Publisher / Year: Stonemaier Games / 2019
Player Count / Playtime: 1-5 players / 40-70 min
Genre / Type:  Strategy, Engine Building, Card Game, Set Collection, Open Drafting, Hand Management, Animals
Expansions: European, Oceania, Asia, Nesting Box Storage

Wingspan from Stonemaier Games is a bird lover’s dream game. You play as a bird enthusiast and attempt to attract birds to your wildlife preserve. The goal is to score the most points over four rounds by collecting food, laying eggs, and playing bird cards. Each bird you play gives you new abilities and can create powerful chains with other birds in your habitats. There are a LOT of bird cards. The base game has 170 cards, the European expansion adds 70, the Oceania expansion adds 95, and the Asia expansion adds 90, for a total of 435 unique birds from around the world.  

Score Breakdown

Category	Description	Score (1–10)
1. Aesthetics & Components	Visual design, artwork, tactile quality, and overall presentation.	9
2. Rules Clarity & Accessibility	Ease of learning, clarity of rulebook, setup time, and iconography.	7.5
3. Strategic Depth	Amount of meaningful decision-making and long-term planning.	8
4. Luck vs. Skill Balance	How fairly chance and skill coexist.	9
5. Player Interaction	Engagement and social dynamics between players.	5
6. Pacing & Downtime	Flow, engagement, and smoothness of play.	7
7. Replayability	Longevity, variability, and continued appeal.	8.5
8. Theme Integration	How well the mechanics and story fit the theme.	8.5
9. Enjoyment & Emotional Impact	Pure fun factor-excitement, tension, satisfaction.	9
10. Innovation & Uniqueness	Creativity, originality, and distinctiveness from other games.	9.5
Final Average Score		8.1 / 10

Verdict: This is a genre-defining engine building game. The sheer amount of bird cards will keep you coming back again and again. A must have for every board game collection. 

Reviewed on 10/15/2025