Finspan Review: Schools Trout For Summer

[@johncollins8511]

If you don't care that 20 versions of Ticket to Ride exist, then you shouldn't care about 3 different span games.

[@nshaw1299]

The simplicity and lightness is different... the different versions of ticket to ride are mostly expansions, even if they are base games. You can look at the effort required to create a 'giant deck of different cards' and applaud it (and hey, they found a successful system with a high chance of selling). You can also look at it and feel like you would rather that effort go towards new games. I donno... it's obviously a high quality cash grab, as weird ad it sounds. It's high quality, but created because 'they know it will sell on top of previous success and similarity'

[@arifjumali]

@@nshaw1299 You said plenty but still meaning the same. Just like Ticket to Ride.

[@bushibayushi]

@@nshaw1299 you also have a million Carcassonne games, Clank games, Catan games. Successful games will have spin offs. I personally rate Wingspan a 6/10, don't care or it, it's fine. Do I mind Finspan existing? Not at all. PS: Publishers are companies. They need profit. Why wouldn't they sells stuff that - well - sells?

[@hiho8084]

An Apiary... is where bees are kept. I think Tom meant to say AVIARY.

[@thedicetower]

I did indeed! Guess I got stung!

[@hiho8084]

@thedicetower 😂

[@cheackertroop]

The Apiary is going to be included in Stingspan

[@hiho8084]

@cheackertroop 😂😂

[@nshaw1299]

​@@cheackertroop The Apiary was included in Apiary

[@calopez88]

I love Wingspan (and don’t understand the hate from gamers). Couldn’t get on board with Wyrmspan though with all the imaginary dragon species. But Finspan, I’m on board again and super excited to get a hold of it!

[@jameskirk4692]

Me too

[@aaronclark7687]

I’m in the exact same boat. Wyrmspan was fine, but felt like I’d always go back to Wingspan due to theme and comfort with the game. I also don’t hate the dice as much as others. I thought for a while fish would be a good theme for a Wingspan sequel so I’m happy it’s finally here!

[@Ian-R-Wilz]

I play both solo only and the mechanics of the cave and the dragons and the solo were superior IMO to Wingspan. I have always been a huge fan of dragons. I prefer a dragon theme to bird.

[@ingl0rius]

Exactly the same for me - the wyrmspan theme/art just turned me off, but I'm enjoying the look of the fishies

[@askapk]

Same. I bought wyrmspan but I never played it yet. This excites me more than dragons.

[@TorIverWilhelmsen]

"Should Finspan exist" is like asking "should Undaunted: Battle of Britain exist" or "should Unmatched Legends Vol 2 exist": And the answer is "Yes, why not?" Now, Dominion expansions...

[@violentfrog_]

Yep, people complaining about another one in the series just have it in for this company for some reason. So many other companies have done it already

[@johna6108]

Agree. Ticket to Ride have done this kind of remixing of base mechanics. Of course we are up to 9 zombicides, 5 ever dells, 4 Terra mystica, etc.

[@jacobjslee]

Exactly. Show me some consistency or admit your bias. Unless you vocally complain about every new Great Western Trail, Ticket to Ride, etc you should just confess you've got some irrational hangup with Stonemaier's success.

[@asdf-wt5hb]

Regarding the production note on the technical issues, I hope Mike makes a separate video to give his thoughts and rating for the game. If not, a post in writing of his thoughts and rating would be great. Although the spatial elements were mentioned in the overview, they should've been discussed more in the review. The spatial elements are interesting and sets it apart from the other span games. Otherwise, this was a solid review.

[@HashStrid]

I really appreciate that you are always looking to improve your production. This is regarding the new cut edit in the video, i think it will work really well for solo videos, but in group videos in looks off, as if you are doing a second take, doesn't feel very natural. Just my opinion.

[@dbungart3044]

I can’t help but agree. It looks like mistakes were made and used for reshoots.

[@Pigeon3434]

@@dbungart3044 They had to cut Mike's part because of technical issues.

[@dbungart3044]

@@Pigeon3434 Gotcha that makes sense.

[@michaeldilisio557]

Yes, I made a note in the description of the video. They even refer to me at one point. It’s not an ideal solution, but I tried to make the edits as smooth as possible under the circumstances.

[@codym6376]

@@michaeldilisio557that makes more sense. I wasn’t used to cuts in these videos, especially four noticeable ones. Glad it’s just a technical issue and not the new direction

[@Girruuth]

There are 3x as many species of Fish as there are species of Birds. In Wingspan, there are 435 bird cards (expansions included), there are 530 Shark species (just Sharks!) so you could just make Sharkspan and it would have more cards potentially than Wingspan. Finspan is ripe for expansions.

[@MussoGames]

Good to hear Camilla say this one spoke to her much more than wingspan. I’m also pretty fine with wingspan. I enjoyed the Asia two-player variant the most of any wingspan stuff but I’m still just “good” with it. I’ll have to try this one and see if I enjoy it as much as yall did. 😊

[@artfuldodgr42]

Can't wait to see if my copy has that new fish smell.

[@askapk]

There needs to be a Whiskerspan... kitty's need a version.

[@ianoble]

Any thoughts on the horizontal cards vs vertical cards?

[@notsaved]

@@ianoble you need a bigger table

[@johncollins8511]

It makes sense to me. Fish are long, not tall.

[@rudykraft5526]

⁠@@notsaved I think you meant “you’re going to need a bigger table.“

[@Bleuchz]

What was Mike's score out of curiosity? Also real nice job editing: I mostly listen instead of watching and didn't notice the cuts until I heard Camilla mention Mike!

[@michaeldilisio557]

My rating is an 8.5

[@Bleuchz]

@michaeldilisio557 hey Mike hope you're well! Safe flight next week!

[@shanefrancis34]

I did not see that recommendation coming from how the video started!

[@bradymccann]

I’m not sure I like the jump cuts, it makes it seem like the 3 are making mistakes that need to be skipped… but I do understand it makes it more efficient

[@nathantraceypiano]

No, it was because they had to cut out Mike's part because of tech problems.

[@bradymccann]

@ ah that makes sense. Anyone know what Mike rated it?

[@Jwlahn]

​@@bradymccann In another comment he said it was 8.5

[@jjcc8379]

Line , Hook and Sinker?

[@davidhughes595]

Maybe the span games aren't about the animal cards we drew, but about the puns we made along the way.

[@floydandtotoro]

you forgot to mention the best thing about finspan are the puns that have been surfacing 🐟

[@Hailtothegun]

That was pretty shallow.

[@Slyfox1775]

Love the theme sadly that’s about it .

[@jamesjacobthomson6198]

You've cod to be joking

[@lylejackson645]

I just hope when I buy it, my cards don’t end up with the bends.

[@seraphiccandy21]

Who knows, this game could end up kicking bass! Sea-riously!

[@Slyfox1775]

lol . Tom you can use the same starting setup in fin span as wing span . Just keep your cards and 1 of each food . I don’t see why you cant use the discarded cards in fin span in wing span also .

[@bryanstarke1313]

Exactly right! I played Wingspan correctly twice, and the constant feeling of always being one food short or one egg short got to me. From then on, we keep all 5 cards and all 5 foods. More fun that way.

[@Slyfox1775]

Right on ! I also have more cards to pick from . I always play with 6 cards to draw from . I think I will add the discard pile and see if I like that .

[@thedicetower]

Well, you can do that, but it's not in the actual rules, and I'm hesitant to possibly unbalanmce a game.

[@ormhaxan]

Yeah you could break the rules in any game but what's the point?

[@bryanstarke1313]

It's a good question. I certainly don't just play however I want with any game. I do play by the rules (as best I can understand them) the first few times and often times permanently. There actually aren't a lot of games where I blatantly break the rules, as I agree it risks destroying game balance. For Wingspan specifically, the point of breaking the rules by starting with more stuff is that it makes the game more fun for the people I play with: my family. We are not tournament players, but we each do try to win. That said, the game still has to be more fun than frustrating. The starting rules were making Wingspan too frustrating (and not just for me), so we changed the rules. No, I would not expect to impose this house rule at convention or game night, just when playing with my family. As an aside, we actually played one game where one player decided to stick to the rule, but they let the rest of us start with all cards/food - as a result they came in last by about 15 points. Wingspan really is an engine building game and getting that head start is a big deal. I don't recommend breaking the rules. I do it in this case because Wingspan is a beautiful looking game that my family enjoys playing, but that starting rule was just too punishing for it to be enjoyable. Yes, it unbalances the game. No, we do not care. Because it means we still play it to this day.

[@larshoffmann2594]

That player board is massive. I've had trouble fitting 3 player Wingspan on my table, so Finspan seams to be a solo game. Wingspan does also scale like that. A 5 player Wingspan game is vastly different than 2 players. Pink birds are almost useless at two, but immensely valuable with more players.

[@Wylie288]

Its literally the same size

[@ConeDefense]

Maintain, no way this fits on my normal table unless we’re aggressively staggered across from each other. Which makes for awkward table seating.

[@tyswu]

15:24 Oh we know, Zee, we know... We will never forget your hatred for Dragons🐉

[@dankfarrik8376]

I don't know about this one. I'm a diver so I do enjoy seeing fish especially big ones and colorful ones, but I'm a birder first. There is not much cuter than a long tailed tit. Show me any fish that can be considered cute. Theme aside I just like the elegance of wingspan and I'm not feeling it with this one. Obviously I haven't played it (yet) but I don't think it will replace wingspan for me. I never really got into wyrmspan either and that theme did absolutely nothing for me.

[@phillipstone3116]

I'm curious, what was Mike's score?

[@mcstabba]

I was always somewhat intrigued by Wingspan but never pulled the trigger and much like Tom I like birds well enough but I love fish so I'm getting this. Cool that the barrel eyed fish is in it (I saw it in this video), one of my favourite absolutly bonkers fish.

[@aaronmoore54]

The subtitle for this video should have been: “Just keep span-ing, just keep span-ing”

[@matthewnotch8331]

Friendly reminder that Dune Imperium Uprising, which could arguably be described as a patch at best on an existing game, is one of the top games for a bunch of reviewers for 2024 and probably for at least a couple of the people crying about a new X-Span game. Game designers shouldn’t have to build a better mouse trap every time they set out to create. If the game looks good, is fun, and the theme resonates with the public, then who cares if it shares DNA with a bunch of other games? Great review, looks like a ton of fun, and I’m with Tom: fish are where it’s at. Will cop

[@javierper3z]

I just got Wyrmslan and we were joking about a bunny retheme called Earspan… doesn’t sound like a joke anymore.

[@westonvr]

Needs a Blobfish expansion

[@CaptainCrockpot]

It’s funny how mad Tom is at this game at the start of the video.

[@CK-mi3sd]

The game sounds like a more complicated version of Reforest. It does share with Reforest, however, the mechanism of discarding cards as resource. Which one is better, Reforest or Finspan? I left a message to James Steinmeier in a youtube video that he should make those span games simultaneous play to save time. They are multiplayer solitaire anyway. James did not agree with me.

[@jessewieman6955]

I love that Merlin (Maryland) shirt

[@tonkabeanicecream5698]

Wingspan originally was a great title as it has meaning, wyrmspan and finspan is just stupid, they should have new names but then it wont be as obvious to people its part of a series.

[@mikeandrews9933]

Wingspan base game had 170 unique birds, Finspan base looks like it has 152 unique fish cards, so base Wingspan wins on total unique cards, base Finspan wins on more global presence

[@namelessfire]

It’s just hard to get excited for yet another multiplayer solitaire, tableau building, point salad euro; especially when it’s based on another MSTBPSE.

[@bradymccann]

Mstbpse is a crazy acronym lol

[@pactnicely9797]

@@bradymccannthe fact so many games fall under that specific of an acronym makes it even crazier

[@Bleuchz]

Hopefully you'll be able to find one of the many games that offer what you are looking.

[@mcstabba]

What is MSTBPSE "short" for?

[@whicken]

@@mcstabba multiplayer solitaire, tableau building, point salad euro

[@sadekhanna]

The divers stay at the bottom? 😮⚰️

[@thedicetower]

Single-use divers, very expensive investment, but at least they see some cool fish on their way out!

[@hanslamal5632]

Waiting until the Wingspan Kingfisher will catch one of my Finspan fish 😅😌 anyway, totally agree with all final thoughts, just didn't understand why Tom didn't give it an 8.5 at least after how he compared it to Wingspan and Wyrmspan 😁

[@thedicetower]

Because my rating of both of those games at the moment is also an "8", so seemed fair.

[@hanslamal5632]

Thanks for your answer Tom, and of course an 8 is wonderful and fair like you say, it was only your words "I like this one a tiniest bit better than both of those" that already evoked an 8.5 in my brain 😅

[@iancarvalho8371]

Where's the top BG of all time of this year?

[@MadSlantedPowers]

They have several of them posted as upcoming. They will be starting Thursday I believe.

[@corihulet739]

I have the first two games, all the Wingspan expansions, and will get this one as well. I expect I'll love it! I was neutral on the dragon theme of Wyrmspan, but now that Jamey has stated they see this as a trilogy of games and have no plans to take it further, I rather wish they'd gone a different route, theme wise with Wyrmspan, something rooted in the natural world, like bugs/insects or mammals. If they do expansions for Wyrmspan they'll have to go with more made up creatures whereas sticking with the natural world, like Wing and Fin, would've given endless options and fit more with the other two games.

[@TheClyd3Man]

First expansion for Wyrmspan is scheduled for this year. More birds and fish will come too, eventually. 🐟🦅🐉

[@Koretex_]

We REALLY need a Dinosaur "span" game, I hope this isnt going to actually be a trilogy and stop with Finspan.

[@colonelkilling2425]

Great video!

[@jameskirk4692]

Thanks for the video

[@capnclockwork398]

Let's hope there's a Fish booklet in the box that Zee is irrationally irritated at.

[@JhoffDJ.]

Irrational comment.

[@bigg3110]

The dragon booklet was dumb

[@mariane.machado]

Best comment ever 😂😂😂

[@92bagder]

Wingspan-got my atte tion Wyrmspan- almost pulled the trigger Finspan- im getting

[@el_jhona8945]

I haven't play yet my new copy of Wyrmspan from Christmas... Please just stop for a moment 😵‍💫

[@Mattsmindmeld]

I thought there couldn't be a more boring theme than birdwatching, then they announced Finspan. For me it is a matter of theme and I'm just not into nature themed games.

[@askapk]

3:03 Some have gay men abilities. 😅

[@roop298]

Has the board game industry reached critical mass in the same way hollywood and the computer game industry has yet?

[@bradymccann]

No

[@namelessfire]

Innovation has been dead in the board game hobby ever since Wingspan won “Most Innovative Board Game of the Year” on BGG.

[@HarryBuddhaPalm]

It's definitely getting there. I think there was something like five thousand games released in 2024. That in itself is insane but almost every game is a rehash or remake or a reiteration of an existing game. I can't think of any games that were truly unique. Most of the games I bought last year were old classic games and the new ones were all iterations of a previous game (Clack Catacombs, Thunder Road: Vendetta, Dune Imperium Uprising, and King of Tokyo Duel).

[@Bleuchz]

@@namelessfire Man you sure do hate wingspan, you're all over here dragging it.

[@xshadowscreamx]

Not even close

[@notsaved]

Wingspan with even less player interaction (no resource pool, no public card market), worse graphic design, and no diminishing action economy? No thanks

[@TheBrokenMeeple]

Yeah it's not selling itself to me. Wingspan was already good enough.

[@notsaved]

@@CptRoboto Comments are a valuable source of feedback for content creators. They can provide insights into what viewers like or dislike, suggestions for future content, and overall reactions that can help shape the direction of your channel.

[@TommyMarquardt1]

Or help people decide whether or not this is a game they want to purchase

[@CK-mi3sd]

@@TheBrokenMeeple Why James keep making multiplayer solitaire without simultaneous play is a conundrum to me.

[@MadSlantedPowers]

I like Wingspan and the bird theme. I do struggle in that game to build an engine. I can't get the food to play the card to meet the goals. The Wyrmspan theme seems okay, but the game sounds more complicated, so I'm not planning on getting it. I like the simplicity of this one, and I like the fish theme. So, I will consider getting this one if I see it in a store.

[@edwardbrost331]

Nice review, was the playthrough sponsored by the publisher?

[@jordanb7741]

What playthrough?

[@Slyfox1775]

Besides getting the game for free doubt it .

[@thedicetower]

It wasn't a sponsored play. We figured it was one people would want to see.

[@ryanthered5915]

Poor Graphic design is the issue....all the complaints they speak about, is a symptom of bad graphic design

[@bricelory9534]

I get that games are iterative in their design, but this feels too iterative to Wingspan for me to be terribly interested. It doesn't seem to offer really much besides it being fish - and for those people interested in fish and that attracts them, then I'm genuinely glad they have the option. I just don't see it bringing any new experiences to me that Wingspan doesn't have.

[@ilqrd.6608]

offers much more than Wyrmspan did

[@bricelory9534]

​@@ilqrd.6608 I had even less interest in Wyrmspan, frankly.

[@CaptainCrockpot]

Dang. I was hoping you guys wouldn’t like it so I could not need to get it….. 🤦🏼‍♂️

[@codym6376]

It’s just the name for me. I don’t think this is a real term. Unnatural, made up terminology, that sounds odd is jarring to me for an otherwise interesting looking game. Biggest real gripe is the solitaire nature.

[@lemiless]

Uh oh. That sign off: Tom and Zee went to only their first name, just like Camilla ALWAYS does .. nope. Don't like it! 😅

[@LegoAssassin098]

Honestly, it really feels like this is bloating the line. If you like the theme, go for it, but it feels like SM is going towards being the X-span or Scythe machine

[@xshadowscreamx]

What about the 11 or so Garfield games worker placement line?

[@TorIverWilhelmsen]

Why? There are lots of game series that make even fewer changes between the various iterations than this.

[@LegoAssassin098]

​@xshadowscreamx I agree with you. That's also bloated in my opinion. Again, if you like it, go for it, but that's just my opinion. Im happy you have a different one.

[@LegoAssassin098]

​@@TorIverWilhelmsenIm happy you have a different opinion than I do.