Wingspan: Asia Expansion by Stone Maier Games

by Ryan Miller

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Wingspan might be the best game I’ve played in the last ten years. It’s engine-building and resource management are some of the best I’ve played in any board game. Even beyond the tight refinement of it’s mechanics it has one thing that many games don’t: It’s fucking fun! Well, that and birds. Most games don’t have birds.

While the often colorful avian are the focal point allowing for varied games, the way the game allows you to construct a resource creation machine using said birds is fantastic. That said, I’m not here to sing the praises of, or explain, a game many others already have ad nauseum. I’m here to talk about the latest Asia expansion

By the namesake alone, you can probably surmise the new birds included would be clearly encountered on the titular continent in real life, but what new mechanics does this offer and why should we buy it? I mean aside from the 90 new bird cards and 14 new bonus cards, of course. Well, how do two new game modes grab you?

The first game mode I’d like to talk about is Flock Mode. This new playstyle allows for up to 7 players to join a game, while the core game, and previous expansions, only allow for 5 players. What makes this special and not just Wingspan but more people is that in Flock Mode two players take turns simultaneously. This style game utilizes a dial to determine which players assume control. This mode can be done with either six or seven players. The only downside to this manner of play is that it would certainly be a poor choice for new players, so get a few people individually hooked before you break out these big guns.

The next mode is Duet Mode. I’m sure with context clues, you know this is a game for two. The thing that makes Duet Mode special is a new reward tracker and tokens to be used on this aforementioned board. This reward tracker is used in place of the end round goal board but serves similar function. The thing that makes this different, however is the open nature of the goals. For each of your empty fifteen bird slots on the playmat you’ll place a token to be unlocked each time the slot is filled. The corresponding habitat is where you’ll place said token, unlocking rewards or adding to your position of strength during end of round goals.

While the new bird powers exclusive to this set are few and far between, we do still find some new twists to old ideas. Some birds now offer a gambling feature where a dice roll determines if you are successful. You’re encouraged to either continue rolling for great rewards, or settle for what you already received. Beware that you may bust losing everything you’ve gained that action. In addition to that, you’ll see the return of the End of Round powers as well as some End of Game powers. With 90 new birds you’ll definitely find a ton of variety to your experience.

Now that you know what new offerings the expansion provides, let’s talk about the quality of the overall package. As with everything Stone Maier creates, the pieces are top notch. Whether its the beautiful wood-carved dice for the bird feeder, the heavy cardboard food and playmats, the gorgeous bird cards, or solid plastic eggs it’s everything you’ve come to expect from this company. When Stone Maier fires, they don’t miss.

So the question becomes “Do you need the Asia expansion?”

While you don’t need the Asia expansion to continue to enjoy Wingspan, the additional birds and variety make it a solid purchase for fans of the base game. To this day I’ve never felt these games don’t deserve the accolades they receive. I love this game and it will continue to hit my table long after I’ve forgotten about many others.