Wingspan is a big, beautiful game with a price tag to match. I absolutely love it, and am so glad we have it! If you love birds, then this is a must for you, too.
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you click on it and make a purchase I’ll receive a small commission at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, please check our Privacy Policy and Disclaimers and Disclosures.
Wingspan can be an intimidating game, and the only game I’ve had to watch a video to figure out. There are a lot of pieces and a lot to do, but it’s definitely worth the time investment, as well as the monetary.
It’s worth investing in a game organizer for Wingspan
Probably my least favorite part of the game is it takes so long to set up and put away! Especially as it comes out of the box. However, there are many organizers you can purchase separately; I recommend checking out Etsy. Many of them make it much easier and faster to set up, and that alone is worth their price to me. Nothing worse than an expensive game you never play because you don’t want to take the time to set it up!
Expansions
So far, there is the original game, with North American birds, as well as expansions for Europe and Oceania. And they’ve apparently come out with an expansion for Asian birds, too! (I haven’t tried the Asia expansion yet, but I’m sure it’s just as beautiful as the others.) From what I have read, the makers plan to have expansions for each continent, with just South America and Africa left to go!
The cards are labeled so they can be separated again, in case you want to play a version with just one continent.
There is very little direct competition. No other players will ever eat your birds or steal your eggs. The most we’ve experienced is eating your food, but in those cases, the player whose food was eaten gets to choose a new piece of food, usually from the bird feeder.
Single-player, Automaton, or with friends
It’s fun to play single-player, but there is also an option to play with the Automaton (which I haven’t figured out yet). I really enjoy just getting it out and trying to fill my board. If someone else wants to play with me, that’s just a bonus, though there are benefits to playing with others.
Many birds will allow everyone to gain a type of food. There are actions some birds can take during other players’ turns, too. However, if you get more than about three players, the game can get quite long and unwieldy.
Digital Wingspan
After I got the base game and the first two expansions for my birthday, my husband decided to pick up the digital version. I’m ashamed to admit that he’s played his digital version a lot more than I’ve played the physical version!
The biggest thing about the digital version is that there’s no setup. Just turn the game on and get started. It will also walk you through what you can do, so it’s easier to learn, and you won’t forget about important actions.
They even have started coming out with expansions for the digital game; so far Europe is available, but Oceania is coming soon. With the digital version, you can play with up to four other players, either AI or local humans (meaning, have to be on the same computer). However, it does not allow playing single-player.
Not only does the digital version read the facts to you, but it also plays the bird call each time you play a bird.
Gameplay reflects reality, making Wingspan truly educational!
The gameplay really reflects the reality of each bird species. Birds that eat other birds, or birds that flock with other species, allow you to put cards behind that bird. Birds that lay their eggs in others’ nests have the ability to lay an egg when another player lays eggs on their own birds.
Food is also reflective of reality; not only are there different types of food (fish, grain, fruit, rodents, bugs, and in Oceania, nectar), but birds that regularly cache their food can do so in the game.
Overall, I really love Wingspan. I’ve always loved birds, so it was a no-brainer for me to buy this game. But if you’re on the fence, or don’t have physical room for the game, I encourage you to check out one of the digital versions.