Friendly Fishing
🐸 Dettagli da BoardGameGeek
Consiglio BGG sul numero di giocatori
Categorie
Meccaniche
Design & Art
Lingua
Pre-order - leggi i dettagli
🐸 Una rana saggia sa quando dividere l’ordine… e quando aspettare il salto giusto.
Si abbina bene con
The FroGames Board
You move the boat, you catch a tile. Your neighbor scratches their head and thanks you. In twenty minutes, you'll understand why your score is also theirs.
WHAT IT'S ABOUT
A day of fishing with a final twist
Friendly Fishing is based on Alex Randolph's Veleno, re-worked by Bruno Faidutti and previously published in 2019 as Tonari. Now it returns for GameHead with a fishing theme and a relaxed graphic design. Randolph (TwixT, Ricochet Robot) was one of the most influential designers of the last century; Faidutti (Citadels, Mystery of the Abbey) is known for the interactive twists in his designs.
At the table, you move a shared boat on a grid of fish tiles, collect one, and set up the next player's turn. It seems straightforward, but there's a twist: at the end of the game, your score is the sum of your fish and those of your left-hand neighbor. You must balance your own interest with that of the person scoring with you, in a simple but strategically subtle semi-cooperative mechanic.
What they say abroad
"A casual day on the pond with a unique style of player interaction."
A relaxed day at the pond with a unique player interaction.
— GameHead
First reading on a newly released game. BGG numbers are still low, the board will be updated with international reviews. For now: the shared scoring twist promises interesting dynamics, but you need to play it to understand how well it holds up in the long run.
— FroGames
Friendly Fishing
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · first reading: based on rulebook and official presentation, updated with initial playsWhat's in the pond
Four elements that make the game
The shared boat
Only one boat for everyone. You move it, but you position it for the next player. Each turn is a compromise between taking what you want and giving your neighbor what they need (or denying them what they fear).
Fish tiles
Arranged in a grid, each tile represents a fish of a certain type and value. Collect sets of the same type to maximize your score: more identical fish, more points.
Shared scoring
Your final score is the sum of your fish and those of your left-hand neighbor. You must balance: helping them too much means letting them win, but ignoring them entirely penalizes you.
End of game
The game ends when the boat can no longer move according to the movement rules. At that point, sets are counted and scores are summed with neighbors.
Come si gioca
Video dimostrativo di gameplay.
🎲How to PlayThe rules in four steps▼
How to Play
The Flow of Each Round
Each turn is super fast: move the boat, pick up a tile, and move on to the next. The pace is fluid, and games never drag on.
The boat moves on the grid according to specific movement rules (details in the rulebook). Choose where to move it, considering both what you want to fish and what you leave available for the next player.
Take the tile from the space where the boat stopped. You keep it in front of you: it will be used to form sets of the same type. The more identical fish you collect, the more points the set is worth.
Mentally keep in mind that your final score will be the sum of your fish and those of the player to your left. Every choice needs to be balanced: help them, screw them over, or ignore them.
Pass to the next player. The game continues until the boat can no longer move according to the rules. At that point, sets are counted, and scores are summed with neighbors. The player with the highest total wins.
⏱️Your First GameMoment-by-moment account▼
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
Setup and first moves
Arrange the grid of fish tiles randomly, position the boat. Everyone looks at the pond and mentally starts counting which sets they'd like. The first turns are calm: everyone moves the boat, takes a tile, everything seems very relaxed and predictable.
Someone grasps the twist
After three or four turns, someone looks up and asks: wait, so my score is also my neighbor's? They reread the rule. The table slows down: now every boat move isn't just for you, but also for whoever scores with you. The laughter begins.
Implicit negotiations
Mid-game, moves become messages: you leave a good fish for your neighbor, they look at you, understand, and reciprocate on the next turn. Or not, and they screw you over. The shared boat turns every turn into a silent micro-negotiation, where no one can fully trust anyone.
The final stretch
Few tiles remain, the boat has less and less space to move. Someone counts points aloud, someone else lies about their sets. Everyone knows there are two or three turns left and that one wrong move can overturn the leaderboard. The tension is subtle but real.
Counting and laughter
The boat can no longer move, sets are counted. Everyone reveals their fish, scores are summed with their neighbor. The least expected player wins, because their neighbor had collected better than it seemed. Someone immediately asks for a rematch, someone else accuses them of betrayal. Laughter, always.
🐸Good to Know FirstThree honest things, from friends▼
Good to Know First
Three things to consider
The twist is everything
If your group doesn't immediately grasp the shared scoring mechanism with your neighbor, the first games risk seeming flat. Explain the rule well before starting: all the interaction stems from there; without it, it's just tile collection.
Variable scaling
With 2 players, the game works but loses some of its social complexity: it's more tactical and predictable. The sweet spot is 3-4 players, where the dynamics between neighbors multiply and implicit alliances intertwine better.
Longevity to be tested
It's a newly released game with little BGG data. The system is promising, but we need to see how well it holds up after ten games: if dominant strategies or repetitive optimal moves emerge, replayability might decrease. For now, it's a gamble.
🏆Victory and defeatWhat the ending rewards▼
How it ends
How to win and how to lose
The game ends when the boat can no longer move. At that point, you count the fish sets, sum your score with the player to your left, and whoever has the highest total wins.
Victory
- You collected fish sets worth many points (more fish of the same type = more points).
- Your left-hand neighbor did well: their score is added to yours.
- You balanced your interest with theirs, screwing over those who competed with you.
Defeat
- You ignored your neighbor and they collected little: their low score also penalizes you.
- You helped your neighbor too much: they win thanks to your score added to theirs.
- You only focused on your sets without looking at the boat: someone cut you off from the key tiles.
Friendly Fishing is a semi-cooperative experiment in a compact format: 30 minutes, immediate rules, but a twist that changes everything. Perfect for those seeking interaction without direct conflict.
💬Frequently Asked QuestionsQuick answers before checkout▼
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ about Friendly Fishing
What mechanics does Friendly Fishing use?
Set collection (collect fish of the same type to maximize points), grid movement (the boat moves on a grid according to specific rules), and semi-cooperative (your final score is the sum of your fish and those of the player to your left). The shared scoring twist is the heart of the game.
Is it a cooperative or competitive game?
It's semi-cooperative: you win alone (not as a team), but your score also depends on that of the player to your left. You have to balance helping them (to raise your total) with screwing them over (to prevent them from winning). It's a hybrid and unusual dynamic.
Does it work well with 2 players?
It works, but it loses some of its social complexity. With 2 players, the game becomes more tactical and predictable, because the interaction with your neighbor is direct and simple. The sweet spot is 3-4 players, where implicit alliances multiply and dynamics are richer.
Is it suitable for casual players?
Yes. The rules can be explained in 5 minutes: move the boat, pick up a tile, sum the score with your neighbor. The shared scoring twist takes a minute to understand, but then everything is immediate. Perfect as a gateway or end-of-evening filler.
Is it available in Italian?
This edition is in English. The game is language-independent (the fish tiles are iconic); language is only needed for the rulebook. If your group reads English or you explain the rules, there are no barriers.
The people behind the game
Who invented it, who designed it, who publishes it — and what else they've done.
Friendly Fishing is a semi-cooperative board game for 2-5 players, lasting 20-30 minutes, ages 10+. Designed by Bruno Faidutti (Citadels) and Alex Randolph (TwixT, Ricochet Robot), published by GameHead in 2026. Main mechanic: set collection with shared scoring with the player to your left. Move a boat on a grid of fish tiles, collect sets of the same type, but at the end, you sum your score with your neighbor's: you must balance your interest with theirs. Perfect as a gateway or filler, social interaction without direct conflict. Available on FroGames.it.
Friendly Fishing
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers you're looking for, no beating around the bush.
📸Do the images match the actual product?
The photos on the website often come from BoardGameGeek and are intended to give you an idea of the game. They may vary slightly from the version you receive. The content declared by the publisher is always binding.
📦Does the content of the box match what is indicated?
We always strive to provide the correct content, but minor variations are possible due to reprints or updates. The information comes directly from the publishers. If you have any questions, please contact us!
⏳How do pre-orders work?
Pre-order the game before release, payment is immediate, and the game is reserved for you. As soon as it arrives, we'll ship it right away! If there are any delays, we'll update you promptly.
🔒Can I trust buying here?
Absolutely! Secure payments, tracked shipments, and a team that loves board games as much as you do. If something goes wrong, we'll do our best to fix it.
🛠There's a problem with my order, what should I do?
Write to us now! Whether it's a missing part, damage, or an error, we'll help you resolve it as soon as possible. Your experience truly matters to us.