Wingspan Pocket
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🐸 Una rana saggia sa quando dividere l’ordine… e quando aspettare il salto giusto.
Pairs well with
The FroGames card
You flip the card. On one side, food, on the other, a bird. You choose the row, activate powers, someone grumbles because you just stole their last seed. Thirty minutes and you're done.
WHAT IT IS ABOUT
Wingspan that fits in your pocket, but it's not a compromise
Elizabeth Hargrave took her bestseller and distilled it into a small box. No board, no wooden eggs, no growing engine. Just double-sided cards — food on one side, bird on the other — and a row activation system that maintains the feeling of building something as you play. The illustrations are by Ana Maria Martinez Jaramillo and Natalia Rojas, featuring birds from all over the world on 124 cards.
Each turn you activate ONE row. The cards in the row activate in sequence, from top to bottom. The powers are iconic: no text walls, just symbols. And there's a novelty: continuous green benefits, which remain active for the entire game. It's not classic Wingspan: it's a different game with the same DNA. Designed to be accessible to new players, but with enough choices to keep even those familiar with the original engaged.
What they say abroad
"Wingspan Pocket distills the Wingspan experience down to a lighter, shorter, card-driven game that has each player activate a single row of cards on each of their turns."
— Stonemaier Games
Icons replace text. The game flows faster, but the decisions still matter.
Icons replace text. The game flows faster, but the decisions still matter.
— FroGames
Wingspan Pocket
The solo mode is integrated into the basic rules, no automa needed. You play against objectives and fixed scores. The experience is complete: hand management, row activation, combo building. What you lose is the competitive drafting, but the structure holds up well.
FrogScore · FroGames editorial rating · based on rules, international reviews, and game sessionsWhat's in the box
Double-sided cards and iconic powers
Double-sided cards
Each card has two sides: food on one, bird on the other. You choose which side to keep visible and build your rows. No dice for food, no tray: everything is in the cards.
Iconic powers
Bird powers are represented by symbols, not text. You activate the row, read the icons from top to bottom, resolve the effects. Fast and clear.
Continuous green benefits
New category of powers. Once played, they remain active for the entire game. They don't just activate when you use that row: they always work. It changes how you build your tableau.
Birds from all over the world
124 different species. They are not compatible with the original Wingspan cards, but they cover various habitats and continents. Every game you see new birds.
Recommended sleeves 138 cards in 3 sizes ▼
If you play often, we recommend protecting the cards with transparent sleeves to make them last a long time.
| Size | Quantity |
|---|---|
| 57 × 87 mm | 124 |
| 44 × 67 mm | 9 |
| 80 × 120 mm | 5 |
| Total cards | 138 |
Come si gioca
Video dimostrativo di gameplay.
🎲How to playThe rules in four steps▼
How to play
The flow of each round
Each turn you activate ONE row. The cards in the row resolve in sequence. Then you pass to the next player.
You have three rows in front of you (or fewer, if you've just started). Choose which one to activate. Each row has different cards, with different powers. The choice depends on what you need now: food, cards, or playing new birds.
Read the card icons in the row, starting from the first. Each power resolves: you draw cards, get food, play birds. Continuous green powers do not activate here: they always work passively.
If you have activated the correct row and have enough resources, you can play new cards. Choose whether to place them with the food side or the bird side visible. Each card added to the row makes it more powerful for subsequent turns.
Once your turn is over, it's others' turn. They do the same: choose a row, activate powers, play cards. The game flows quickly. No long downtime: when it's not your turn, you observe what others are building and plan your next move.
⏱️Your first gameThe chronicle, moment by moment▼
A game in five moments
What happens at the table
Not the rules. The experience.
Build the first rows
You have five cards in hand. Choose whether to play the food side or the bird side. The first rows are empty: each card you play is a new power you can activate in subsequent turns. Everyone builds in silence, trying to figure out which row to develop first.
Powers start to combine
You activate a row. Cards resolve from top to bottom. One bird lets you draw, the next gives you food, the last allows you to play another card. Combos start to emerge, and someone grumbles because they don't have enough food to play the bird they wanted.
Green powers change everything
You play a bird with a continuous green benefit. From now on, every time someone takes a certain action, you also get something. Green powers accumulate: you don't have to activate them, they always work. Those with more start to grind resources.
Drafting under pressure
The best cards are on the table, but you don't have enough food to play them. Someone snatches one from you. You decide whether to activate the food row to regain resources or force another play. Timing matters: every turn lost is a turn you don't build.
Endgame and scoring
The last card is played. You count points: birds, objectives, special powers. Whoever built the most efficient rows wins. The game lasted half an hour, but you feel like you've played something complete.
🐸Before you playThree honest things, from friends▼
Before you play
Three things you need to know
It's not a scaled-down Wingspan
If you're expecting the original experience in a compact version, you'll be disappointed. Wingspan Pocket is a different game: no exponentially growing engines, no eggs, no food tray. Same setting, new mechanics. Consider it a spin-off, not a travel version of the original.
The icons require a minute of adjustment
All powers are iconic: no text on the cards. For those used to classic Wingspan, it takes a moment to translate the symbols. After two turns, it flows smoothly, but in the first game, someone will ask "what does this icon do?". The manual has a clear legend.
Not compatible with base Wingspan
Wingspan Pocket cards are not mixed with those from Wingspan or its expansions. They are designed for a different system. If you're looking for additional content for the original game, this is not for you. It's standalone: it only works by itself.
🏆Victory and defeatWhat the end rewards▼
How it ends
How to win
The game ends when you run out of the deck or reach a certain number of turns. Then you count your points.
Victory
- Points from birds played (value printed on cards)
- Points from completed public objectives
- Points from special powers of some birds
Mistakes that cost points
- Playing cards without using their powers: you waste turns
- Ignoring drafting: you leave the best cards to others
- Not balancing rows: one dominant row is not enough, variety is needed
Wingspan Pocket is the perfect game for those who want to carry something complete without sacrificing interesting decisions. Half an hour, a hand of cards, beautiful birds.
💬Frequently asked questionsQuick answers before checkout▼
Frequently asked questions
Wingspan Pocket FAQ
What mechanics does Wingspan Pocket use?
Hand management (you manage a hand of double-sided cards) and open drafting (you choose cards from a common pool). Bird powers activate when you activate the corresponding row. There is no dice rolling, no worker placement: it's all card-based.
Is it really different from classic Wingspan?
Yes. Wingspan Pocket is not Wingspan in a small box. It's a new game, with the same theme but different mechanics. No board, no eggs, no food tray. Just double-sided cards and row activation. If you love the growing engines of the original, that kind of depth isn't here.
Does it work well solo?
Yes. Solo play is integrated into the basic rules, without the need for an automa or bot decks. You play against fixed objectives and scores. Hand management and combos remain interesting. What you lose is the drafting competition, but the structure holds up.
Can I mix the cards with base Wingspan?
No. Wingspan Pocket cards are not compatible with those from Wingspan or its expansions. They are designed for a different system (double-sided cards, iconic powers). It's a standalone game: it only works by itself.
Is it available in Italian?
This edition is in English. The powers are represented by icons, so language dependence is low. The manual is in English, but once you learn the icons, the game is quickly explained.
The people behind the game
Who invented it, who designed it, who publishes it — and what else they've done.
Wingspan Pocket is a card game for 1-5 players, ages 8+, lasting 25-35 minutes. Designed by Elizabeth Hargrave, published by Stonemaier Games. It uses hand management and open drafting: cards are double-sided (food/bird), powers are iconic, and continuous green benefits remain active throughout the game. It is not a reduced version of classic Wingspan: it's a standalone game with new mechanics, same naturalistic setting. Available on FroGames.it.
Wingspan Pocket
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers you're looking for, no beating around the bush.
📸Do the images match the actual product?
The photos on the website often come from BoardGameGeek and are intended to give you an idea of the game. They may vary slightly from the version you receive. The content declared by the publisher is always binding.
📦Does the content of the box match what is indicated?
We always strive to provide the correct content, but minor variations are possible due to reprints or updates. The information comes directly from the publishers. If you have any questions, please contact us!
⏳How do pre-orders work?
Pre-order the game before release, payment is immediate, and the game is reserved for you. As soon as it arrives, we'll ship it right away! If there are any delays, we'll update you promptly.
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