Hi all,
I am continuing my review of the Wingspan expansions. As an avid bird lover I am a huge fan of the Wingspan games!
Description:
Wingspan: Oceania expansion invites you to explore the mesmerizing world of Australia and New Zealand, renowned for their diverse ecosystems and unique wildlife. This expansion introduces over 90 new bird cards, each adorned with breathtaking illustrations that bring the avian inhabitants of Oceania to life. From the colorful Gouldian Finch to the elusive Kiwi, you’ll be captivated by the authenticity and vibrancy of the artwork.
Building upon the engaging gameplay of the base game, Wingspan: Oceania introduces new bird abilities and bonus cards that add depth and complexity to your strategic choices. With the inclusion of pelagic birds, which inhabit the open ocean, players must adapt their tactics to optimize their chances of success. This expansion offers exciting new challenges and opportunities, keeping you engaged and entertained with every playthrough.
Review:
Oceania is a bit a controversial expansion as it added a new set of boards for players to use. On the one hand, this is a welcome change as it makes food easier to obtain while also nerfing the egg-laying abilities of the grassland. Games with the older expansions can get a bit dull as the strategy is a little too optimized for buying big birds and just spamming eggs.
The other controversial addition is the introduction of nectar. Nectar is nice in that it gives you a way to win by focusing on forest birds which wasn’t available before (not easily anyway). The problem is hte dice give out nectar freely making it way too easy given its role as a wildcard. In my house, we typically only have two of the nectar die in the food tower to reduce its impact.
Aside from what to do about nectar and the boards, the game is quite solid. You do get a deal of power creep with some the newer birds, but this can be lessened by using all bird cards making them less common. While not essential in the way that the European or Asia expansions are, this expansions is still worth buying.
And remember, Frontline Gaming sells gaming products at a discount, every day in their webcart!
