Really keen to your thoughts on Piepmatz, which feels a bit closer (if not slightly more complicated) to Arboretum.

[@shutupandsitdown]

Quinns has a nice review of it on our website! www.shutupandsitdown.com/review-piepmatz/

[@joshlegacy1101]

*Bird Up*

[@DullDishwater]

Congrats on your first video review, Ava! Hope you keep doing them.

[@danthecrow1701]

Ava absolutely nailed this one. Informative and yet entertaining first. Well done and thank you

[@seantilson8728]

This is such a great review. Like... Very fun video! Thanks!

[@seraphonica]

Jeez, that cliffhanger!

[@christopherleffler4096]

Been waiting for SUSD to notice Songbirds, I love it.

[@nnjthewho]

"these birds are bastards" :) LOLZ

[@stefanplav2105]

This feels very much like a scaled-down Arboretum, and I mean that in the best way. Here, the fact that everyone is looking at the same grid of cards helps give less experienced players a leg-up. In Trees, everyone has their own tableau, which means a player wanting to look for specific numbers or colours has to dart their eyes around the table so much more. The disparity between a good- and new Trees player is much wider than a good- and new Birds player.

[@MrSomebunny]

Congrats! So glad you’re doing videos! This seems like a very “Ava” themed game too. Huge fan.

[@trevorgunter7877]

"I can SEE THE MATRIX" You killed me, Ava

[@ftobin]

I could have used a little more clarity on the 'babies' mentioned, and how the rules happen. I do appreciate always having a "other games like this" section.

[@gordonwiley2006]

Thank you Ava for bringing better attention to these cuddly fuzzy birds, and a fun game!

[@SilentFlatulence]

Great review One thing that was missing was for every slightly negative point against this bird game, you see an angry Quinns staring through a window. I'm surprised we've had two games with birds in a row, an no sign of him...

[@THESP-rz3hg]

There is a calmness to Ava's demeanor which makes it so much funnier to me when they break out the classing SUSD non sequitur. Bravo

[@patricioiasielski8816]

Don't know why, but I was thinking in Coloretto all the video. I know they're completely different games, and its also easier, but I also think that it's similar in the role that fullfills in my collection. Easy to teach, small, beautiful cards, interesting mechanic(s) and you can play it with absolutely anybody that can play a regular card game. BTW, there's also a similarly named game with the same theme called "Piepmatz" that I found very nice too.

[@jesscurious1375]

Wonderful review. Love the passion and energy.

[@TamaraRoepie]

I love your review so much. I had to laugh so much of your chess review in The Long Shot video and I just love the energy and humor you bring and your voice is hypnotic. And this game just sounds so goooood. Insta-buy for me (when it's in stock :p).

[@SquidChild]

The Number/Color combination of the cards reminds me just a little bit of Red 7.

[@pedrofanti]

I found this game so very annoying at 2 players. Whoever started, won. It happened every single time I played.

[@Rayalda]

Absolutely glorious review! Looking forward to more reviews (and bird interviews) by Ava!

[@TheGamingWard]

Almost spat my drink out with the "tits for life" bit lol

[@jimmydodger4622]

Great review had me chuckling and wanting to buy the game. Nice work Ava x

[@iminay]

Kind of strange to include a small white dog wearing a red hat in a bird video

[@perspicacioussimpleton7288]

A darn shame it's unavailable I'm my country. It looks like a perfect fit for me and my group.

[@PetrVojtech]

Bird imposter at the end!

[@kcoquidam8720]

"What the *** is that ?" Technically ... a dinosaur

[@wholesumfunable]

Haven't heard of this one before! Ava, this is a pretty impressive first review! Looking forward to hearing more from you!

[@catherineescobar3123]

This is a convincing review. I like the art too. Thanks!

[@lilsheba]

No, I’m pretty sure my favorite bird is the upside down one. No matter what the rules say.

[@douglasstoll7520]

great job on the video! looks like an interesting take on arboretum

[@mcsegobia]

I totally thought the "special detail" was going to be number of flowers 😂

[@hardeslaper]

Sassy 4's! Cuddling with *birds*! Birdie birdie 🎶 this was such a wholesome review... Thanks Ava, the world needed this 💚

[@WilliamRLynch]

This seems to be out of stock everywhere. Oh well...saves me a few bucks and now I really want to play my copy of Arboretum again.

[@superfugy]

Nothing says gang violence like dancing singing combat But seriously this berries racketeering is com0letely brutal.

[@garretzettel9051]

The 2 seconds of Ava saying "Pure unadulterated bird sass" would have been enough to sell me this game.

[@marcelorescigno]

Awesome review, Eva!! It's great to see more of you after hearing a lot in the podcast :D Keep it up!

[@christopherchild4022]

My god. At 6:28 Ava articulates an actual anxiety I have regarding my addiction to games. I thought I was the only one.

[@herrsteppsch29]

Hey Ava, if you like birds, you should really have a look at "Piepmatz". Another great little card game about birds. It is as small as songbirds, if not smaller. Good first solo video

[@space-jello5800]

Finally! Ava understands my need for fiddly 🎻 boardgames in so I take their recommends in general a bit to heart. Also 🐦

[@Tanks.With.Teeth.Malloy]

Wonderful to see another review by Ava! My wife will love this game :) We love birbs to an almost comical level lol.

[@Ristro44]

Oh man! Excited for this one! The first game me and my partner played was Cubirds so I'm looking out for mach up bird games ever since.

[@solsystem1342]

Ah yes, as a bird. I too have lost flock members to gang violence. Although I'm unfamiliar with the species of birb in the video my heart goes out to them. ❤ hugs and bugs

[@teastand]

Theres a cow on my neck - Ava

[@riverOfWinds]

So excited to see Ava's first solo review! Amazing job! Looking forward to the next one!

[@y4wnd3r3]

Congrats on your first full solo review! Your vibe throughout the vid was always wonderful and relaxing, and your comedic beats were Excellently paced. Wholly excited to see where you go next!

[@Fangrim]

The audio outside sounds better than the audio inside.

[@knightlon]

Great video but maybe try to do something about the audio. Quite a lot of echo in the room.

[@ThandrieDavis]

This is the greatest review for anything, ever

[@colintudehope4454]

Thank you for a wonderful review Ava, I thoroughly enjoyed it ☺️

[@emmafish1209]

I love when SUSD reviews lighter games! Great work, Ava!

[@sunderedpsyche4289]

Next game Ava reviews is about cows and she interviews a bunch of chickens 😅

[@scottcameron174]

Absolutely brilliant hats off.

[@christopherchild4022]

Adorable looking game. I’m a sucker for adorable looking games.

[@catherinetaylor556]

Great to watch your first review Ava - after having listened to you on the podcast- fab job (bastard birds 😂)

[@Zac-co7bp]

A wonderful review soured by the fact that it sold me on this game yet I cannot buy it anywhere :(

[@rebecca7948]

Congratulations Ava to a great review, I look forward to watching many more! But now I have 4 great reviewers to wait for!

[@StefanoNoffke]

Nice review! It looks like an interesting game. I have Wingspan and I like it very much; I'd like Arboretum too, but it is nowhere to be found :(

[@lukejw11]

Great to see this game get a review. It’s an amazingly simple and clever game that seems overlooked in recent years.