Fresh Fish - How to Play, and Why It's a Gem

[@partymeeple5633]

"Games don't stop being good just because new games come out" Great thought...

[@TylerDeLisle]

I really love the way you teach games, thank you! Seeing all of the examples is so helpful to me, it's the reason why I struggle with learning games from rulebooks. I also completely agree about games being divisive. Some of my favorite games are great because of rough edges and weird edge cases that would be sanded off in modern design philosophies (Study in Emerald and Dune). If everyone loves a game almost unanimously, it's never going to be an amazing game for me.

[@BoardGems]

Glad it's helpful! I don't always give lots of examples when I teach, but Fresh Fish in particular needs them!

[@juleshelmer]

Recently read the rules a few times and could not make heads or tails of the expropriation rule as written. So glad this video appeared when it did--thanks very much for the clear explanation. Now to order a copy from...whichever far off country I can find it from!

[@BoardGems]

Glad I could be of help! It's a unique game, that's for sure. For what it's worth, the most recent edition also has new "standard" rules that simplify expropriation. For me, though, it's just not the same. Cheers!

[@helxis]

Have heard good about this game, but dang, seeing it in action really makes me fear getting those paths right each game. This feels like the sort of game that would plain and simple work better in a digital implementation.

[@christianbank393]

Great video! unfortunately it seems I missed the boat on this gem. I think if I wait long enough I'll be able to snag a copy at a reasonable price. Here's hoping for the ultimate edition ;) I like your channel and your focus on older gems. It would be awesome to see a top games list from you. Thanks!

[@BoardGems]

Thanks for the kind words!

[@PowrThru]

Could you not use the reverse side of the paths, the street tiles and ignore the x2 in order to make paths more clear. Perhaps the full bleed street design would make that clear and give you that clear grid that the old brown tile would.

[@BoardGems]

Yup! If it didn't have the x2, if it just showed the asphalt/cobblestone, I would do that in a heartbeat! The x2 for me would be too distracting, but that's just personal. If it wouldn't bother you, that's definitely the way to go.

[@PowrThru]

@@BoardGems Sweet! I might try it. Going to try “classic” edition for the first time tonight. Played the new rules for the first time Friday but have definitely heard classic is the way to go. This game is a gem I think either way you go.

[@ferretboy96]

I've only played the new edition, but I wanted to comment on it being hard to see "the grid". I realized I started using the 3D pieces as "walls" or "blocks" using their verticality to visualize the grid instead of using the 2D tiles, which the ones without a building would represent the paths (or more importantly if there is only one remaining path which needs to be expropriated. Unfortunately for others in my group they have a hard time visualizing it even with the verticality tip so it became more of "who can see the grid better and not make a mistake" :/

[@BoardGems]

That makes sense. I could see that definitely working for the trucks and stalls, which are all quite tall and square-ish. I feel the tables might be too small (in all dimensions) for that to work as well, at least for me. But a potential good tip for others! Cheers!

[@davidm5048]

Is there a readability issue when playing with the original rules and original side of the game, or is it fine?

[@BoardGems]

Hi, I'm not sure what you mean by "original rules". The rules I went over are the "classic" rules, basically the same as the original edition, and I find it has a bit of readability issue (for me). The newest edition has new "standard" rules, I suppose we can call them, which I didn't go over because they don't feel like the Fresh Fish I know and love. 🙂 They use the same path tiles, so yes. But it's not quite as important to visualise because of how the board segments automatically fill with path tiles. I hope that helps a little!

[@davidm5048]

Thank you. I think I just got a little confused because at first you were talking about it as the ultimate edition but then you said you wouldn't even play it because of readability issues, so I wasn't sure if you were actually referring to a previous edition in the end or the one you reviewed. I saw this game for under $20 in an online store and I was considering it. Judging from the tutorial you made I don't think I'd have problems to see the different paths once I got used to it, but who knows. Perhaps being used to the older one makes it harder for you than for someone who has never played the new edition. In any case, thank you for taking the time to reply and congratulations on a very good video.

[@BoardGems]

Ah, sorry for any confusion! Here's the message I was trying to convey: the 2014 edition of Fresh Fish is obviously *intended* to be the definitive edition, but it has this issue (to me) and I'm kind of sad that we'll never get a perfect (to me) edition of this game. I'd have preferred the path tiles to all be a single colour, but I will still play this game! And you're right, maybe others will not have as much of a problem as I do. If you can get the 2014 edition for under $20, go for it! It's getting hard to find now.

[@diamondmeeple]

Darryl, do you think playing all these games have changed you as a person? Except making you more happy of course.

[@BoardGems]

That's quite a question! I'm sure it has, but I'm not sure I could quantify how. I will say that getting into the hobby when I did possibly helped me become a more sociable person. If I got into the hobby now, I'm not sure. Euros nowadays are so solitaire-y, great puzzles but not very interactive, with everyone doing their own thing. If I got into the hobby now, maybe I'd be a solo gamer!

[@heynevideo4640]

123456,78910, 11 12 man thats catchy bro

[@BoardGems]

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