Is Wingspan Pocket Worth It?

It is hard for us to have more than 30 minutes during the week to get a game to the table, so I was thrilled to learn about Wingspan Pocket. The game is advertised as a streamlined version of Wingspan, a birding game that has sold over a 2.5 million copies, that can play in 30 minutes. We have played it; we will let you know if it really plays in 30 minutes, if it is good for both new and experienced players to Wingspan, and finally if is it worth it if you already have Wingspan.

What Is Wingspan Pocket?

Wingspan Pocket is a smaller, card-based take on Wingspan, the best-selling bird-collecting game by Elizabeth Hargrave. Just like in the original, you attract birds, gather food, and lay adorable little eggs.

Each bird you play gives you a bonus. As your row of birds grows, those bonuses stack up and trigger every turn, building a little engine (a set of combos that pays off more and more as the game goes on). In Pocket, you only have one row to manage instead of three separate habits. You keep adding and triggering your birds until someone plays their last bird, and then the highest score wins.

Where Wingspan Pocket Soars

A simpler player area. In the original, you manage three habitats. Here, you build a single row of birds, so there are fewer decisions each turn.
Fewer moving parts. There are no dice or food tokens to grab. Food is printed on the backs of the cards themselves, which is such a simple and clever idea.
Icons instead of text. Most bird powers are simple icons. You learn them in the first few turns, and then you never need the cheat sheet again.
Faster turns. Each turn, you activate your row of birds from left to right, so turns move quickly and there’s very little waiting. Even with five players, a game finishes in under 30 minutes.
Good Tension. The tension of trying to get the right food, or your favorite bird, is even more present in Wingspan Pocket since the game is so quick.

Absolutely. If you like Wingspan or have been curious to try it, Wingspan Pocket is a perfect fit for just about everyone. We love that we can get Wingspan to the table quickly on a weeknight and still have that same fun experience. And for first-time players, it’s a great preview of what to expect from the bigger game.

One note, while it is called Wingspan Pocket, you will still need table space to lay out your row of birds. This is not a game that could be played on an airplane tray table. However, it is definitely easier to travel with than our version with a custom insert.

This game is exactly what I want in an “express” game, and it might be the best one on the market right now. At about $20, it’s an absolute steal and a perfect way to introduce modern board games to anyone who’s been curious. Our whole family loved it, whether we had played the original Wingspan or not. You get the same great gameplay at a quicker pace, with simpler decisions. That way we are giving this game our Tabletop Family Top Choice!

You can find it online at Target, Amazon, or Stonemaier Website