Wingspan board game

The Wingspan board game, or Sparnuotieji in Lithuanian, is the perfect choice for anyone who loves birds, nature and strategy.

In this game, you can become a bird connoisseur, trying to build your own collection of images of different species and types of birds.

In this board game, you will have to plan your moves according to the birds' characteristics, dietary needs and life cycle. You will also be able to use the birds' special abilities to score extra points.

Basic facts about the Winged board game

• Created in: 2019
• Type: Strategic
• Number of players: 1-5
• Duration: from 40 minutes to 2 hours
• Difficulty level: medium
• Age of players: 10 and more years
• Winged is a board game for bird lovers, nature enthusiasts and strategists.
• In the game, players plan their moves based on the birds' characteristics, dietary needs and life cycle.
• Each bird card has its own unique opportunities that players can use to gain more points.
• The aim of the game is to build the best bird collection in your reserve and score more points than other players.
• The game is divided into four phases, in which players have to achieve different objectives.
• The player with the most points from birds, cards, eggs and other objectives wins.

Pluses:

✅ Exclusive design and high quality.
✅ Requires strategic thinking and tactics.
✅ Suitable for beginners and experienced players.
✅ You can play as a single player or as a large group.

Minuses:

❌Can have long playing times with many players.
❌Space-saving.
❌There is an element of chance and the possibility of getting unfavourable cards.
❌It can be difficult to get started and learn the rules.

Objective of the board game

Build the best bird collection in your reserve and score more points than other players.
The game has four phases, dominated by different game objectives. They are different and differently defined throughout the game.

Wingspan game - rules

The game is played in 4 phases, and in each phase players take turns to perform one of four possible actions: playing a bird card, getting food, laying eggs or drawing more bird cards. 

Collecting bird cards

This is the main action of Wingspan. Each player will take turns to choose one bird card from the set of cards. 

Bird cards have different characteristics that give players points or other advantages. For example, some birds will need food, while others will provide eggs or food when they are used up.

Bird nests

Each player will be able to build slots on their own game board. These will give players extra points for laying bird eggs.

Bird eggs

Each player will be able to add extra eggs to their nests. Each nest can contain up to 5 eggs. The eggs will be used to hatch new birds and to activate certain bird powers. At the end of the game, the eggs will give players extra points.

Bird food

Each player will be able to collect food from their game board. They can get food from the bird feeder or by playing with certain bird cards. The food is used to feed the birds, activate their powers and lay eggs. Food will give the player extra points.

Preparing for the game

At the very beginning of Wingspan, the preparation can take about 10 minutes, as the game starts with a bird feeder where the dice for the current game will be placed.

Later game preparation will be quicker and easier - just shuffle the deck of bird cards, deal the cards and food tokens to the players and you're ready to play.

Shuffle the decks of key cards and other cards in preparation, arranging everything in a way that is easy for all players to access. Place the three cards face up in the bird tray.

Place five food pips in the bird feeder as a starter supply. Decide on the scoring method for the game - use a double-sided goal board, with the green side for direct competition (1st, 2nd and 3rd place) and the blue side for less competitive scoring.

Randomly select four goal cards, one for each stage of the game, and place them on the goal board. Remember that you will be able to agree on a different scoring method each time you play, which will make the game more interesting and exciting each time.

Preparing the player

• Each player will need to choose his/her board, 8 action cubes of his/her favourite colours, 2 bonus cards, 5 bird cards and 5 food tokens (one for each of the following species: invertebrates, seeds, fish, fruit and rodents) before the game starts.
  
• Players will have to decide which bird cards to keep and which to discard.
  A tip for a more interesting game: for every bird card retained, the player will have to give up one food chip. The player's initial goal is to have a total of 5 bird cards and food tokens combined.
  
• The player will have to decide which two bonus cards to keep and which to discard. Before making decisions on birds and food, it is a good idea to check your bonus cards and take every opportunity to plan your strategy!
  
• All players will need to randomly select one player to start the turn and present him with a "First Player" token.

Strategy

✔️ Activate the power of birds

Many bird cards have certain powers that you can activate by exchanging for food or eggs. These powers can provide a variety of benefits, such as extra food or eggs, the ability to draw more bird cards, or the ability to play with extra birds during your turn.

✔️ Take advantage of habitats

Some habitats have certain abilities that you can take advantage of by exchanging this ability for food or eggs. These abilities can provide a variety of benefits, such as helping you to get more food or eggs, draw more extra bird cards, or play with extra birds during your turn.

✔️ Achieve your game goals

There are three types of objectives in the Wingspan or Winged board game: common objectives that all players must achieve, individual objectives that each player chooses individually, and bonus objectives that can be earned for certain bird attributes. Each goal gives a certain number of points, which are counted at the end of the game. The objective cards are strategically important as they determine which birds and their characteristics players should focus on.

✔️ Use skip walking

If you don't want to take any action during your turn, you can transfer your turn. This will transfer your move to the next player. This will allow you to gain distinctive advantages and develop a distinctive strategy.

✔️ Take advantage of in-game bonuses
These are extra points that can be earned for certain achievements during the game. Each player receives one bonus card, which tells them what they will get extra bonuses for.

For example, points are awarded for every bird with feathers on its chest, or as many winged friends that eat insects as possible, for each one that is orange or has a particular diet symbol.

Bonuses are calculated at the end of the game and are added to the players' total points. This creates different game strategies and encourages players to choose the widest variety of birds for their collections.

Values of the elements of the board game cards

The playing cards are full of educational and thematic elements. Each bird card contains factual information on the bird's species, wing length, scientific classification, habitat and diet. They contain a variety of information relevant to the game.

• Living environment:
  In the top left corner of the card, you will find one or more symbols representing the habitats on the players' boards. A bird card can only be placed in one of the habitats indicated there.

• Name of bird:
  The name of the bird and its official Latin name are given.
  
  
• Food:
  Under the habitat symbols you will find symbols indicating the bird's food requirements. To place a bird card on the player's board, you will need to pay with food tokens corresponding to the symbols shown here.
  
  The circular symbol, representing five different colours, represents food that can be found in nature and that can be flavoured with any other kind of food.
  
  A crossed-out symbol means that the bird does not need additional food.

• Feather symbol:
  On the left side of the card, next to the feather symbol, you can see a number indicating the bird's final point value. This is important for the end-of-game scoring, as the higher the value of the symbol on the card, the more it is worth.

• Slot type:
  The type of nest indicates which type of nest the bird actually uses. It is indicated on bird cards, end-of-stage goals and reward cards. If the nest badge shows a five-pointed star, the bird uses nests.

• Egg limit:
  The number of eggs displayed on the card indicates how many eggs can be placed on the card.
  

• Wing width:
  The wingspan of the bird is indicated on the right side of the card. This number refers to the birds' specific abilities in the game.
  
  
• Special abilities:
  Some birds have a bird icon. This means that other bird cards can be stacked underneath the bird card to create a flock of birds.
  
  
• World region:
  The bottom of the card shows where in the world the bird lives.

Wingspan table game scoring

Points are calculated according to the birds' values, their abilities, tasks and bonuses. Each player has their own game board with three different habitats: meadow, forest and swamp.

Up to five bird cards can be placed in each habitat. The cards, as mentioned before, contain the following values: bird name, species, type, abilities, food requirements, habitat and an illustration of the bird.

The game ends after the fourth round and the winner is the player with the most points from the birds, extra cards, total goals achieved during the game, the number of eggs collected, the amount of food and bird cards available.

Pluses of the Wingspan board game

✅ Exceptional design and quality: Winged is one of the most visually appealing board games on the Lithuanian market. Each card is professionally illustrated and contains accurate and interesting information. The game box, cards, chips and accessories are very nice and durable. The game also has a special egg case which resembles a miniature nest.

✅ Strategic thinking: Players have to make many strategic decisions, such as which birds to play with, which habitats to focus on and how to manage their resources. Players need to constantly monitor their progress, the actions of their competitors and the current state of the game in order to adapt and refine their strategy. 

✅ An engaging game: The game is very adventurous as players can compete for food, eggs and bird cards. A perfect balance between strategic planning and randomness.

✅ Educational value: This board game is suitable for both beginners and experienced players. It is a great way to learn about birds. The bird cards provide information about each bird's habitat, diet and conservation status. There is a booklet that gives more information about birds and their importance to nature.

✅ A versatile game: The board game is not only for groups of two to five people, but can also be played by one person.

Cons of the Wingspan board game

❌ Game duration: Playing time can be a bit long, especially when there are more players willing to play. This can be prolonged because players have to make many decisions during their turn. It may be necessary to wait longer for other players to make a move. The game may be too boring and slow for those who like faster and easier games.

❌ It takes up a lot of space: This game requires a lot of space and can be uncomfortable or even impossible to play in certain circumstances.

❌ Chance and luck: As players randomly draw bird cards from a common deck, they cannot be sure of getting the right birds for their strategy. In addition, some birds have abilities that allow them to perform extra actions or score extra points if they randomly draw a certain type of food or card. This can lead to significant inequality between players.

❌Complexity: Beginners may find it difficult to learn the rules and understand the characteristics of different birds.

❌Game update: A newer version of the game may require the purchase of additional cards and components at additional cost.

Game set

• A game board with three different habitats for birds: forest, meadow and marsh. Each habitat has space for five birds and three action boxes: laying eggs, getting food and attracting new birds.
• 170 different bird cards with information on bird names, habitats, food, number of eggs, points and special effects.
• 5 player tables containing player points, egg containers and tokens showing player actions and bonuses.
• 75 food tokens representing different types of food: insects, fish, forest food, plants and animal food.
• 15 bonus cards that give extra points for certain bird or egg criteria.
• 1 food feeder from which food tokens are drawn.
• 1 first player chip, which indicates who starts the game.

Summary

The Wingspan board game, or Winged, stands out from other board games because it successfully combines innovative entertainment with information about birds. Its strategy, distinctive design and high quality components make this game an exceptional choice not only for bird lovers.

The Wingspan board game is not only fun and interesting, it is also educational and a great exercise for the imagination. It allows you to learn many new facts about birds, their lives and characteristics. It also encourages strategic thinking, planning and decisive decision-making.

The winged board game is perfectly balanced and has a lot of variety and possibilities. It is suitable for both beginners and experienced players. If you like board games and want to try something new and original, this game is a great choice!

How many people can play the board game Wingspan or Winged❓

According to the rules, this board game can be played by 1-5 people.

What is the duration of this board game❓

The game lasts from 40 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the number of people.

What is the recommended age of players❓

Recommended age of players is 10 years and above.

What is the purpose of the Wingspan board game❓

The aim of the game is to collect the best collection of birds in your reserve and score more points than the other players.

Is the Wingspan board game difficult❓

The game is moderately challenging.