Forbidden Island (2010) Board Game

Forbidden Island is a cooperative board game designed by Matt Leacock and first released in 2010 by Gamewright. The game is set on a sinking island where players must work together to retrieve four sacred treasures before the island sinks completely. With its unique gameplay mechanics and beautiful artwork by C. B. Canga, Forbidden Island has gained popularity among board game enthusiasts for its challenging and engaging gameplay.

Game Components of Forbidden Island

58 playing cards

24 island tiles

6 pawns

4 treasure figurines

1 water meter

1 water level marker

Rules of Play.

How To Setup Forbidden Island

To set up the game, players first arrange the 24 island tiles randomly to form the island. Six tiles are flipped to their flooded side at the beginning, simulating the island already starting to sink. Each player chooses an adventurer with unique abilities and places their pawn on the designated starting tile. The treasure deck and flood deck are shuffled, and each player starts with a hand of cards. The water level marker is set to the starting position, indicating the initial flood level.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Game Category: Cooperative board game

Mechanics: Tile placement, card drawing, variable player powers

Objective: Collect four treasures (Earth Stone, Crystal of Fire, Statue of the Wind, and Ocean Chalice) and escape the island via the helicopter landing pad before it sinks.

Turn Structure:
– Take up to three actions: move, shore up an adjacent flooded tile, give a treasure card to another player, or claim a treasure.
– Draw two treasure cards.
– Flood the island by drawing cards from the flood deck, which can cause tiles to flood or sink if already flooded.

Player Experience

Players work together, utilizing their unique abilities to navigate the sinking island. The game generates a tense and exciting atmosphere as players must balance collecting treasures with shoring up flooded tiles to prevent the island from sinking too quickly. Communication and strategic thinking are crucial as the water level rises and the island becomes increasingly treacherous. The game is quick to learn and plays in about 30 minutes, making it accessible to players of various ages and experience levels.

Pros

Simple to Learn: Easy to understand rules and quick setup.

High-Quality Components: Comes in a nice tin with quality molded plastic artifacts.

Depth and Replayability: Enough strategic depth to keep players engaged without being overly complex.

Cooperative Experience: Encourages teamwork and communication.

Awards and Recognition: Winner of Golden Geek Best Children’s Board Game 2010, Mensa Select 2010, and UK Game Expo Best Family/Children’s Game 2011.

Cons

Character Balance: Some characters’ powers are more valuable than others (e.g., the pilot vs. the diver).

Hand Limit: The five-card hand limit can lead to frustrating situations where players must discard necessary cards, potentially leading to unavoidable losses.

Luck Dependency: The game relies somewhat heavily on luck, particularly with card draws and flooding.

Personal Thoughts on Forbidden Island

Forbidden Island is an excellent introduction to cooperative gaming, suitable for both novice and experienced players. It offers a fun, tense, and collaborative experience that is easy to learn but challenging to master. The game is particularly great for families or groups looking for a quick, engaging game that promotes teamwork and strategic thinking. While it may lack the complexity of more advanced cooperative games like Pandemic, it stands out as a well-designed and enjoyable game in its own right. If you’re looking for a game that can be played with all ages and provides a thrilling cooperative experience, Forbidden Island is a great choice.

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