When Spirits of the Wild quietly hit shelves back in 2018, you could almost hear the game whispering. It didn’t crash onto the market with flashy marketing campaigns or big box buzz — instead, it gently found its way into the hearts of couples, families, and anyone looking for a calm two-player experience. With its soothing pace, beautiful animal-themed artwork by Syd Fini and Jenn Hall, and a cozy ”you go, I go” rhythm, it carved out a small but loyal fanbase.
And then, just as quietly as it arrived, it vanished.
Copies became harder to find. Fans searched for it online, hoping for a reprint. But what they didn’t know was that behind the scenes, designer Nick Hayes was already dreaming of more than just a reissue—he was imagining a second act.
Now, that vision has taken form in Spirits of the Wild: Awakening, a standalone sequel published by Funko Games. In his recent designer diary for BoardGameGeek News, Hayes pulled back the curtain on how this little game about stones and spirits got a second life—and something more: a chance to grow without losing its soul.
A Hidden Gem with Quiet Strength
The original Spirits of the Wild invited two players into a calm, meditative contest — place colored stones to attract spirit animals, earn points, and outwit your opponent without ever really going to war. It was soothing, light, and visually elegant. A secret favorite for many who discovered it — especially for couples getting into games together — it had just enough strategy to feel satisfying without overstaying its welcome.
But for all its charm, the first edition was short-lived and eventually faded into scarcity. Hayes, though, saw its untapped potential. And as it turned out, so did Funko Games.
Not Just a Reprint, but a Rethink
“What started as a potential reprint evolved into something much bigger,” Hayes shared in his diary. As he and the team at Funko discussed the future of the title, they began to see an opportunity—not just to revive the original, but to expand and deepen it.
What they created is Spirits of the Wild: Awakening, a new game that respects its roots but introduces fresh mechanics, richer decisions, and a greater sense of variety. It’s not a replacement; it’s a new branch on the same tree.
So What’s New?
Awakening builds on the quiet strategy of its predecessor but adds layers in a thoughtful way. Here are some of the highlights:
- 🐾 New rotating spirit animal cards, each with unique effects, mean you can’t just find a single winning strategy and stick to it. Each game demands a fresh approach.
- 🔮 A greater variety of stones — including new special ones with effects — add tactical depth and more satisfying moments of clever play.
- 🎭 Trickster cards inject more player interaction and a touch of surprise, while keeping the game’s overall gentle tone alive.
- 🙋♂️ A brand-new solo mode lets you play against an AI opponent, something fans asked for and Hayes was excited to provide.
Despite the additions, Hayes was careful to keep the best parts of the original: “It still had to feel meditative,” he explains. “We wanted to add decision space, not stress.” That thread of calm focus weaves through everything, from the artwork to the steady pace of turns — a reminder that not all great games have to be loud.
Philosophy in Design
Hayes talks passionately about designing around the idea of “less but meaningful.” Spirits of the Wild was never meant to be a giant, rules-heavy eurogame. Instead, it thrives in the small moments — when a single stone placement causes your opponent to shift tactics, or when you’re holding back a move to pull off the perfect endgame.
This approach matches the nature-based, spiritual tone of the game as well — a quiet celebration of balance, patience, and presence. Even the artwork and components support this feeling, with a design language that’s more art book than rulebook.
A New Invitation to the Table
For fans of the original, Awakening offers a warm return to a familiar world — but with new puzzles to solve. It’s still that comforting cup-of-tea game you can play at the end of a long day, but now it asks different questions and rewards deeper play.
For newcomers, it’s also a perfect way in. If you’re not a competitive gamer, or if the words “two-player strategy game” make you think of chess-like intensity, Awakening is ready to surprise you — and probably calm you down, too.
Its polished production, serene theme, and gentle strategic flow make it ideal for date nights, parent-and-teen game nights, or solo moments when you just need a little mental reset.
A Second Chance Done Right
Maybe the most striking thing about this designer diary is the sense of intention behind every decision. Hayes and the Funko team didn’t just build a sequel — they listened to their audience. They understood what people loved about the original game and added just enough to make it feel fresh, without tipping it into something else entirely.
In Hayes’ words: “Ideas often deserve a second chance to bloom.” Spirits of the Wild: Awakening is a perfect example. It’s not a loud comeback or a dramatic reinvention, but a quiet evolution — one that gives this once-overlooked title a chance to shine all over again.
And really, isn’t that what second chances are for?