New Board Game Obsession alert ....
Omgg guys wingspan is my new obsession! I actually created this blog ages ago but have only just got around to doing my first post as I have not been in the best headspace. However, I come back to bring you news of my recent found board game loveee!! I have always been into board games, especially the classics but I never really knew how deep the board game realm went. After meeting my boyfriend and being introduced to the world of tabletop games, I also started going to a weekly board game group. This is where I discovered there are so many niche board games in so many different styles. Wingspan was my first real discovery and boy have I really expanded my knowledge. From the original one that I got last Christmas, to now, I own three other expansions AND... I own every single feature online :):):) It is so fun and it is absolutely my fav atm whenever I am reaching for a game.
What is Wingspan you may ask?
Wingspan is a slightly technical game where you are a bird lover/wildlife conservationist and your goal is to play your birds in their habitats through feeding them and laying eggs on them! The rules are hard to get at first but once you play a few times, it usually becomes natural. The main components of the game are:
- Bird Boards
- Bird Feeder
- Bird Dice
- Eggs
- Food counters
- Turn Counters
- Bird Trays
- Bird Storage
- Bonus Cards
You have extra components that you introduce once you have played a few times. This ensures you understand the main game play before introducing additions which make the game more strategic. This includes the extra round goals.
The main gameplay is one action per go and their is 4 rounds in total. You can play from 2 to 5 players and each player takes a turn going first each round. Some expansions allow for 7 players but I have not dabbled that far yet! You can also play solo but this is very repetitive if doing just with the actual board game. I much prefer online automa as it gives you challenges and you are not the one operating the automa like you have to for the board game.
Your action choice per turn are:
- Draw bird cards
- Play a bird
- Get food
- Lay eggs
You start the game drawing five bird cards and two bonus cards. Bonus cards are like extra points where you have to meet a certain criteria to get max points. You will then choose 1 bonus card and how many birds you desire. You will then select your chosen food and this works ratio to birds. For example if you choose 3 birds, you get two food. To play birds they will require an egg cost and food cost so you will choose food based on the birds you select.
From there it is simply getting the hang of things and working out the best gameplay strategy that works for you!
Main Gameplay tips?
- Take it slow
- Play with someone who's played before if possible, its much easier to learn this way!
- Focus on understanding the mechanics vs worrying about points for your first few games
- Make mistakes!! This will set you up for future success
- Refer to the rules when needed, they are very simple and easy to read and digest
How do you win?
You win by getting the highest amount of points. This is done through:
- Bird Points
- No. of eggs
- Bonus card points
- End of round goals (when you introduce them)
- Tucked cards (abilities from certain birds)
- Tucked food (abilities from certain birds)
Where do I buy/play the game?
I would suggest from my experience playing for 6 months on both online and with the physical board game; online is the best place to start. It allows you to understand the mechanics of the game easier and pick up on rules much quicker.
The board game is also hard to get use out of when you do not have many people regularly to play with. It is an expensive hobby so if you are looking to go down the route, I would suggest online first to ensure you like it and then purchase the board game when you are confident and have peeps to play with!
You can buy them from a variety of places including: Eason, Amazon, Zatu Games. I play online through Steam but you can also play on the Switch or other gaming platforms:)
Example online game screen ^^^
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