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'''''Wingspan''''' is a board game for 1 to 5 players designed by Elizabeth Hargrave and published by Stonemaier Games in 2019. ''Wingspan'' is a card-driven, engine-building game in which players compete to attract birds to their wildlife reserves. ''Wingspan'' has been strongly praised for its artwork,<ref name="Popular Mechanics">{{cite web | url=https://www.popularmechanics.com/culture/gaming/g18/15-best-new-board-games-of-the-year/| title = The 50 Best New Board Games| work = [[Popular Mechanics]] | date = October 23, 2019 | accessdate = November 14, 2019 | first = William | last = Herkewitz }}</ref> its accurate portrayal of its bird habitats, and its gameplay, winning the 2019 [[Kennerspiel des Jahres]] for best connoisseur game of the year.<ref name="Winnipeg Free Press">{{cite web | url=https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/looking-for-a-new-game-trust-the-judges-546837512.html| title = Looking for a new game? Trust the judges| work = [[Winnipeg Free Press]] | date = August 17, 2019 | accessdate = October 17, 2019 | first = Olaf | last = Pyttlik }}</ref>
'''''Wingspan''''' is a board game for 1 to 5 players designed by Elizabeth Hargrave and published by Stonemaier Games in 2019. ''Wingspan'' is a card-driven, medium-weight, engine-building board game in which players compete to attract birds to their wildlife reserves. ''Wingspan'' has been strongly praised for its artwork,<ref name="Popular Mechanics">{{cite web | url=https://www.popularmechanics.com/culture/gaming/g18/15-best-new-board-games-of-the-year/| title = The 50 Best New Board Games| work = [[Popular Mechanics]] | date = October 23, 2019 | accessdate = November 14, 2019 | first = William | last = Herkewitz }}</ref> its accurate portrayal of its bird habitats, and its gameplay, winning the 2019 [[Kennerspiel des Jahres]] for best connoisseur game of the year.<ref name="Winnipeg Free Press">{{cite web | url=https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/looking-for-a-new-game-trust-the-judges-546837512.html| title = Looking for a new game? Trust the judges| work = [[Winnipeg Free Press]] | date = August 17, 2019 | accessdate = October 17, 2019 | first = Olaf | last = Pyttlik }}</ref>

⚫
The game sold 44,000 copies worldwide over three printings in its first two months of release,<ref name="New York Times" /> with the publisher issuing a public apology for not having more copies available.<ref name="The Times">{{cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/birdwatching-g4me-wingspan-flies-off-the-shelves-ldlv79jtj|title=Birdwatching game Wingspan flies off the shelves|last=Whipple|first=Tom|date=March 11, 2019|work=[[The Times]]|accessdate=October 17, 2019}}</ref> The game will have sold more than 200,000 copies worldwide by the end of 2019.<ref name="St. Louis Public Radio">{{cite web|url=https://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/bird-themed-game-hatched-st-louis-soars-popularity#stream/0|title=Bird-Themed Game Hatched In St. Louis Soars In Popularity|last=Farzan|first=Shalah|date=November 6, 2019|work=[[St. Louis Public Radio]]|accessdate=November 6, 2019}}</ref>

The game is currently rated as the 30th best game of all time on BoardGameGeek's database of over 18,000 games.<ref name="Daily Emerald">{{cite web|url=https://www.dailyemerald.com/news/unboxing-board-game-culture-at-funagain-s-gamer-garage-sale/article_eff8eed8-ee11-11e9-8a17-ffb493f57a1e.html|title=Unboxing board game culture at FunAgain's Gamer Garage Sale|last=FitzClemen|first=Robin|date=October 14, 2019|work=[[Daily Emerald]]|accessdate=October 23, 2019}}</ref>

⚫
The ''Wingspan European Expansion'' is being released in November 2019, which includes 81 new cards<ref name="Gizmodo">{{cite web|url=https://io9.gizmodo.com/wingspan-expands-magic-the-gathering-enters-the-hall-1839703287|title=Wingspan Expands, Magic: The Gathering Enters the Hall of Fame, and More in Tabletop News|last=Elderkin|first=Beth|date=November 12, 2019|work=[[Gizmodo]]|accessdate=November 14, 2019}}</ref> of European birds and new mechanisms and bird powers, such as birds which benefit from extra food and powers which trigger at the end of the round.<ref name="NWTV">{{cite web|url=https://www.nwtv.nl/194660/stonemaier-games-komt-met-eerste-wingspan-uitbreiding/|title=Stonemaier Games komt met eerste Wingspan-uitbreiding|last=Winmai|first=Arran|date=October 2, 2019|work=[[NWTV]]|accessdate=October 25, 2019}}</ref>


==Gameplay==
==Gameplay==
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The game was inspired by Hargrave's visits to Lake Artemesia near where she lives in Maryland, where she would create personal charts of the birds she observed there.<ref name="Hyattsville Wire">{{cite web | url=https://www.hyattsvillewire.com/2019/04/02/wingspan-board-game-elizabeth-hargrave/| title = New Board Game Inspired by Lake Artemesia| work = [[Hyattsville Wire]] | date = April 2, 2019 | accessdate = October 17, 2019 | first = Ryan | last = Teague Beckwith }}</ref>, with the size the data reaching almost 600 rows by 100 columns.<ref name="Smithsonian">{{cite web | url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/birding-meets-gaming-unconventional-new-board-game-180971685/| title = This New Scientifically Accurate Board Game Is for the Birders| work = [[Smithsonian (magazine)|Smithsonian]] | date = March 12, 2019 | accessdate = October 22, 2019 | first = Meilan | last = Solly }}</ref> The special powers afforded by the birds in the game closely resemble the unique characteristics of the real birds documented by Hargrave's efforts.<ref name="Nature">{{cite web | url=https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-01503-0| title = A bird-based game takes wing| work = [[Nature (magazine)|Nature]]| date= May 14, 2019 | accessdate = October 22, 2019 | first = Stuart | last = West }}</ref>
The game was inspired by Hargrave's visits to Lake Artemesia near where she lives in Maryland, where she would create personal charts of the birds she observed there.<ref name="Hyattsville Wire">{{cite web | url=https://www.hyattsvillewire.com/2019/04/02/wingspan-board-game-elizabeth-hargrave/| title = New Board Game Inspired by Lake Artemesia| work = [[Hyattsville Wire]] | date = April 2, 2019 | accessdate = October 17, 2019 | first = Ryan | last = Teague Beckwith }}</ref>, with the size the data reaching almost 600 rows by 100 columns.<ref name="Smithsonian">{{cite web | url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/birding-meets-gaming-unconventional-new-board-game-180971685/| title = This New Scientifically Accurate Board Game Is for the Birders| work = [[Smithsonian (magazine)|Smithsonian]] | date = March 12, 2019 | accessdate = October 22, 2019 | first = Meilan | last = Solly }}</ref> The special powers afforded by the birds in the game closely resemble the unique characteristics of the real birds documented by Hargrave's efforts.<ref name="Nature">{{cite web | url=https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-01503-0| title = A bird-based game takes wing| work = [[Nature (magazine)|Nature]]| date= May 14, 2019 | accessdate = October 22, 2019 | first = Stuart | last = West }}</ref>


== Awards & Nominations ==
==Success and Acclaim==


* 2019 Nederlandse Spellenprijs Best Expert Game Nominee<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.spellenprijs.nl/2019/09/28/expertprijs-2019-nominaties/|title=Expertprijs 2019: nominaties|website=www.spellenprijs.nl|access-date=2019-12-10}}</ref>
⚫
The game sold 44,000 copies worldwide over three printings in its first two months of release,<ref name="New York Times">{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/11/science/wingspan-board-game-elizabeth-hargrave.html| title = She Invented a Board Game With Scientific Integrity. It's Taking Off.| work = [[New York Times]] | date = March 11, 2019 | accessdate = October 17, 2019 | first = Siobhan | last = Roberts}}</ref> with the publisher issuing a public apology for not having more copies available.<ref name="The Times">{{cite web | url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/birdwatching-g4me-wingspan-flies-off-the-shelves-ldlv79jtj| title = Birdwatching game Wingspan flies off the shelves| work = [[The Times]] | date = March 11, 2019 | accessdate = October 17, 2019 | first = Tom | last = Whipple}}</ref> The game will have sold more than 200,000 copies worldwide by the end of 2019.<ref name="St. Louis Public Radio">{{cite web | url=https://news.stlpublicradio.org/post/bird-themed-game-hatched-st-louis-soars-popularity#stream/0| title = Bird-Themed Game Hatched In St. Louis Soars In Popularity| work = [[St. Louis Public Radio]] | date = November 6, 2019 | accessdate = November 6, 2019 | first = Shalah | last = Farzan}}</ref>
* 2019 Kennerspiel des Jahres Winner<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.spiel-des-jahres.de/en/games/fluegelschlag/|title=Flügelschlag|website=Spiel des Jahres|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-10}}</ref>
* 2019 Kennerspiel des Jahres Nominee<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.spiel-des-jahres.de/en/games/fluegelschlag/|title=Flügelschlag|website=Spiel des Jahres|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-10}}</ref>
* 2019 International Gamers Award - General Strategy: Multi-player Nominee<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.internationalgamersawards.net/winners-and-nominees/nominees/2019-nominees|title=2019 Nominees - International Gamers Awards|website=www.internationalgamersawards.net|access-date=2019-12-10}}</ref>
* 2019 Deutscher Spiele Preis Best Family/Adult Game Winner<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.reich-der-spiele.de/node/19637-0000343|title=Deutscher Spielepreis 2019 - Sieger|website=www.reich-der-spiele.de|access-date=2019-12-10}}</ref>


== Reception ==
The game went on to win the 2019 Kennerspiel des Jahres award for strategy game of the year,<ref name="ars technica 2">{{cite web | url= https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2019/07/2019s-board-game-of-the-year-goes-to-just-one/| title = 2019's "Board Game of the Year" goes to Just One| work = [[ars technica]] | date = July 23, 2019 | accessdate = October 21, 2019 | first = Aaron | last = Zimmerman}}</ref><ref name="Philadelphia Inquirer">{{cite web | url= https://www.inquirer.com/things-to-do/pax-unplugged-board-games-tabletop-philadelphia-20191205.html| title = PAX Unplugged: Find your inner board game geek (and your next favorite game)| work = [[Philadelphia Inquirer]] | date = December 5, 2019 | accessdate = December 5, 2019 | first = Chris | last = Compendio}}</ref> and is rated as the 32nd best game of all time on BoardGameGeek's database of over 18,000 games.<ref name="Daily Emerald">{{cite web | url= https://www.dailyemerald.com/news/unboxing-board-game-culture-at-funagain-s-gamer-garage-sale/article_eff8eed8-ee11-11e9-8a17-ffb493f57a1e.html| title = Unboxing board game culture at FunAgain's Gamer Garage Sale| work = [[Daily Emerald]] | date = October 14, 2019 | accessdate = October 23, 2019 | first = Robin | last = FitzClemen}}</ref> Board game critic Matt Thrower called ''Wingspan'' "the year's hottest game",<ref name="IGN">{{cite web | url= https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/10/01/best-boardgames-of-2019| title = Best Board Games of 2019| work = [[IGN]] | date = October 11, 2019 | accessdate = October 23, 2019 | first = Matt | last = Thrower}}</ref> and Said Al-Azzawi of the [[Los Angeles Times|L.A. Times]] called it "one of the board game industry’s most acclaimed games of the year".<ref name="L.A. Times">{{cite web | url= https://www.latimes.com/lifestyle/story/2019-11-08/board-games-gift-guide-2019| title = Fun board games to give this season| work = [[Los Angeles Times]] | date = November 8, 2019 | accessdate = November 11, 2019 | first = Saif | last = Al-Azzawi}}</ref>


The board game has received predominantly favorable reviews. Board game critic Matt Thrower called ''Wingspan'' "the year's hottest game",<ref name="IGN">{{cite web | url= https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/10/01/best-boardgames-of-2019| title = Best Board Games of 2019| work = [[IGN]] | date = October 11, 2019 | accessdate = October 23, 2019 | first = Matt | last = Thrower}}</ref> and Said Al-Azzawi of the [[Los Angeles Times|L.A. Times]] called it "one of the board game industry’s most acclaimed games of the year".<ref name="L.A. Times">{{cite web | url= https://www.latimes.com/lifestyle/story/2019-11-08/board-games-gift-guide-2019| title = Fun board games to give this season| work = [[Los Angeles Times]] | date = November 8, 2019 | accessdate = November 11, 2019 | first = Saif | last = Al-Azzawi}}</ref> BGL have referred to it as "unexpected but refreshing twist on typical strategy games"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://boardgamesland.com/best-strategy-board-games/|title=Best Strategy Board Games of 2019 Top 10|date=2019-12-06|website=Board Games Land|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-10}}</ref> and Meeple Mountain have mentioned that the game was "developed and produced with infinitely more love and care than those other games"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2019/03/wingspan-review-a-gorgeous-birding-board-game-takes-flight/|title=Wingspan review: A gorgeous birding board game takes flight|last=Zimmerman|first=Aaron|date=2019-03-16|website=Ars Technica|language=en-us|access-date=2019-12-10}}</ref>
⚫
The ''Wingspan European Expansion'' is being released in November 2019, which includes 81 new cards<ref name="Gizmodo">{{cite web | url= https://io9.gizmodo.com/wingspan-expands-magic-the-gathering-enters-the-hall-1839703287| title = Wingspan Expands, Magic: The Gathering Enters the Hall of Fame, and More in Tabletop News| work = [[Gizmodo]] | date = November 12, 2019 | accessdate = November 14, 2019 | first = Beth | last = Elderkin}}</ref> of European birds and new mechanisms and bird powers, such as birds which benefit from extra food and powers which trigger at the end of the round.<ref name="NWTV">{{cite web | url= https://www.nwtv.nl/194660/stonemaier-games-komt-met-eerste-wingspan-uitbreiding/| title = Stonemaier Games komt met eerste Wingspan-uitbreiding| work = [[NWTV]] | date = October 2, 2019 | accessdate = October 25, 2019 | first = Arran | last = Winmai}}</ref>


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 13:52, 10 December 2019

Wingspan
DesignersElizabeth Hargrave
IllustratorsAna Maria Martinez Jaramillo, Natalia Rojas, Beth Sobel
PublishersStonemaier Games
Publication2019
Players1-5
Playing time40-70 minutes
Websitewww.stonemaiergames.com

Wingspan is a board game for 1 to 5 players designed by Elizabeth Hargrave and published by Stonemaier Games in 2019. Wingspan is a card-driven, medium-weight, engine-building board game in which players compete to attract birds to their wildlife reserves. Wingspan has been strongly praised for its artwork,[1] its accurate portrayal of its bird habitats, and its gameplay, winning the 2019 Kennerspiel des Jahres for best connoisseur game of the year.[2]

The game sold 44,000 copies worldwide over three printings in its first two months of release,[3] with the publisher issuing a public apology for not having more copies available.[4] The game will have sold more than 200,000 copies worldwide by the end of 2019.[5]

The game is currently rated as the 30th best game of all time on BoardGameGeek's database of over 18,000 games.[6]

The Wingspan European Expansion is being released in November 2019, which includes 81 new cards[7] of European birds and new mechanisms and bird powers, such as birds which benefit from extra food and powers which trigger at the end of the round.[8]

Gameplay

In Wingspan Players assign birds, which are represented by 170 individually illustrated cards,[9] to forest, grassland, and wetland habitats.[3] Over the course of four rounds, players put birds in the three different habitats, which are represented by rows on each player's board with space for five birds each.[10]

Players can take a limited number of four types of action each round: drawing new birds, placing birds from their hand into their habitat, collecting food, and laying eggs, which have to be spent in order to play the birds.[11] The strength of each action depends on how many cards are already in that habitat, and additional bonus actions are activated by the birds which are already in the habitat which represents that action.

In addition to putting birds into their habitats, players score points for objectives achieved during each round and throughout the whole game, eggs accumulated, and food and cards stored on other cards, which represent food collection and predation by a player's birds.[10]

Background and Theme

The game was inspired by Hargrave's visits to Lake Artemesia near where she lives in Maryland, where she would create personal charts of the birds she observed there.[12], with the size the data reaching almost 600 rows by 100 columns.[13] The special powers afforded by the birds in the game closely resemble the unique characteristics of the real birds documented by Hargrave's efforts.[14]

Awards & Nominations

  • 2019 Nederlandse Spellenprijs Best Expert Game Nominee[15]
  • 2019 Kennerspiel des Jahres Winner[16]
  • 2019 Kennerspiel des Jahres Nominee[17]
  • 2019 International Gamers Award - General Strategy: Multi-player Nominee[18]
  • 2019 Deutscher Spiele Preis Best Family/Adult Game Winner[19]

Reception

The board game has received predominantly favorable reviews. Board game critic Matt Thrower called Wingspan "the year's hottest game",[20] and Said Al-Azzawi of the L.A. Times called it "one of the board game industry’s most acclaimed games of the year".[21] BGL have referred to it as "unexpected but refreshing twist on typical strategy games"[22] and Meeple Mountain have mentioned that the game was "developed and produced with infinitely more love and care than those other games"[23]

References

  1. ^ Pyttlik, Olaf (August 17, 2019). "Looking for a new game? Trust the judges". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Roberts, Siobhan (March 11, 2019). "She Invented a Board Game With Scientific Integrity. It's Taking Off". New York Times. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  3. ^ Whipple, Tom (March 11, 2019). "Birdwatching game Wingspan flies off the shelves". The Times. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  4. ^ Farzan, Shalah (November 6, 2019). "Bird-Themed Game Hatched In St. Louis Soars In Popularity". St. Louis Public Radio. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  5. ^ FitzClemen, Robin (October 14, 2019). "Unboxing board game culture at FunAgain's Gamer Garage Sale". Daily Emerald. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  6. ^ Elderkin, Beth (November 12, 2019). "Wingspan Expands, Magic: The Gathering Enters the Hall of Fame, and More in Tabletop News". Gizmodo. Retrieved November 14, 2019.
  7. ^ Winmai, Arran (October 2, 2019). "Stonemaier Games komt met eerste Wingspan-uitbreiding". NWTV. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  8. ^ McLaughlin, Shaymus (November 14, 2019). "Need your outdoors fix indoors? Try these board games". Minneapolis Star Tribune. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  9. ^ a b Law, Keith (March 27, 2019). "Wingspan Is about as Perfect as Board Games Get". Paste Magazine. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  10. ^ Zimmerman, Aaron (March 16, 2019). "Wingspan review: A gorgeous birding board game takes flight". ars technica. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
  11. ^ Teague Beckwith, Ryan (April 2, 2019). "New Board Game Inspired by Lake Artemesia". Hyattsville Wire. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  12. ^ Solly, Meilan (March 12, 2019). "This New Scientifically Accurate Board Game Is for the Birders". Smithsonian. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
  13. ^ West, Stuart (May 14, 2019). "A bird-based game takes wing". Nature. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
  14. ^ "Expertprijs 2019: nominaties". www.spellenprijs.nl. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
  15. ^ "Flügelschlag". Spiel des Jahres. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
  16. ^ "Flügelschlag". Spiel des Jahres. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
  17. ^ "2019 Nominees - International Gamers Awards". www.internationalgamersawards.net. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
  18. ^ "Deutscher Spielepreis 2019 - Sieger". www.reich-der-spiele.de. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
  19. ^ Thrower, Matt (October 11, 2019). "Best Board Games of 2019". IGN. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
  20. ^ Al-Azzawi, Saif (November 8, 2019). "Fun board games to give this season". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  21. ^ "Best Strategy Board Games of 2019 Top 10". Board Games Land. 2019-12-06. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
  22. ^ Zimmerman, Aaron (2019-03-16). "Wingspan review: A gorgeous birding board game takes flight". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
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