Wyrmspan

Why Wyrmspan.

Wyrmspan takes the shape everyone knows from Wingspan and moves it underground. You have three caves instead of three habitats, and before a dragon can move in you have to excavate the space with a cave card, which adds a step Wingspan never had: the board itself has to be built before the engine can run. Dragons cost coins and eggs and meat, the resources come from the same kind of row-triggered actions, and by the last round a well-built cave fires half a dozen effects every time you enter it.

What changes the feel is the adventurer. Each turn you send a small explorer along a cave row, and every card it passes triggers, so the order you place dragons in matters far more than it did with birds. The guild track adds a second race, a shared board where everyone pushes a marker for end-game points and small bonuses. There is more to plan and slightly more to teach, so it sits a notch above Wingspan in weight without becoming a heavy game.

It plays one to five, and the solo mode is a proper automa rather than a beat-your-score sheet. At five the ninety minutes stretch, so three or four is the sweet spot. If your table already likes Wingspan and wants the same rhythm with more decisions, this is the box. If Wingspan was already enough, it will feel like homework.

No paid placement. No sponsorship. We chose it on merit. The Amazon link funds the lights - if you'd rather buy direct from a local game store, find one via BoardGameGeek.