Wingspan, designed by Elizabeth Hargrave and published by Stonemaier Games in 2019, has become one of the most popular and highly-regarded board games in recent years. Its beautiful production, engaging engine-building mechanics, and bird theme have earned it an enthusiastic following and numerous accolades, including the 2019 Kennerspiel des Jahres award. But is Wingspan truly deserving of all the hype? Let’s take a closer look at what makes this game so beloved by many.
What is Wingspan?
Wingspan is a medium-weight engine-building board game for 1 to 5 players. Gameplay takes place over 4 rounds, during which players collect birds for their aviaries with the goal of attracting the most birds and scoring the most points.
On a turn, a player takes one of four possible actions:
- Play a bird card to gain that bird’s benefits
- Gain food tokens
- Lay eggs to gain more actions
- Draw more bird cards
Cards are drawn from 170 unique bird cards, each depicting a different species of North American bird. When playing a bird, abilities like gathering more food, laying more eggs, or drawing more cards create an engine that combos with other birds in the player’s tableau. At the end of each round, players score points based on objectives like having the most birds of a certain type or the most eggs.
What makes Wingspan so popular?
Wingspan owes much of its popularity to its stellar production quality and aesthetic. The game features beautiful nature artwork, engraved wooden egg tokens, thick cardboard, and an app that provides gorgeous images and bird facts. This attention to visual and tactile elements creates an immersive experience around the theme of collecting birds and creating thriving ecosystems.
Gameplay wise, Wingspan receives praise for its engine-building mechanics that feel satisfying yet easy to pick up. Chaining bird abilities together and watching an engine efficiently collect food and eggs creates a very dynamic puzzly experience. Despite the complexity of strategies possible, the game remains accessible to more casual gamers. This sets it apart from some heavier engine-builders requiring many plays to fully grasp.
The extensive bird theme also resonates strongly with many players. The unique abilities and natural history facts displayed on each bird card bring the theme to life and create an experience part game, part birding simulation. For non-gamers, the theme provides an entry point to modern board gaming.
Is it really the best engine-builder?
Wingspan’s accessible engine-building makes it a great “gateway” title for those new to the mechanic. However, more experienced gamers argue it lacks the depth and complexity of other popular engine-builders. For example, classics like Terraforming Mars or Gizmos enable more intricate combos and paths to victory. Some critique Wingspan as having a single dominant strategy of collecting ravens and blue birds to trigger point combos each round.
Compared to heavier games, analysis paralysis is less common in Wingspan. Turns move quickly with simple options and few ways to disrupt opponents. While accessibility can benefit new players, seasoned ones may find the decision space lacks crunch or competitive tension at times. Poor draws can also lead to games feeling prescripted based on the cards dealt.
That said, Wingspan’s artwork, theming, and ease of play have made it many gamers’ favorite engine-builder to introduce others to the genre. As an entry level design, it sacrificies some depth for the sake of accessibility, which ultimately broadens the mechanism’s appeal.
How does it compare to Stonemaier’s other titles?
Publisher Stonemaier Games developed both Wingspan and the hugely popular Viticulture, so comparison between the two titles is inevitable. Fans generally consider Viticulture the “gamier” title, with more indirect interaction as players compete over worker placement spaces. In contrast, Wingspan sees players build personal engines that rarely interfere with others. This lends Wingspan a more optimistic feeling over cutthroat Viticulture.
Both games utilize card combos and engine-building in complimentary ways. Wingspan’s production values marginally edge out Viticulture’s, with thicker player boards and more eye catching art. However, Viticulture offers greater depth and replayability over long-term play. Its Tuscany expansion adds milestone achievements and variable seasons, whereas Wingspan has no expansions currently. While both games are excellent, seasoned players tend to prefer Viticulture’s additional content and competitive mechanics.
Is it fun for non-gamers?
Thanks to its accessibility, attractive theming, and intuitive rules, Wingspan works well as a “gateway game” for non-gamers. The ease of play reduces common problems novices face like analysis paralysis or rules confusion. Engaging theming helps maintain interest and enjoyment. Wingspan’s lack of direct conflict reduces feelings of unfairness or hostility when others outplay a newbie.
The card abilities utilize approachable effects like gathering food or laying eggs. These simple and thematic mechanics grasp intuitively rather than requiring lengthy strategy explanations. Short play time and visually appealing components also aid newcomers’ first impressions. While seasoned gamers may find Wingspan a bit scripted, it remains one of the best introductions to modern board gaming for non-hobbyists. If playing with mixed experience groups, adding expansion content can give Wingspan more longevity for veterans while maintaining accessibility.
Conclusion
For many gamers, Wingspan’s beautiful production, bird theme, and accessible engine-building make it a contemporary classic. As an introductory title, it provides a stellar gateway to heavier fare and brings unique artistic flair to the table. While the depth and competitive tension falls short of some similar titles, its ease of play and visual appeal cannot be understated. For non-gamers in particular, Wingspan delivers an engaging and positive first step into modern titles. While not every game needs to cater to the hardcore, Wingspan’s components, engine-building, and style reflect why the hobby has expanded so broadly in recent years.
