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Spytails box art

Spytails

Game Info
Year
2026
Players
2-4
Age
10+
Playtime
60 min
Publisher
Woodas
Collection
Ratings
Creator Score
Mechanic profile
Waiting on more creator content
Vibe profile
Waiting on more creator content
Description

Rival spies compete for influence through hidden agendas trick-taking bidding and predictions with wooden meeples

Description

Rival spies compete for influence through hidden agendas trick-taking bidding and predictions with wooden meeples

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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 7
This page: 7
Sentiment: pos 5 · mix 0 · neu 0 · neg 0
Mentions per page
Showing 1–7 of 7
Video 1W-Z4P2CMI4 Tabletop Tokki Unboxing at 1:30 sentiment: positive
video_pk 81105 · mention_pk 199633
Tabletop Tokki - Spytails video thumbnail
Click to watch at 1:30 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Cute character design
  • Stellar production quality, especially the handcrafted wooden pieces
  • Incorporates deck building with trick-taking
  • Unique player powers
  • Interesting team operation variant for 2v2 play
Cons
none
Thematic elements
  • Spy
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Betting — Players make a "forecast" of how many tricks they will win, which acts as a betting board, and can modify these bets with tokens.
  • Deck Building — The game incorporates deck building as a mechanic, allowing players to "craft a deck to make a secretive persona."
  • hidden agendas — Players have "hidden agendas" that they work towards winning influence.
  • Trick-Taking — The game is described as a trick-taking game re-imagined, with hidden agendas and tactical foresight.
  • Variable player powers — Each of the four characters has a "unique player power" that can "change the game state."
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Tactics in the shadows.
  • These are the handcrafted wood carved meatballs, which is Mokumo's signature.
  • Mokumo's production is always really stellar, even though this is like a pre-production copy.
  • The illustrations are so adorable.
  • This might be my new favorite quick two-player game to play.
  • Calming solo puzzle activity.
  • The box components flip over to make different terrain setups, which is pretty fun.
  • The actual box itself to make like leveled terrain, which I think is very inventive and cute and also provides a really good storage solution for all the components.
  • So, this is like an orientationbased cooperative game, I think.
  • This is one of my favorite like midweight puzzly games.
  • It plays so differently at two players than it does at four players, even though the rules
  • Bringing astronauts together. Which way is up when you're drifting in space with Tether's unique mirror deck, your up is not the same as your opponents.
  • Can you see the world from both their perspective and your own? Can you wrap your mind around it?
  • one of my favorite like midweight puzzly games.
  • This is a game that like I was felt like was begging for a solo mode. um just because it's so puzzly in nature.
  • the puzzly part of it is the part that makes my brain the happiest.
  • this is definitely a game that I'm always down to play.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video dHlMilAG8_U Tantrum House Preview at 0:02 sentiment: positive
video_pk 80917 · mention_pk 198633
Tantrum House - Spytails video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:02 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Customizable decks that change throughout the game.
  • Event cards that create special conditions for rounds.
  • Special tokens (ghost and regroup) that offer unique strategic options.
  • Character-specific powers add variety.
  • Semi-cooperative mode for four players (2v2).
Cons
none
Thematic elements
  • espionage
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Betting/Wagering — Players bet influence tokens on the number of tricks they forecast winning, with a double reward for exact guesses and a loss for incorrect ones.
  • Deck Building — Each player has their own deck that starts the same but changes throughout the game, with players adding better cards and removing unwanted ones via reinforcement cards.
  • Set Collection — Players aim to complete mission cards to earn influence tokens.
  • Trick-Taking — The core mechanic involves playing cards to win tricks, with the highest card of the led suit winning, unless trump or special cards are played.
  • Variable player powers — Each character has a unique special power that influences gameplay.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • It's a competitive trick-taking game for two to four players that takes about an hour or so to play.
  • Each player has their own deck of cards.
  • This can be a game-changer.
  • If you like trick-taking games with a little bit more going on, then check out Spy Tales: Tactics in the Shadows from Mocha Komodo on Kickstarter.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 4EESclW37S8 Brains On Games Review at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 80768 · mention_pk 433138
Brains On Games - Spytails video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Unique combination of trick-taking and deck-building
  • Great artwork and component quality (handmade meeples)
  • Engaging player powers
  • Interesting decisions with abilities like passing or discarding/redrawing
  • Variable rounds with missions and events
  • Light and accessible gameplay
Cons
  • Prototype mats were not flat, causing components to tip
  • Rounds without missions could be confusing and less rewarding
  • Difficulty keeping track of multiple rules in rounds with only events
Thematic elements
  • Spy
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • bidding — Players bid influence to win a certain number of tricks.
  • Card Drafting — Players draft cards from a marketplace after winning the final hand of a round.
  • deck-building — Players start with a basic deck and can draft new cards from a marketplace to improve their deck over the course of the game.
  • player powers — Each player has a unique ability, often usable once per round.
  • Set Collection — Missions can be accomplished for influence rewards, suggesting a form of set collection or objective fulfillment.
  • Trick-Taking — Players forecast the number of tricks they will win by bidding influence and play cards to win tricks.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Spy Tales: Tactics in the Shadows from Moumo.
  • The combination of trick taking and deck building is really unique.
  • We all had a good time playing this game.
  • The meeples are really well built and they do stand up, they don't tip over, but on the mat sometimes they would just because of the way that it's made.
  • This was a fun little trick-taking game.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 61f0_D3k2RM Meeple University Rules Teach
video_pk 70719 · mention_pk 167728
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
none
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Your victory doesn't always come by being the strongest as sneaky secret agent in this new trick taking game Spy Tales.
  • In Spy Tales, players take on the roles of elite spy operatives, competing to be the one who claims the most influence.
  • Over several rounds of competitive trick taking, players will place bids on how many tricks they think they'll win, staking their influence on success or failure before resolving rounds of tricks trying to hit their bid exactly.
  • The player with the most influence after five or six rounds of play, depending on your player count, will be the winner.
  • This game is much more than the luck of the draw with special player powers, gamechanging tokens, and more powerful upgraded cards added to the personal deck you draw from, giving you many chances to influence the outcome.
  • Players who haven't yet played must still legally play, but all cards in this operation are discarded and you'll move to the next operation from the same leading player.
  • The aim of the game is to earn the most influence.
  • The player with the most influence wins, and if tied, keep playing rounds until there is a clear winner.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video QFO4FJWmHIE Meeple University Playthrough
video_pk 70720 · mention_pk 167729
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
none
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • It is a trick-taking game with bidding and a lots of twists.
  • It is a bidding trick-taking game, and you use these little characters here to bid with. So, that's very cool. Very cute.
  • These are handmade, hand-painted. So, this always been the signatures of their games. They're cute. Look.
  • It's a game that escalates. You get a lot of interesting cards and effects that come in as the game goes on.
  • The numbers range from four to 10.
  • You win if you have the most influence at the end of the game.
  • Where you've got tied cards, earlier played breaks the tie.
  • This is the only way to get a trump in the first round.
  • So, this is a red seven, and red outranks any other color. So, that means Mimic wins this operation.
  • Skunk bomb is another one of these special cards. It destroys a trick. No one wins it. All the cards just go away. It's so cool.
  • All agent power tokens are gathered shuffled up and redistributed.
  • All the cards are drawn randomly, so that randomizes things up.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 61f0_D3k2RM Meeple University Rules Teach at 0:05 sentiment: positive
video_pk 70719 · mention_pk 198034
Meeple University - Spytails video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:05 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Special player powers add variety.
  • Game-changing tokens influence outcomes.
  • Upgraded cards bolster personal decks.
  • Missions provide bonus influence.
  • Event cards change round rules.
  • Partnership mode offers a different way to play.
Cons
  • Losing influence for incorrect bids.
  • Shrew cards cause the winner to lose influence.
  • Leverage tokens are a loan with a penalty.
Thematic elements
  • Sneaky secret agent espionage
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • bidding — Players bid on the number of tricks they expect to win and wager influence on that bid.
  • Deck Building — Players add special cards to their personal decks over the course of the game.
  • Set Collection — Players aim to complete missions by winning a specific number of operations.
  • Trick-Taking — Players play cards to win operations (tricks), with the highest card of the lead suit winning unless an intimidation card is played.
  • Trump suit — The 'Intimidation' suit (red) acts as a trump suit, outranking all other suits.
  • Variable player powers — Each player has unique abilities that can be activated using tokens, affecting gameplay.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Your victory doesn't always come by being the strongest as sneaky secret agent in this new trick taking game Spy Tales.
  • In Spy Tales, players take on the roles of elite spy operatives, competing to be the one who claims the most influence.
  • Over several rounds of competitive trick taking, players will place bids on how many tricks they think they'll win, staking their influence on success or failure before resolving rounds of tricks trying to hit their bid exactly.
  • The player with the most influence after five or six rounds of play, depending on your player count, will be the winner.
  • This game is much more than the luck of the draw with special player powers, gamechanging tokens, and more powerful upgraded cards added to the personal deck you draw from, giving you many chances to influence the outcome.
  • Players who haven't yet played must still legally play, but all cards in this operation are discarded and you'll move to the next operation from the same leading player.
  • The aim of the game is to earn the most influence.
  • The player with the most influence wins, and if tied, keep playing rounds until there is a clear winner.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video QFO4FJWmHIE Meeple University Playthrough at 0:22 sentiment: positive
video_pk 70720 · mention_pk 197899
Meeple University - Spytails video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:22 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Cute and unique components
  • Escalating gameplay with interesting card effects
  • Twisty and unpredictable nature
  • Special cards add significant chaos and strategy
Cons
  • Can be risky to bid accurately
  • Starting hands in the first round are basic
Thematic elements
  • sneaky secret agents
  • spies
Comparison games
  • Potion Explosion
  • Santorini
  • Moka Towers
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • bidding — Players bid on the number of tricks they expect to win.
  • card abilities — Special cards have unique effects like turning a card into a trump, destroying a trick, or allowing a player to not play a card.
  • deck thinning — Players have the opportunity to remove unwanted cards from their deck.
  • deck-building — Players add cards to their personal decks over the course of the game.
  • Influence Bidding — Players stake influence (victory points) on their bid accuracy, which can be doubled or lost.
  • Special Powers — Each character/agent has unique special tokens or powers that can be used.
  • Trick-Taking — The core mechanic of the game, where players play cards and one player wins the trick based on card values.
  • Trump suit — The red suit acts as a trump suit, outranking all other colors.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • It is a trick-taking game with bidding and a lots of twists.
  • It is a bidding trick-taking game, and you use these little characters here to bid with. So, that's very cool. Very cute.
  • These are handmade, hand-painted. So, this always been the signatures of their games. They're cute. Look.
  • It's a game that escalates. You get a lot of interesting cards and effects that come in as the game goes on.
  • The numbers range from four to 10.
  • You win if you have the most influence at the end of the game.
  • Where you've got tied cards, earlier played breaks the tie.
  • This is the only way to get a trump in the first round.
  • So, this is a red seven, and red outranks any other color. So, that means Mimic wins this operation.
  • Skunk bomb is another one of these special cards. It destroys a trick. No one wins it. All the cards just go away. It's so cool.
  • All agent power tokens are gathered shuffled up and redistributed.
  • All the cards are drawn randomly, so that randomizes things up.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
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