Revisiting a Very Loud Crowd and Clever Puzzle in Songbirds
Fill the forest with adorable birds of different types to collect berries and find out who can sing the loudest in Songbirds.
Thank goodness for being reminded of great solo games! I’ve seen Songbirds come up in some recent posts, which finally encouraged me to bring it back to my table… Last played almost 3 years ago?! These birds deserve better. Ha! I was excited to dive back into this calm but challenging sort of puzzle, featuring a very memorable bird card!
Game Overview
Game Name: Songbirds
Publication Year: 2016
Designer: ゆお (Yuo)
Artist: ことり寧子 (Kotori Neiko) and Claire Donaldson
Publisher: Daily Magic Games
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
Starting from a set pattern in the forest, birds are added to fill in a complete 5×5 grid. Berries are awarded to the loudest type of bird in each row or column, and the idea is to choose the loudest bird partway through… But this is quite the challenge, as these little birds know how to sing!
First Play
December 11, 2018
Complexity
2
Latest Play
February 24, 2024
Expansions
1
Setup Time
Almost None
Lifetime Plays
46
Play Time
10 Minutes
High Score
68
Game Area
20" x 28"
Low Score
-46
Familiar and Cozy Art
Although it’s been a long time since I last played, all of the artwork has remained memorable over the years. Laying out the cards was like revisiting old friends!
The extra white space and focus on the bare necessities helps maintain a very breezy sort of atmosphere.
I also always play with the promo cards now, which feature a pair of unique birds with neat abilities.
Creating a full grid is harder than it sounds! The idea is to make sure one type of bird gathers most of the berry tokens, leading to plenty of thoughtful placement choices.
The Owl and Shrike
The base game is absolutely fully functional and fun without the promo cards, but I’ve found that these add a lot more to the experience than merely 2 extra cards.
First, they’re shuffled into the deck, which means fewer standard songbirds might show up. This is subtle, yet it has a major impact on gameplay and draw chances.
Second, each provides a special ability that can be extremely powerful when used at the right moment.
Third, the owl can appear during setup. Its ability isn’t used, but its presence vastly changes a row and column.
Betting on Cuteness
Now, the best option here is to pay careful attention to the grid and figure out which type of bird is going to be the one to earn the most berry tokens. However…
I have a severe weakness for the little white bird that’s hanging upside down! So I probably make poor decisions in the name of cuteness. Absolutely a valid strategy. Ha!
There was a lot more to the puzzle than I remembered. My first plays were a little rough. Where was the big picture?
But it all started to come together as I worked on making some bird types cancel each other out, which was cool!
Filling In the Spaces
I never manage to arrange the initial X-shaped grid to account for the needed space, which continues to make me laugh. You’d think I could get it right… Always off!
The end result is worth it, though. Watching the rows and columns fill up keeps the puzzle moving along, and those last few card placements can be rather tricky.
Having the owl available made me think very carefully about some decisions and how I might re-use a card.
But it was still very much up to chance, as not every card was used. In this play, the shrike was off taking a nap!
Finding the Amusement in Games of Years Past
My initial reaction when I realize I haven’t played a particular game in years is often one of shock… But that’s become less lately. I see a lot of game boxes all the time with the size of my collection! And for a lot of games, that means I can enjoy some quick memories without worrying about how to play 100-200 games in a short span of time.
Would I love to be able to play all of the games I own each year? It certainly would be neat! Realistically, though, I treat it as a situation where I’ll play what I can, when I can. No pressure on myself. It’s all about trying out new arrivals, returning to my favorites, and rediscovering those that have had a nice, long rest on the shelves. Ha ha!
Less Components
The included cards for gathering berry tokens work well enough, but I picked up a little tip to use the rulebook or box top as a central location. Much easier to contain!
My plays often involve using the 1-value or 2-value card of the chosen bird color, which means that it won’t be placed in the grid. Another clever decision point to make.
Essentially, this means that the other bird types will have 7 cards in play, or one more than the chosen bird type.
Keeping in mind that not all of the cards will come out, the final rounds come down to probability and safer choices.
The Best Card
I’ve mentioned how some of my favorite games I’ve played over many years can often be represented by a single component full of memories and stories.
No question here: It’s this little bird! Whenever the card comes out, I smile. A mid-value card is often one of the trickiest ones to figure out how to use, too.
Have I made vital decisions centered around this cute card, possibly to my own scoring detriment? Absolutely!
This is the card that will always stand out for me. It gets across the cheery, rather silly theme in the cutest pose!
Session Overview
Play Number: 43-46
Expansion: Songbirds: Promo Cards
Solo Mode: Included in the Base Game
Outcome: 9, 44, 24, 68 (2 Wins & 2 Losses)
Amazingly, I pulled off my highest score yet! Still not the best possible outcome that I’m after, but it was really nice to see my decisions come together. Playing with the owl and shrike certainly have improved the experience for me… Who knew 2 cards could do so much?! This is a puzzle that makes me think carefully, but always delivers a smile as I work out the small sums and see my favorite bird!
%
40 Plays
Affordability
Price & Value
8
Functionality
Challenges & Mechanics
10
Originality
Design & Theme
5
Quality
Components & Rules
10
Reusability
Achievement & Enjoyment
7
Variability
Distinctness & Randomness
4
+ Pros (Positives)
- Each bird card uses unique artwork in a lovely style, with bird types distinguished both by color and icon.
- Decisions always feel meaningful and become increasingly more specific and tricky during the final rounds.
- The rules are easy to return to and learn again in about a minute after coming back to play after a long time.
- Cancelling out bird types by matching the values is an important gameplay element that takes practice to utilize.
- Although the promo cards aren’t absolutely necessary, they add an intriguing layer of additional decisions.
- Finding the right time to choose a bird type to score at the end is a clever choice that isn’t always obvious early on.
– Cons (Negatives)
- The play area feels a little expansive during setup, and ends up being a tad large for such a small box and game.
- Although there are many ways to use a lot of the cards, a certain degree of luck is needed for the best placements.
- There is a lot of continuous math that must be kept track of, both for possible scoring and cards left in the deck.
- Gameplay is mostly relaxing, but this means that each play can be rather repetitive for the overall experience.
Victory Conditions
Score 40+ Points
- Overall Goal Progress 88%
Goals and Milestones
Score at least 30 points.
Score at least 40 points.
Score at least 50 points.
Score at least 60 points.
Win at least 1 game with the owl card in play.
Win at least 1 game with the shrike card in play.
Score at least 70 points.
Continue the Conversation
What do you like about Songbirds? Do you also play with the promo cards? A lot of smaller puzzle games can feel a little repetitive over time, but I like to think of these experiences as quiet conversations with old friends. There might not be a ton of excitement, yet there’s nothing like that cozy, comfortable feeling. After many years, this one is still excellent!
0 Comments