Which Wingspan to Buy: Base Game, Expansions and Pocket

Start with the Wingspan base game at about $55: it plays 1 to 5, and Oceania needs it, while European and Americas need either it or Wingspan Asia. If you only ever play with one other person, Wingspan Asia (about $45) is the one box that works on its own, as a 1 or 2 player game. Add an expansion later, once your group wants new birds.

The Short Version

Wingspan from Stonemaier Games is a medium-weight, card-driven engine-building game about attracting birds to your wildlife preserves, and it won the Kennerspiel des Jahres, Germany's award for the connoisseur game of the year. There are four big boxes that add to it: European, Oceania, Asia and Americas. All of them shuffle their birds into the same deck, so you can own any mix. Wingspan Pocket is different: a smaller, lighter standalone game whose cards do not mix with Wingspan. I built this guide from Stonemaier's own product pages, the Amazon listings and what buyers say in Amazon reviews, not from playing every box myself.

Which Box Do You Need?

Box	What it needs	Price
Wingspan (base)	Nothing, plays 1 to 5	$55.00
European Expansion	Base game or Asia	$30.00
Oceania Expansion	Base game	$43.93
Wingspan Asia	Nothing for 1 to 2 players	$44.99
Americas Expansion	Base game or Asia	$30.00
Wingspan Pocket	Nothing, its own game	$20 at Stonemaier

Lowest new prices on Amazon at my last check, except Pocket, which I did not find on Amazon; that is Stonemaier's own store price. Prices change often.

What Each Expansion Adds

Expansion	Birds added	What changes
European	81	Round-end powers, more interaction
Oceania	95	Nectar food, new player mats
Asia	90	Duet mode, 6 to 7 players
Americas	111	Hummingbird cards and garden

The Boxes

1. Wingspan Base Game, Start Here

The core game for 1 to 5 players. Stonemaier lists 40 to 70 minutes and a medium weight; the Amazon listing gives more than 170 unique bird cards, 26 bonus cards and 8 goal tiles, with a birdfeeder dice tower and egg miniatures. Players gain food, lay eggs and play birds over 4 rounds, and each bird adds a power to one of three habitats. With 4.8 stars from 12,866 ratings, buyers in Amazon's review summary praise the artwork and say there is lots of strategy with changing options each turn, while noting it takes some time to get used to. Check the price on Amazon.

2. Wingspan European Expansion, Best First Expansion

The first expansion: 81 new birds, including birds with round-end abilities, birds that increase interaction between players and birds that reward excess cards or food. Stonemaier also lists 15 purple eggs, new bonus cards and goal tiles, extra food tokens, a scorepad and a tray with lid for the growing card collection. It keeps the base game's rules, which is why it suits a group that wants more birds without more rules. Buyers in Amazon's review summary say it adds different end-game goals without adding too much complexity. 4.9 stars from 3,490 ratings. Check the price on Amazon.

3. Wingspan Oceania Expansion, Best for New Strategies

Birds of Australia and New Zealand: 95 bird cards, new player mats, a new food type (nectar, with 69 nectar tokens), new bonus cards, more end-of-round goals and yellow eggs, according to Stonemaier. The new player mats and food change how the base game plays, so it is the bigger rules change of the first two expansions. It requires the base game. On Amazon it was about $44 at my last check, with 4.9 stars from 2,565 ratings; Stonemaier sells it for $32 on its own store. Check the price on Amazon.

4. Wingspan Asia, Best for Two Players

Three things in one box, according to Stonemaier: a standalone game for 1 player or 2 players (Duet mode, with its own duet map), a card expansion of 90 birds for the original game, and Flock mode for 6 to 7 players, which needs the player components from the base game. Buyers in Amazon's review summary say it works well for two players and mention the area control board in Duet mode. 4.9 stars from 1,073 ratings. If you play mostly as a couple, buy this instead of the base game; if your group is 6 or 7, buy it with the base game. Check the price on Amazon.

5. Wingspan Americas Expansion, Best for a New Twist

The fourth expansion: 111 birds of Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean, plus 40 small hummingbird cards that move between players' boards and a hummingbird garden board. Stonemaier lists 60 to 90 minutes. You need either the base game or Wingspan Asia (as a 1 to 2 player game). The listing warns that the box has only 5 hummingbird tracks, so on its own that part does not cover Asia's 6 to 7 player Flock mode. Stonemaier has announced a small Americas Flock Mode Pack (2 more hummingbird tracks and overlays, which also needs Wingspan Asia). Buyers in Amazon's review summary like the hummingbird mechanic and the challenging new goals. 4.9 stars, but from only 105 ratings so far. Check the price on Amazon.

6. Wingspan Pocket, Not an Expansion

A lighter, shorter standalone game in a small box: 25 to 35 minutes, 1 to 5 players, double-sided bird and food cards, and powers shown mostly as icons. Stonemaier says plainly that its birds are not compatible with Wingspan. It is sold on Stonemaier's store for $20 and, by Stonemaier's release plan, through game shops; I did not find it on Amazon at my last check. Buy it as a travel game or a gentler start, not as an add-on.

How to Choose

Playing with 3 to 5 people? Buy the base game.
Mostly two of you? Buy Wingspan Asia on its own.
Six or seven? Base game plus Asia, for Flock mode.
Own the base game and want more? European first if you want more birds with no new rules; Oceania if you want a new food and player mats; Americas if you want the hummingbird twist.
Want something small for travel? Wingspan Pocket, knowing it does not mix with the others.

Wingspan is an engine builder; if you are new to the idea, read what an engine-building board game is. Deciding on another family of boxes? See which Catan to buy. For more two-player and solo options, try the best board games for 2 players and the best solo board games. More in strategy games.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Wingspan should I buy first?

The base game, unless you play mostly with two people, in which case Wingspan Asia works on its own as a 1 or 2 player game.

Can you mix Wingspan expansions?

Yes. European, Oceania, Asia and Americas birds are all designed to be shuffled into the same deck. The one limit listed is that the Americas box on its own has only 5 hummingbird tracks, which do not cover Asia's 6 to 7 player Flock mode; Stonemaier's separate Americas Flock Mode Pack adds the missing tracks. Wingspan Pocket does not mix with any of them.

How many players can play Wingspan?

1 to 5 with the base game, and 6 to 7 with the base game plus Wingspan Asia's Flock mode.

Which expansion changes the game the most?

Oceania and Americas change it the most: Oceania adds nectar and new player mats, and Americas adds the hummingbird cards and garden. European mostly adds birds and goals.

The Verdict

Three to five players? Wingspan base game. Two of you? Wingspan Asia. First expansion? European. Want new strategy? Oceania or Americas. Something small? Wingspan Pocket, as its own game.