Wingspan Asia - Expansion Review - Beyond The Base Game
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- čas přidán 16. 06. 2024
- Wingspan Asia - Expansion Review - Beyond The Base Game
In this third expansion to Wingspan, we welcome new species to our habitats by exploring the vibrant, intriguing, and magnificent birds of Asia. These birds were chosen from the over 2,800 species that live in Asia.
Wingspan Asia is several different things: A stand-alone game for 1 player or 2 players (Duet mode that can be used with any bird/bonus cards), a card expansion to the original Wingspan (any bird/bonus cards across any Wingspan game or expansion can be combined), and a 6-7 player expansion via the new Flock mode (for which the player components from the core game are necessary).
..............oh dear............
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Who Am I?
One single batchelor from the UK talking about his passion for board games and the people who play them! I support small content creators, board game cafes and go against the status quo when it comes to the board game industry. I give my honest opinions without bias towards any publishers or designers and will not hold back if I don't like a game.
The Broken Meeple is a variety channel that hosts all kinds of board game content from reviews to Top 10 lists to playthroughs to live stream collaborations with special guests (predominantly small channels who deserve more exposure).
I look forward to engaging with you, the community on my live streams or in the comments on my videos!
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Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction and KIENDA Promo
01:00 - Background
02:37 - Standalone Expansion with More Birds
04:50 - Duet Mode
09:20 - Quick Start Guides
11:27 - Flock Mode (WHO WANTED THIS?!)
18:17 - Summary and Verdict
#brokenmeeple #wingspan #asia #wingspanasia #stonemaiergames #boardgames #boardgame #lukehector #supportsmallcreators #tabletop #tabletopgames #bgg #boardgamer #boardgamereview
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Really nice review, Luke. Thing about Wingspan is that it has such a fierce and loyal fan base, that at this point Stonemeier could release a new expansion just with dice or just with wooden cubes and everyone would go crazy about it.
Yeah pretty much! And without reviewers willing to point out the issues, we'll just eat it up.
Note to Stonemaier: Wingspan Asia card pack expansion is a must.
The way the product is packaged now I have no interest whatsoever in owning it.
Thanks Luke, another down to earth, brass tacks review. Much appreciated.
You're welcome! Here to point the truth out!
I always love you showing Tom's money-grab-gun. Hilarious! And soo true here and with the big storing box. Love that video as well. More bird cards are also all I need, want them all! The yin and yang tokens are not even played into each other. Though one could house-rule this and just play it in an interlocking way, which would on the other hand take away the competition for the particular spot. And that might not be good either. I will test this out when I get my pre-ordered copy. Thanks for the review.
I do love that meme, thankfully I don't think he's noticed 🤣
I bought this game as a stand-alone for the duet mode. I love it. Will play my base game at 3+ but never again at 2 and less player count. Can’t wait to try flock mode. we are a big gaming group and dont love party game. For me it is not really an extension though, it was really for the stand-alone part. I wont mixte the 2 games so Im glad the box contains everything I need to play it 😊
OMG, this is the kind of review I wanted to see!
Thank you! Telling the truth about all games!
I played a single 6 player game with two sets once. It was long. I wouldn’t say it was awful and we still had a nice evening , but I’d not be that keen to do it again and would suggest playing something else, or having two simultaneous three player games. I think I like base Wingspan best at two players personally
My friends and I are in our 50s. We are long time board game players and we are usually 5. We used to be playing original Risiko 30+ years ago...and it was a great game for the time so we were not afraid of long games.... Occasionally some of our sons (in their 20s) joins us for a game or 2 so we happen to be even 6 sometimes. That drastically reduces our game choice since most of the games aren't designed to be played in more than 4 people. You can easily count them: Everdell, Barrage , Pillars of Earth (all with expansions), Terraforming Mars ... and a few more lighter ones (Sagrada, What a wonderful World).
Wingspan is one of them and is one of our favorites on the light side of the moon so i welcome the new 2 boards and the flock mode variant which would probably shorten a 6 players game compared to a regular 5 players game (which is our standard).
I agree that the price is over the content this expansion brings but more cards and more eggs are always welcome.
I don't personally care for duet mode at all (I don't think wingspan has its sweet spot in 2, but that is just my opinion) but I love that they put 2 new mats in the box.
All in all I think Asia is an ok expansion, probably more expensive that it should be, but I'm gonna get it mostly for the new mats and for the cards.
Wingspan has always been best at 2 so leaning more into that is a great idea
Except most people already own Wingspan who love it and I still enjoy it at 3-4 players. The Duet mode is barely a variant which is my main issue - a big cost for essentially a rules tweak or two.
I am about to begin my board game collection to play with a family member and having to buy Wingspan + Oceania + European to get the different kinds of bird powers was a bit too much for me - I could buy 2-3 different games instead.
Wingspan: Asia sounds perfect to us. Starting my collection with it would allow us to properly play, and cheaply test the game with all the different bird color powers, duet mode, and would likely be a much better, and more advanced experience than base Wingspan. Eventually, we could get Oceania for the Nectar's more balanced boards. And eventually, maybe we will add European without the need to even bother with base Wingspan unless we are expecting guests to join us.
I know that I am in a niche but based on the Wingspan blog posts it seems that my niche is what they were going for: A cheap, diverse Wingspan introduction for a couple or any two people who want to play together. I don't know how the Flock mode would work for us - what you mentioned does sound a bit complex. Hopefully you find it possible to have a fun experience with it somewhere down the road.
I am excited about the future too - it would be very exciting if one of the future expansions includes a coop mode.
If you fit the niche, then great. And if just for you and 1 other, then this expansion would work for you. Cheap is not the word I'd use though. You can buy Wingspan for a decent price these days and this expansion isn't far off that price. But go for it if it's better for you.
Yep, Luke, I would be happy with just a pack of cards. The two player version, they should have packaged it as stand alone just like Splendor Duel. I will still buy the expansion as I want the birds, but a price tag of 49 euro in the Netherlands is quite steep.
That's ridiculous pricing.
My 2 cents: I think it is actually fine that they added the duet mode with dice and such. Sure if you own everything else (like I do) you don't need the extras. But as wingspan is a game that already has a lot of expansions so the entry seems kinda expensive. So for people wanting to dip they feet into wingspan this is a great intro. Also I think duet mode is actually nicely done with the new round ends and the little map that gives you boni on some of the fields. Changed somewhat the dynamic since you can get stuff like free eggs.
It would be awesome though if they were to release the cards in the same style as the europe expansion. Since they gotta print that money I get why they did it that way. So all in all it feels like a net neutral as the duet stand alone is nicely done and feels good but being "forced" to get it too leaves a bitter taste.
Always appreciate your honest opinions, Luke! I love Wingspan and almost always play at 2P. We did not like the wild nectar addition that Oceania brought (we felt it made the game easier and inflated the scoring) so we don't use that. I easily resisted the giant nesting box and am not convinced that the duet inclusion is worth it. My thoughts are as you suggest: if I can get this at a good discount it'll be worth it for the beautiful new cards. Wingspan with both expansions already has tons of cards, and at 2P we don't see *that* many per game.
I'm cool with the nectar as I like being able to play more birds, but mainly it's the more balanced boards that Oceania brought in that make me use nectar. Easier to get food/cards but less spammy for eggs.
Jamey Stegmaier said that they included Flock mode because of the two new player colors. They figured people would end up playing with 7 people on their own, & he preferred to include an official mode.
Then let them create their own fan mode for the five people who are likely to use it. Most don't want to spend the money on an official version.
@@TheBrokenMeeple very fair point. I wonder how much it actually cost though. The components are basically zero - just the cardboard dials - but maybe they charged for the design time? Extra rulebook pages? That would be a really interesting breakdown.
I’m pretty happy about it. I have 5 siblings and it’s the only game everyone likes. every Christmas for the last 3 years one person has to sit out so rough edges aside I’m excited for it.
I believe that this can be a plus. We often have trouble playing games with 6-7 people so having this option is an extra
I played wingspan with 6 players (my family) because we always play games together rather than splitting into smaller player counts. We used one of the rubber mats for 6th player and one person used action cubes - we had upgraded pieces for everyone else.... It wasn't bad, but it was a long game. I wasn't exactly asking for a 6 player mode, but I can see why some groups would like to have an option for this
But so few groups though, certainly not to warrant most of us paying for it.
I think Luke has insider knowledge and the bat is eluding to Wingspan: flying mammals expansion 😉
Wingspan Bats Mode
@@TheBrokenMeeple OMG, I want those cards!!!
Aw, baby skeksis! Don't look half bad as younglings 😊 Hope you didn't scare Fizzgig with that graphic 😜 (BTW, where was the little rapscallion? I didn't see him☹️) Anyway, you knocked it out of the park again. This video was SUPER helpful.
Thank you!! And yeah he's up on the shelf but yes I need him up front more often!
I play Wingspan on Steam and Asia will be the first physical copy of it I'm buying. I usually play games 2 player or solo.
The base game is much better value for the price, even if you only play with 2.
Another great, honest review Luke. As someone coming to Wingspan late, to someone who would be considered a veteran, what would consider to be the essential WIngspan expansion?
For the most part more birds is nice, there isn't one I say would be "essential", but Oceania is probably the best of the lot. But it does change the a game a bit from the norm. The nectar wild resource enables more plays of big birds, but those new boards are definitely worth it as they do balance the 3 rows out.
@@TheBrokenMeeple thanks Luke, keep up the good work.
My group normally plays 8 with some house rules so I'm sad Jamie didn't give me any love with an official 8 player mode
Luke, couldn’t see your review on other wingspan expansions…will you have a suggestion what order should I get the expansions given I love the base game?
Haven't done videos on them - Oceania I never did one and European is just a bunch more cards. Asia can certainly be gotten last. European is great and easy if you just want more cards. Oceania however I do think is a solid first one to get because of the new boards/nectar. The nectar makes it easier to play bigger birds and the revised boards are more balanced to boost up food collecting and diminish egg spam.
Great thanks so much for replying!
And happy new year!!
well, i've got the 300rd Thumb up !
And that's all i wanted to say !
i just feel like a Spartan now !
Cheers !
Wow I got 300 likes on this? Crazy!
Hey, fellow carrot cruncher!!
I only own this game in the wingspan collection and I like it! So much so I want to add an expansion to this version. Which one would you recommend and compliment this expansion better, Europe or Oceania?
Thanks.
Adding to Asia? Both can work. Oceania changes the player boards and balances them a bit better while also adding the Nectar mechanic. For simplicity, Europe literally just adds more birds.
So, Luke, what you're saying is that Flock Mode is a massive cluster-flock? I'll see myself out. 😁
Ha ha 🤣
The flock mode looks like a nice idea with some House rules. Just take the two players the turn at the same time, and bird effects work just like you are 4 or 5 people, if its someone tuck a card under a bird you get that, you get it, easy. Now, need to have rules and everything to do more experiments, but I do see like a viable option to have a 6 game that is as fast as a 3 with the fock mode. But need to get more deep into it. Now I don´t have Wingspan, play a lot of it in Tabletop simulator, so really want to go in, now, the Asia Expansion is in less than 30 dollars were I live and the base game in 60+ dollars, so I´m very tempted to just go Asia to start, maybe the expansions at a lower price like Oceanic and try to get the base game at a sale, but hasn´t happen in 4 years. Why Asia? because I normally just play as 2, so is very tempting.
As a newcomer to the Wingspan game, I literally just bought it yesterday and started looking at it more the day I wrote this comment, I love and appreciate this review and I am sitting here with one eyebrow raised trying to figure out what is going on with SM/WS. The phrase "Keep it simple" comes to mind.
I love the idea of the game, the theme, even the birds from the different continents, even though that feels a little overwhelming a little, but it still is awesome. But I can't fathom the HUGE nestimg box and now all these new "modes" coming out. As an avid gamer I love expansions, but I also value great storage boxes to combine everything from one game into a compact box. They literally can take their boards and make it two sides, one side is the base game board while the second side is the Oceania game board. Then just flip the boards depending on what version you are playing. This would help with storage. I couldn't imagine them having to make more boards for any more games. Then for all the continents, just put out new boxes with the new birds and tokens and eggs needed as they did in the European box. If they needed to add new trackers, or score pads, or something along that line they can easily add those to the snaller boxes. As for the nesting box, it's horrendous to me. Huge, bulky, way too pricey, and inefficient.
They need to look at Slugfest Games "Red Dragon Inn Character Trove" and how they do their storage. It's one of the best storage bins I own and contains everything beautifully and fits perfectly on my Kallax shelf hahahaha, and yes the card dividers can be read above the cards in the box appropriately as they should as well hahaha. Then you can easily sort out each continent and have them easily marked on the card which set is which so you can easily add in what you want while you play. I even look at the bird house dice tower, and even though I love it as it adds to the theme, it takes so much room in the box, and I can easily use a dice tray that can be passed around. Sometimes game companies get too gimmicky and they can end up losing people because they try to do too much.
They've run out of Wingspan ideas trying to do every continent and now they can't undo it. But really just more birds and I'd be happy!
On the double sided boards... they have done this with their natural rubber upgrades. I learnt about Wingspan this weekend and have ordered all the expansions. But based on review like this I'll just use the cards. The things that would make the game better are component upgrades. Replacing the food with handmade and painted polymer clay, replacing the cubes with painted bird meeples, a painted timber dice tower, fake nests for holding things, glass eggs, rubber mats, etc.
I'd quite like an expansion with extinct birds too, moa, dodos, Haast's Eagle, huia, archaeopteryx, pterosaurs.
I'm glad to see that this doesn't change the game much. I hate when expansions change the core game too much. I have no interest in flock mode, but the rest looks interesting.
How many bird cards come with the Asia game? I don't have Wingspan and my husband hates the game, so I was thinking of getting Asia for the solo play. Will I get sick of it, or are there enough cards to keep me busy for awhile?
It was meant to be potentially standalone for 1-2 player only so there's a decent amount but not enough IMO to be a full fledged game by itself.
I believe quick start mode is included as standard in the Wingspan Base game nowadays... so it hasnt even got that going for it exclusively...
Really? Even more a waste then!!
This is getting to be a shark jump for Wingspan. A minor tweak for 2 players when the base game is already fine at that count. A high player variant for a game that starts to get clunky with 4 players. Some more cards - which are fine, I guess, but there’s already a shedload of cards to play with.
And that new big storage box - that’d make me less inclined to pull the game off the shelf and get it played.
100%. If you want to play with more than 4, just play two copies at the same time. I hate the fact that I had to pay extra money for useless dice, namely extra dice without the nectar icons. I already have a useless set of regular dice, now I have two. Like you said, the duet mode is fine.. but I was perfectly OK with Wingspan at 2P.. I didn't think I needed anything. With that being said, I do prefer duet to regular 2P. However, I also would rather have just gotten just the cards as well. Everything about this expansion and especially the nesting box.. felt like a rushed cash grab.
A business man rather than a gamer.
Never going to touch flock mode! I'm like you, not keen on playing at five even. I could see us using the duet mode tho. Mostly got this of the new cards...and ofc, it came in the nesting box 😅
Which in itself was a waste of cash. I've gone back to the original box with Folded Space insert - works just fine for all usable content.
@@TheBrokenMeeple Perhaps, I do have some custom made stuff that won't fit the OG box
Also I'd buy this set so I can have two boards that are Oceania flexible/double-sided.
Now I just need to hunt down 2 more
I did keep those two boards.
Was interested bc me and my wife always play 2p, but the new 2p game looks disappointing. But damn, I want those Asia birds!
BTW, baby skesis😆, can't wait to show my wife (she's a total Dark Crystal nerd)
Ha ha now that's a wife for keeps!
Thanks for the honest review, all others were kind of copy paste 😀
I (new to wingspan) personally liked the asia more than the base but I also bought the base for more bird variety and the occasional 3+ player games.
Other reviews were just frankly misleading. Fans of SM especially just forgiving everything that's wrong with the expansion and nesting box.
I can't understand the logic that went behind the Asia expansion. At a time when the cost of living is going up and with high shipping costs, this expansion doesn't make sense.
The 6-7 player flock mode seems more of a niche thing, the majority of players will probably never play it
The Duet mode might be ok, but Wingspan works perfectly at 2 players anyway so why was another 2 player variant needed (which should have been called duel as duet implies coop).
I think most people would have been just happy with more bird cards and it would have kept the costs down. If needed the Flock mode and duet could have been sold as mini-expansions, that way anybody that wanted the 2 player or 6-7 player mode could get that mini-expansion. This way some of us wouldn't have to spend more money on components that will never get used.
late to seeing this and just got into setting up my wingspan collection. I decided to just get the vision friendly bird pack of asia for just 15 bucks.
I wish I wouldn’t have bought the big box . I could already fit the base game and expansions in main box . Then I could keep Asian expansion for travel . Now I have that giant box
You and me both. I have all usuable content in the original box still - who wants a 6th/7th board?!
I bought the Asia expansion for two reasons: 1) I wanted the new cards for those occasions on which I play Wingspan three-player and want to play with the base game and an expansion or two and 2) because when I play Wingspan it is primarily as a 2-player game and I wanted the option that the Duet mode offers. I have absolutely no interest at all in playing at higher player counts (which I never have anyway!)
I like Wingspan at 2-4 players as you say, but for the Duet mode to simply be a rules variant, paying this much money for it seems like a cash grab.
@@TheBrokenMeeple Agreed.
Yup make like a shepherd and get the flock out of here. I don’t own wingspan though I like it a lot, and I’ve only played it a few times, but the one time we played with six people and flocks it was a nightmare of looking stuff up.
Re Rails and Sails: the great lakes side, popular here where we are on the map in New York, is better than the world side because it doesn’t have those damned four-part punishment tickets. You do have to add our house rule to make it enjoyable, which is that any five random cards counts as a non--anchor locomotive. Otherwise it is impossible to make certain tickets because everyone’s hands are stuffed with the cards you need
House rule sounds like it works! Quite a big change.
I went the way of Empires of the North instead of this, because of theme, but I could be more interested in Wingspan had they published redesigned dinosaur stand alone.
Omg yes. I am a dinosaur person, not a bird person! 🤣
@@msdebruin. but (biologically speaking) birds ARE dinosaurs 🙃😂
@@danielfryer9693 I am disgusted by feathers and their feet. Maybe my dino love wouldn't last very long when I see the real deal. 🤣
I like that duet gives you another variant for 2 players, but YES, flock mode seems like a big joke. Who is going to play Wingspan like that? 👀
Barely the odd madman! And yet we have to buy it because MONEY MONEY MONEY!!!
Fun fact half of the birds also breed in Europe. And also live around me.
It’s funny man. This is one of the best selling games of all time and it’s a family game. So yeah, 6-7 players makes sense.
Also simultaneous play will move quicker
6-7, how big is your immediate family? 😁
@@TheBrokenMeeple Many people play games in larger groups just among friends hence why DND is a thing. My friend group is always choosing between DND and boardgames. More often than not there's 5+ of us wanting to play something. Flock mode makes wingspan more of an option.
Why would someone not be interested in the duet mode? You can play it solo, you can play it with two.. that's perfect. How often don't you come across a game that says 2-4 players, but actually sucks with two players?
Wingspan original didn't suck with 2 players though - this new mode isn't necessary.
Now we know the reason for Putin's table. Who would have thought that he loved Wingspan
You are thinking lile a pro-hobby boardgamer. This game has sold more copies to non-hobby boardgamers. I expect the 6-7 expansion is more for them. And played on a normal 6-8 person dining room table.
I don't see non hobby players managing to grasp and handle a 7 player game like this.
Thank you for your honest opinion. The only thing I'm interested in is the pack of cards. It means I will not buy Wingspan Asia.
I totally agree
With the people I play with, it doesn’t matter the game: it’s taking 90 minutes to 2 hours. If you get this one in 60, I envy you and your group. When I find quick players, I hold on and don’t let go. Case in point: I played Verdant Saturday with a group and it took 90 minutes. And it wasn’t because of me. 😂
With that said, I really liked the European expansion but didn’t care for Oceania. So this one might be a pass.
With 3P, 60-75 isn't unreasonable. With 4 it's harder, but I usually only play 4 with those I know who love the game as well, so we tend to go at a decent pace to get it done in 60-90 without fail. Certainly 2 hours is too long I agree.
Have you told Jamey yet, what you want for Christmas?🙄
Lol ever since the Pendulum review I've only ever gotten coal 😜
I wish Wingspan maxed out at 4 players, as whenever I want to play it with my group it inevitably turns into a 2+ hour 5p game so I don't even bother playing it with them anymore. I think it reduced my enjoyment of the game a decent bit initially as I have been liking it a lot more in-person with 2 or on BGA with 3.
Agree this is a weird expansion and with an odd mix of design decisions. I just wanted more birds. The duet mode is cool but not enough of a differentiation from the standard mode. While they didn't really do anything egregious, it feels like they really dropped the ball with both this expansion and the nesting box. And I think I’m done buying any future Wingspan expansions unless they’re the cheaper “more stuff” variety, and even then I'm not sure.
Wingspan should always cap at four agreed!
I have cooled on Wingspan and more birds. It was novel and a hit when it came out, ( slightly overrated ) winning award after award. But now I feel we are beating that bird to death ( so to speak ) Flock mode? When does the futuristic On Mars Birds come out?
Almost the same price as base game with a tacked on Flock mode (thats heavily pushed on the cover! ) and the ability to buy just the Asia cards in a year for 25$? Sounds like theyre almost out of ideas and are milking it.
Oh hands down!!
I actually think Terraforming Mars Ares Expedition is better than Wingspan... Play within an hour for 4 players. The decision is more engaging as well.
Never seen Ares in < 1 hour, either that or it feels like 2.
Just the cards please.... No more boxes
If only they would listen!
They ahould have just done cards
But then money money money, and then money.
I had this on preorder but cancelled it after watching this video. I enjoy Wingspan but the only thing I really want now are the new cards. Everything else you listed, I’m not interested in. So going to take a pass this time.
Glad I saved you money!
Totally agree. At the end of the day we always come back to the base game. I just want new bird cards and more of other things and not new concepts. Maybe some new twists that work with the base game.
BUT THE THING I HATE THE MOST about this expansion is that we don't get another birdhouse but just a piece of cardboard for food. Like whaaattt??? Sooo dissapointing.
I do like what Oceania did to balance out the player boards and eggs as a strategy though.
Asier
I have a friend who is allergic to splitting into smaller play groups no matter what. So he would refuse to split 7 players into a 3 and 4. So I can see him wanting to play flock mode.
Personally I would never play wingspan at even 4 again. Horrible soloitare game
If ever a game deserved to be on an overrated games list here it is, and such an average game to be in a box of the size i.e the nesting box, what a complete waste of space! but then again Catan is on the Shelf!
I'll always love Wingspan, just not the business decisions surrounding it!
Wingspan is the most overrated game of all time.
To each their own with any game, but I don't get the abundance of hate for Wingspan compared to other titles on BGG, but I can only gauge that because BGG is dominated by heavy gamers, the likes of a light game is seen to not be worthy of inclusion. Yet for some reason having two copies of the exact same game in the Top 10 that have BOTH been replaced by a digital app now is fine?