Doodle Islands (2018) Board Game

Doodle Islands is a board game released in 2018 by Superlude Éditions. Designed by Kristian Amundsen Østby and Eilif Svensson, the game combines elements of dice rolling, line drawing, and paper-and-pencil mechanics in a pirate-themed setting. Players are tasked with exploring and conquering islands using their strategic skills and luck with dice rolls.

Game Components of Doodle Islands

Game board: Representing a nautical environment

Player sheets: For drawing portions of roads or crosses

Dice: Used for determining player actions

Road and cross tiles: Drawn by players to navigate the islands

Tokens or markers: For tracking progress and resources

How To Setup Doodle Islands

To set up Doodle Islands, players start by distributing the player sheets and ensuring each player has the necessary tokens or markers. The game board is placed in the middle, and the road and cross tiles are shuffled and placed within reach of all players. Each player selects a starting point on their sheet, and the dice are prepared for the first round.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Drawing roads and crosses: Players draw portions of roads or crosses on their sheets based on dice rolls.

Navigating the islands: The goal is to navigate through the islands by creating continuous roads.

Avoiding dead ends: Players must avoid drawing crosses that could block their path.

Reaching treasure: The objective is to find the treasure by successfully navigating the islands.

Player Experience

Playing Doodle Islands is an engaging and strategic experience. Players must carefully plan their moves based on the dice rolls, ensuring they create a path that leads them to the treasure without hitting dead ends. The game requires a mix of luck and strategic thinking, making it enjoyable for players who like puzzles and navigation challenges.

Pros

Simple yet challenging: Easy to learn but challenging to master.

Strategic depth: Requires planning and strategic thinking.

Family-friendly: Suitable for players of various ages.

Portable: The game components are lightweight and easy to carry.

Cons

Luck-based: Dice rolls can significantly influence the game’s outcome.

Limited player interaction: Players primarily focus on their own sheets rather than interacting with others.

Repetitive gameplay: Some players might find the drawing mechanism repetitive.

Personal Thoughts on Doodle Islands

Doodle Islands is ideal for those who enjoy dice games, puzzles, and nautical themes. It is a great option for families or casual game nights, as it offers a fun and challenging experience that does not require a significant time commitment. However, players seeking high player interaction or complex gameplay might find it less engaging.

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