Games Like Wingspan: A Comprehensive List

Wingspan is one of the most popular and well-received games in recent memory and it’s easy to see why. Released back in 2019, Wingspan sold over a million copies within just two years and became Stonemaier Games’s best-selling product. Designed by Elizabeth Hargrave, the simple game revolves around players attracting birds to wildlife reserves. During development of the game, Hargrave spent much of her time observing birds and keeping statistics around them to make the powers of the birds in the game more realistic. Combined with the incredible artwork, the game was praised as an ‘obvious labour of love’. Many commented on how the game ‘strikes a perfect balance between strategy and ease’, and how the developers clearly ‘committed to scientific integrity’.

Wingspan turns players into ornithologists who are out to attract as many birds as possible to their wildlife reserves. Players spend food resources to add birds to different habitats on a gameboard. Each habitat can be activated to carry out various different actions like paying for birds, laying eggs on birds, or drawing cards. Each action a player can take is improved as they collect more birds, and some have special abilities that activate as habitats are used. The object of the game is to gain as many victory points as possible by collecting birds, completing objectives, accumulating eggs, and storing food. It balances strategy and simple mechanics well and is a great game where every choice makes a difference with how the rest of the game plays out.

Despite its solid mechanics and excellent job at conveying the theme, understandably this game may not appeal for one reason or another. If you like the idea of Wingspan but want something a little different, below are a handful of board games like Wingspan that you might enjoy more.

What Makes Wingspan Unique

Wingspan is a highly acclaimed board game that has captured the hearts of many players worldwide. Its unique blend of gameplay mechanics, beautiful artwork, and approachable gameplay has made it a standout in the board game community. So, what makes Wingspan so unique?

Engine Building

One of the key features that sets Wingspan apart is its engine-building mechanic. Players collect and play cards to build up their bird sanctuary, creating a powerful engine that allows them to score points and achieve their goals. This mechanic is both engaging and challenging, requiring players to think strategically about which cards to play and when. The satisfaction of seeing your engine grow and become more efficient with each turn is a core part of what makes Wingspan so addictive.

Nature Theme

Wingspan’s nature theme is another aspect that makes it unique. The game is set in a beautiful, serene environment, with players collecting and playing cards featuring different bird species. The game’s artwork is stunning, with each card featuring a unique and realistic illustration of a bird. This theme is not only visually appealing but also educational, teaching players about different bird species and their habitats. The nature theme adds a layer of tranquility and beauty to the game, making it a delightful experience for nature lovers and board game enthusiasts alike.

Worker Placement Game

Wingspan is also a worker placement game, where players place their bird tokens on different actions to collect resources, play cards, and score points. This mechanic adds a layer of strategy to the game, as players must carefully plan which actions to take and when. The worker placement mechanic also allows for a high level of replayability, as players can try different strategies and approaches each time they play. The combination of worker placement and engine building makes Wingspan a deeply strategic and rewarding game.

Wyrmspan Board Game

By: Stonemaier Games     Players: 1-5     Time: 90 Minutes     Ages: 14+

For anyone who loves the idea of Wingspan but wants something just that little bit different, there’s Wyrmspan. Because why collect birds, when you can be in charge of dragons?

Wyrmspan was released only last year in 2024 but has been dubbed just as good if not better than it’s predecessor. Gameplay between the two games remains mostly the same but Wyrmspan encompasses a few more rules and adds a degree of strategy not present in Wingspan, making it a unique game. Accompanied by incredibly well-illustrated cards featuring over 150 dragons, and a board and resources that create an engaging thematic experience, Wyrmspan is not just a must-play but a must-have. Exploring caves and labyrinths to entice dragons to a player’s sanctuary is the main aim of Wyrmspan and whoever can gain the points by the end of the game is the winner. Players will have to balance this with completing objectives, accumulating dragon eggs, storing resources, and hoarding coins to be successful.

All in all, the game is fun, accessible, a delight to play, and great to look at! With so many dragons available, like Wingspan, you’ll want to play again and again to try and add them all to your collection.

Flamecraft

By: Cardboard Alchemy    Players: 1-65    Time: 60 minutes     Ages: 10+

Working with dragons to help townsfolk complete various jobs, Flamecraft is a charming worker placement and card management game with beautiful artwork, great theming, and well-balanced gameplay.

Played across a great-looking board representing a town, players adopt the role of ‘Flamekeeper’ and must place artisan dragons in the correct shop to help the townsfolk with their work. Using the cards from their deck, each turn players will either place dragons in a shop and gather items or enchant it. Players will gain goods, coins, and other dragons when visiting shops, the amount of which is based on the number of dragons or enchantments. Each action has a cost associated with it so players will have to alternate between the two tactfully, but they can ‘fire up’ dragons at locations to use that shops special ability and gain bonuses. Players can also earn game bonuses by fulfilling specific contracts and achieving goals. Players are also not allowed to visit the same shop two turns in a row, so must be careful with their choices. As players help shopkeepers they’ll gain positive reputation amongst the townsfolk, and whoever accumulates the most reputation points by the end of the game is declared the winner.

Flamecraft is a great-looking game with simple mechanics that anyone can play, and everyone should!

Everdell Worker Placement Game

By: Starling Games    Players: 1-4     Time: 40-80 minutes     Ages: 10+

An incredibly charming and aesthetically beautiful game, players try to develop a harmonious village full of whimsical woodland critters.

Everdell is a tableau building and worker placement game that immerses players in the natural world as they focus on developing the woodland town of Everdell. Each turn, players have a few choices to make which will have an impact on the flow of the game. Placing workers at various locations, events, and destinations will allow players to gather resources, draw cards, and take special actions. Players will have a tableau of up to fifteen construction and critter cards, all of which have very different effects. A player can place a card on their turn and will allow players to generate resources, grant abilities and score points. Players can also prepare for the next season. The game runs from one winter to another, and when players recall their workers this progresses the game on to the next season. Once the game reaches the second winter it signals the end of the, at which point the points between all players is tallied and whoever has the highest score wins.

Everdell is another game that looks great and plays really well. Though not heavy on rules, the game provides a fun strategic experience for all ages.

Cascadia Nature Theme

By: Flatout Games     Players: 1-4     Time: 30-45 minutes     Ages: 10+

Escape to the Pacific Northwest in this tile-laying, token-drafting game that’s excellent for both nature lovers and strategy game enthusiasts.

The aim of the game in Cascadia is to build your own wildlife habitat by populating it with a variety of wildlife. Players are given a selection of tiles to choose from, each depicting a different type of habitat. Players will pair these with wildlife tokens and place them next to tiles already in play. The goal is to try and create ‘corridors’ where the habitats match and create the longest path possible. The longer the connecting habitats the more points at the end of the game. Additionally, each wildlife token will have a set pattern players must try and make and will gain extra points if they’re able to achieve this. The game offers a simple concept and easy-to-learn rules, but has great levels of strategic depth. On top of that, no two games are ever alike. The random drawing of the tiles and tokens and having to pair them together as best as possible, results in not just players having to think on the fly, but each game is different, unique, and poses a new challenge.

An excellent game that takes minutes to learn but much longer to master, Cascadia is highly enjoyable and offers almost limitless replayability. It’s a perfect choice for game nights with friends and family.

Dinosaur Island

By: Pandasaurus Games     Players: 1-4     Time: 90-120 minutes     Ages: 8+                                                             

For anyone who has ever thought they’d do a better job than John Hammond at running Jurassic Park, Dinosaur Island is an excellent thematic game with lots of moving parts that offers a fun involving experience. 

Players have several tasks in Dinosaur Island: collect DNA, research the DNA sequences of extinct dinosaur species, and combine the ancient DAN in the correct sequence to bring these prehistoric beasts back to life. At the same time, the race is on to create the most thrilling amusement park possible and attract (and keep alive) the most visitors possible. The game offers plenty to do to keep players busy: from deciding what dinosaurs to resurrect, to making sure there’s a big enough enclosure for them. Not to mention hiring enough staff to keep the park secure and to heal up visitors should there be a breakout. Of course, if you want to avoid visitors being eaten you can focus on creating nothing but herbivores, even though it may not draw as many visitors. It’s all about balance and the decisions players make will have a big impact on how the game progresses.

An excellent game on all levels, from looks, to game mechanics, resources, and immersion, it’s easy to see why Dinosaur Island is a multi-game of the year award-winning game.

All of the above games are excellent in their own right but share lots of similarities and are great alternatives to Wingspan. If you’ve played any games that you think should have made the list we’d love to hear about them. 

Games with Similar Mechanics

If you enjoy the unique mechanics of Wingspan, you may also enjoy other games like Wingspan that share similar features. Here are a few examples:

Gizmos

Gizmos is a game that shares similarities with Wingspan’s engine-building mechanic. Players collect and build machines to score points, using a unique marble-based system to power their creations. Gizmos is a great option for players who enjoy building and optimizing their engines, and its unique mechanics make it a great addition to any game collection. The game’s vibrant components and engaging gameplay ensure that it’s a hit on any family game night.

Other games that share similarities with Wingspan’s mechanics include:

• Everdell: A worker placement game where players build a forest ecosystem, collecting and playing cards to score points. Its charming woodland critters and strategic depth make it a favorite game for many.

• Cascadia: A game where players build a map of the Pacific Northwest, collecting and placing cards to score points. Its nature theme and tile-laying mechanics offer a refreshing and strategic experience.

• Ark Nova: A game where players build a wildlife sanctuary, collecting and playing cards to score points. Its focus on conservation and resource management provides a unique twist on the engine-building genre.

These games offer similar gameplay mechanics to Wingspan, but with unique twists and themes. If you enjoy the engine-building, worker placement, and nature theme of Wingspan, you may find these games to be great additions to your game collection. Whether you’re looking to explore new ecosystems, build intricate machines, or manage a wildlife sanctuary, these games provide engaging gameplay and endless replayability.

FAQ about Games Like Wingspan