I like games, but I hardly ever play them. I've been ridiculously busy with work for a few years now so it's hard to find the time, and I'm still being very cautious about COVID so I don't spend time with friends, so I mostly sneak in an occasional game of Freecell and do a crossword puzzle every so often and that's about it.
But a few years ago I read about Stonemaier Games on MetaFilter - there was a post about Apiary, and a few comments mentioned how great Wingspan is. When I clicked through to learn more, I was amazed by the sheer beauty of the game's artwork.
And the more I read, the more I loved it, starting with the description of the game:
You are bird enthusiasts—researchers, bird watchers, ornithologists, and collectors—seeking to discover and attract the best birds to your network of wildlife preserves.
They offer excellent links that helped me learn more, like an in-depth review at PC Gamer and the detailed Wingspan page at Board Game Geek.
They highlight contributions from their enthusiastic players, featuring a wonderful collection of fan creations, from additional hummingbird cards for the game to quick-reference user guides.
Revisiting the page this year, I found myself appreciating their thoughtful comments about the American Ornithological Society's changes to the official names of birds and how that would affect the game.
I love to see beautiful work created by people who love what they're doing and enjoy making games for others to share and enjoy, and I was very glad to come across Wingspan. I hope someday when I'm able to find time for learning new games, I'll get a chance to try out this lovely project.
Image: print of swallows by Ohara Koson, thanks to the generous Rijksmuseum