Finspan – Underwater Engine-Building Board Game

Dive beneath the waves and discover an incredible underwater world in Finspan, a strategic engine-building board game from Stonemaier Games. As a marine researcher, you'll explore the Sunlight, Twilight and Midnight Zones, discovering fish, collecting eggs, raising young and building schools of fish.

Over four weeks, your discoveries create an increasingly powerful research engine. Every new fish can provide benefits as you explore deeper into your ocean habitat, while achievements give you additional ways to score points.

Designed by David Gordon and Michael O'Connell, with development by Elizabeth Hargrave, Finspan is part of the World of Wingspan series but offers its own streamlined systems and underwater setting. It supports 1–5 players, takes approximately 45–60 minutes and is recommended for ages 10+.

What Is Finspan?

Finspan is a competitive engine-building and tableau-building game set beneath the world's oceans.

Each player develops their own ocean mat, divided into three dive sites representing different depths of the sea: the colourful Sunlight Zone, mysterious Twilight Zone and dark Midnight Zone.

Throughout the game, you'll add fish to your ocean, discover eggs, hatch young and eventually consolidate young into schools. These elements interact to create combinations that can generate additional benefits and victory points.

The aim is to score the most points from your fish, eggs, young, schools and achievements by the end of the fourth week.

How to Play Finspan

Finspan is played over four weeks, with players taking actions to develop their underwater research.

Each dive site specialises in a different aspect of your marine research. You'll need to decide where to send your divers and when to activate the abilities you've developed.

As you discover fish, you'll expand your collection and create opportunities to:

• Add new fish to your ocean

• Discover freshly laid eggs

• Hatch eggs into young

• Consolidate young into schools

• Trigger fish abilities

• Complete achievements

• Generate additional points and benefits

The order in which you develop your ocean matters. Placing the right fish in the right location can create combinations that make later actions more productive.

By the end of the fourth week, your ocean should have developed into a carefully constructed engine capable of generating points from several different sources.

Why You’ll Love Finspan

• Explore an underwater world – Discover fish from three distinct ocean zones.

• Build a powerful engine – Each fish can contribute to an increasingly effective chain of benefits.

• Grow your collection – Add fish to your ocean and build your research ecosystem.

• Raise young and create schools – Develop your fish population through several stages.

• Four-week structure – A compact game length gives your engine time to develop without becoming overwhelming.

• 125 fish cards – A large variety of fish provides plenty of combinations and replayability.

• Achievement goals – Compete for additional points through changing achievement tiles.

• Solo mode included – Play against the Nautoma system when you're on your own.

• Accessible strategy – Designed as a lighter-weight Stonemaier Games experience, with approximately 45–60 minutes of play time.

Who Is Finspan For?

Finspan is a great choice for players who enjoy:

• Engine-building board games

• Tableau-building games

• Wildlife and nature themes

• Card-driven strategy

• Resource and timing decisions

• Games with satisfying combinations

• Solo strategy games

• Wingspan and the wider World of Wingspan

• Games that can be played in under an hour

Its 10+ age recommendation and relatively short playing time also make it an accessible introduction to engine-building for younger strategy gamers.

Explore Three Ocean Zones

Your personal ocean mat is divided into three distinct environments.

Sunlight Zone

The bright upper reaches of the ocean are home to one part of your developing collection. As you expand your research, this zone becomes an important part of your engine.

Twilight Zone

Descend deeper into the ocean and discover another layer of aquatic life. Careful positioning can help connect your different discoveries.

Midnight Zone

The deepest and darkest part of your research expedition offers another area in which to develop your underwater ecosystem.

Together, these zones give your personal tableau a clear sense of progression as your research moves deeper beneath the waves.

Grow Fish, Eggs, Young & Schools

Finspan's central progression revolves around the life cycle of your discoveries.

You'll first add fish to your ocean, then discover eggs and hatch them into young. Young can eventually be consolidated into schools, giving you another source of points and achievements.

This creates a satisfying sense of development throughout the game. Your ocean starts relatively empty but gradually becomes a thriving underwater ecosystem.

The game includes 90 double-sided egg/young tokens and 40 school tokens, providing plenty of physical components to represent your growing marine population.

Main Mechanics

Engine Building
Build combinations of fish and abilities that become increasingly effective as the game progresses.

Tableau Building
Develop your personal ocean mat by adding fish and building your underwater ecosystem.

Card Management
Choose carefully which fish to add to your collection and how they interact with your existing cards.

Resource Development
Manage eggs, young and schools as your research develops.

Achievement Scoring
Compete for achievement tiles that provide additional objectives and scoring opportunities.

Variable Strategy
Different fish combinations and achievement objectives encourage you to adapt your strategy from game to game.

Solo Play
The included Nautoma system provides a dedicated solo opponent. Finspan also includes Ravel-mode scoring cards for additional solo variety.

Games Like Finspan

If you enjoy Finspan, you may also like:

• Wingspan – The original nature-themed engine-building game from Stonemaier Games.

• Wyrmspan – Dragon-themed engine building with caves, resources and tableau development.

• Earth – A larger engine-building game focused on creating ecosystems.

• Everdell – Woodland tableau building with animals, resources and card combinations.

• Cascadia – Nature-themed tile and wildlife placement with accessible strategy.

• Viticulture: Essential Edition – Strategic engine building and resource management from Stonemaier Games.

• Apiary – Another Stonemaier engine-building game with a more complex science-fiction setting.

Finspan vs Wingspan

Finspan is part of the World of Wingspan, but it isn't simply Wingspan with fish.

The two games share an emphasis on discovering wildlife and building an engine, but Finspan has its own structure and systems. Its three dive sites, four-week progression, fish life cycle and school-building mechanics give it a distinct identity.

It is also a relatively compact experience at around 45–60 minutes, compared with the longer play time of the original Wingspan.

Game Information

	Details
Game	Finspan
Publisher	Stonemaier Games
Designers	David Gordon & Michael O'Connell
Developer	Elizabeth Hargrave
Players	1–5
Playing Time	Approx. 45–60 minutes
Age	10+
Game Type	Strategy / Engine Building / Tableau Building
Mechanics	Engine Building / Card Management / Tableau Building / Set Collection
Theme	Marine Life / Ocean Exploration
Release	2025
UK RRP	£44.99
SKU	STM870
Barcode	850032180931
Language	English

Current UK distributor information lists Finspan at £44.99 RRP, SKU STM870 and barcode 850032180931. Stonemaier lists the game at 1–5 players, 45–60 minutes and 10+.

What's Included?

The Finspan box contains:

• 5 Ocean Mats

• 1 Achievement Board

• 9 Achievement Tiles

• 125 Fish Cards

• 10 Starter Fish Cards

• 30 Divers

• 90 Egg/Young Tokens

• 40 School Tokens

• 1 First Player Token

• 5 Player Aids

• 1 Scorepad

• 1 Week Tracker Token

Solo Components

• 7 Nautoma Decision Cards

• 6 Ravel Mode Scoring Cards

• 3 Double-Sided Nautoma Achievement Cards

• 1 Double-Sided Player Aid Card

These components are confirmed by Stonemaier Games' current product listing.

Finspan FAQ

How many people can play Finspan?

Finspan supports 1–5 players, including solo play.

How long does Finspan take to play?

A game takes approximately 45–60 minutes.

What age is Finspan suitable for?

The recommended age is 10+.

Is Finspan part of Wingspan?

Yes. Finspan is part of the World of Wingspan series, but it is a standalone game with its own rules and components.

Is Finspan suitable for Wingspan fans?

Yes. Players who enjoy collecting wildlife, developing an engine and combining card abilities may find the underlying style familiar, while Finspan offers a distinct underwater setting and gameplay system.

How many fish cards are in Finspan?

The base game contains 125 fish cards, plus 10 starter fish cards.

Does Finspan have a solo mode?

Yes. Finspan includes the Nautoma solo system, with additional Ravel-mode scoring cards and Nautoma achievement cards.

Is Finspan a standalone game?

Yes. You do not need Wingspan to play Finspan.

Is there an expansion for Finspan?

Yes. Finspan: Sharks & Reefs is an expansion that adds further content to the underwater research experience.

Buy Finspan from Roll The Dice Cornwall

Dive beneath the waves and build your own thriving underwater ecosystem in Finspan.

Discover fascinating fish, hatch eggs, raise young, create schools and develop a powerful engine across four weeks of marine research. With solo play included and support for up to five players, Finspan offers a compact and engaging strategy experience for fans of wildlife, card games and engine building.

Explore deeper. Discover more. Build your underwater ecosystem.