Wingspan: Birds, Beauty & Big Strategy

Wingspan is what happens when a passionate birder designs a board game. It's gorgeous, educational, surprisingly strategic, and has converted more non-gamers than almost any game in recent memory. But is it right for your family? Let's find out.

What Is Wingspan?

In Wingspan, you're a bird enthusiast trying to attract the best birds to your wildlife preserve. You play bird cards into three habitats (forest, grassland, wetland), each providing different resources. As you add birds, you build an "engine" that generates more resources and points each time you activate that habitat.

The game uses real birds with accurate artwork, facts, and abilities that often reflect their real-world behaviors. The Atlantic Puffin holds fish. The Killdeer fakes injuries to protect its nest. It's delightful attention to detail.

Over four rounds, players take turns placing birds, gathering food, laying eggs, and drawing cards. At the end, points come from birds, bonus cards, end-of-round goals, eggs, cached food, and tucked cards.

The Family Experience

I'll be honest: Wingspan is the most complex game in this review series. The rules aren't difficult individually, but there's a lot to track. First games typically take 90+ minutes as everyone learns the flow.

That said, once it clicks, Wingspan becomes a peaceful, satisfying experience. There's minimal direct conflict — everyone is building their own sanctuary, occasionally competing for end-of-round goals but mostly focused on their own birds.

"Dad, did you know the Anna's Hummingbird can dive at 50 miles per hour? It says so on the card!" — My 11-year-old, learning ornithology through gaming

The theme is a huge draw. My kids who never cared about birds now point them out in our backyard. "That's a Northern Cardinal! It's worth 4 points!" The educational value is real and organic.

The Good Stuff

• Stunning production: The bird cards are gorgeous, the eggs are pastel, the birdhouse dice tower is iconic
• Educational: Real birds, real facts, real appreciation for nature
• Low conflict: Perfect for families who don't like "mean" games
• Solo mode: Includes an excellent single-player variant
• Replayability: 170+ unique birds in the base game alone
• Relaxing: The peaceful theme makes for a calming game night

The Not-So-Good Stuff

• Complexity: Steeper learning curve than other games in this series
• Game length: Can run long, especially with new players or analysis-prone folks
• Card luck: Sometimes you just don't draw the birds you need
• Multiplayer solitaire: Limited interaction between players
• Price: More expensive than most family games
• Fiddly scoring: End-game scoring has many categories to tally

Is It Too Complex for Kids?

Expansions Worth Considering

Wingspan has excellent expansions that add birds from different regions:

• European Expansion: Adds 81 birds and a new "end of round" mechanism
• Oceania Expansion: 95 birds plus nectar as a new food type
• Asia Expansion: Adds a duet mode for 2-player cooperative play

I'd recommend playing the base game at least 10 times before adding expansions. There's plenty of content to explore first.

The Verdict

Wingspan is a special game. It's not the easiest to learn, and it won't appeal to families who want high-energy competition. But if your family appreciates nature, enjoys building things up over tearing them down, and has the patience for a slightly longer learning curve, Wingspan rewards you with one of the most beautiful, satisfying gaming experiences available.

It's become a staple in our house, especially for quieter evenings when we want something thoughtful rather than chaotic. The combination of gorgeous production, meaningful decisions, and educational value makes it unlike anything else in our collection.

Final Score: 8.5/10 — A beautiful, strategic experience for patient families