Wingspan Review - Flock and Roll

Shut Up & Sit Down19 minutes read

"Wingspan" is a popular game praised for its thematic world of birds, strategic gameplay, and high-quality production. Players aim to accumulate points by strategically playing cards that enhance actions and activate unique abilities, with the game offering a dynamic experience through various cards and strategies.

Insights

  • Players in Wingspan accumulate points by strategically playing cards that enhance their abilities, gather resources, and lay eggs, contributing to their success in the game.
  • While Wingspan is praised for its thematic world of birds and high-quality production, its reliance on luck and complexity may make it less predictable and challenging for newcomers, leading to potential frustrations and disappointments.

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Recent questions

  • What is Wingspan about?

    Birds, strategy, and point accumulation.

  • What makes Wingspan unique?

    Variety of cards and strategies for a dynamic experience.

  • How do you win in Wingspan?

    Scoring points based on various factors.

  • Is Wingspan suitable for newcomers to board gaming?

    Not ideal due to complexity and reliance on chance.

  • What are some alternative games to Wingspan?

    The Quest for El Dorado, Istanbul, Azul, Race for the Galaxy.

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Summary

00:00

"Wingspan: Strategic Bird-themed Game with Luck"

  • Wingspan, also known as "Bird Girth," was a highly successful game upon release, selling out quickly and receiving numerous awards.
  • The game is praised for its thematic world of birds, easy-to-learn yet challenging gameplay, and high-quality production by Stonemeier.
  • Players aim to accumulate points by strategically playing cards that grant them power and resources throughout the game.
  • The gameplay involves actions like acquiring birds, collecting food, and laying eggs, each contributing to a player's success.
  • Cards played into specific rows enhance the power of related actions, leading to more significant rewards and activating unique abilities.
  • Wingspan offers a dynamic and ever-changing experience due to the variety of cards and strategies available, ensuring each game is unique.
  • Winning in Wingspan involves scoring points based on the number of bird cards, eggs, and intrinsic values of cards played, along with bonus cards.
  • The game's complexity lies in the multitude of ways to score points, requiring players to strategize and optimize their moves.
  • While Wingspan provides engaging gameplay for experienced gamers, its reliance on luck may impact the outcome, making it less predictable.
  • Despite its strategic depth, Wingspan may not be ideal for newcomers to board gaming due to its complexity and reliance on chance.

12:52

Struggles and Disappointments in Wingspan

  • In the game Wingspan, players can either silently endure bad luck or announce it to the table, both options being unpleasant.
  • A major fear in Wingspan is falling behind in engine building compared to friends, potentially due to random initial bird hands.
  • The game's mechanics make it hard to hide when your engine is weaker than others, leading to frustration and disappointment.
  • The reviewer lists their top three worst birds in Wingspan, including the Marabu Stork, Eagle Owl, and Hummingbird Moth, sharing personal anecdotes.
  • Despite the game's beautiful illustrations and bird facts, the theme of attracting birds to an aviary feels disconnected and nonsensical.
  • The reviewer suggests alternative games like The Quest for El Dorado, Istanbul, Azul, and Race for the Galaxy, which they find more engaging and accessible than Wingspan.
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