Choose Wingspan
Choose Wingspan if you want the Steam Leaderboards, Steam Turn Notifications, and Online PvP side of the pairing. On Steam, it's Steam Deck Verified, so handheld play works out of the box. 6,321 Steam reviews back the pick.
Wingspan vs Buddies in Boxes
Wingspan and Buddies in Boxes both land in Strategy, Indie on Steam, which is why they keep getting compared. The comparison below is built from each game's Steam metadata — release year, genres, categories, Steam Deck status, price, and review score — refreshed daily by imho.run's scraper. Headline differences: Both share Strategy, Indie on Steam. Wingspan (2020) is 3 years older than Buddies in Boxes (2023). Buddies in Boxes is currently ~80% cheaper on Steam than Wingspan (1.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD). No login or purchase needed — scroll for the full table, the verdict FAQ, and links to ranked similar games for both titles.
Which should you pick?
Choose Buddies in Boxes
Choose Buddies in Boxes if you want an Early Access game with Shared/Split Screen. On Steam, it's currently about 80% cheaper on the Steam Store. Buddies in Boxes launched in 2023.
Both Wingspan and Buddies in Boxes sit in Strategy and Indie on Steam and both list Multi-player, Shared/Split Screen PvP, and PvP, so either pick lands in the same broad neighborhood. Use the side-by-side table for the feature view, or follow the "Games like" links below to see ranked alternatives for either title.
Side-by-side comparison
 Wingspan |  Buddies in Boxes | |
|---|---|---|
| Released | 2020 | 2023 |
| Genres | Strategy, Indie | Strategy, Indie, Early Access |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS | Windows |
| Steam Deck | Deck Verified | Unrated |
| Price | 9.99 USD | 1.99 USD |
| Steam reviews | 95% positive (6,321 reviews) | 2 reviews |
| Multiplayer | Multi-player, Cross-Platform Multiplayer, Online Co-op | Multi-player |
| Developers | Monster Couch | Anton Duell |
Side by side
- Both share Strategy, Indie on Steam.
- Wingspan (2020) is 3 years older than Buddies in Boxes (2023).
- Buddies in Boxes is currently ~80% cheaper on Steam than Wingspan (1.99 USD vs. 9.99 USD).
- Wingspan has co-op; Buddies in Boxes does not.
- Wingspan is Deck Verified on Steam Deck; Buddies in Boxes has no Deck rating yet.
Wingspan vs Buddies in Boxes — FAQ
- Should I play Wingspan or Buddies in Boxes first?
- If you want chronology, Wingspan (2020) came out before Buddies in Boxes (2023). If neither is a sequel to the other, order doesn't really matter — start with whichever fits your current mood, since both share enough on Steam to make either a reasonable opener.
- Are Wingspan and Buddies in Boxes similar?
- They overlap on Strategy, Indie on Steam, so the catalogue groups them together — but "similar" depends on the specific mechanics. Use the genre + category rows above to decide whether the overlap matches what drew you to the one you've already played.
- Does Wingspan run on Steam Deck?
- Yes — Wingspan is rated Deck Verified by Valve. Buddies in Boxes doesn't have a Deck rating yet, so its Deck behaviour is currently unverified.