La Isla (2014) Board Game – Board Game Guys

La Isla is a board game published in 2014 by alea, a division of Ravensburger. Designed by Alexander Jung, this game falls into the category of Animals and utilizes various game mechanisms such as Action Queue, Commodity Speculation, Enclosure, Hand Management, and a Modular Board.

Game Components of La Isla

Game board: Comprised of oddly-shaped tiles arranged in a circular pattern around a central polygonal tile.

Cards: Each card has three features – a special ability (Phase A), a resource cube (Phase B), and an animal type (Phase D).

Resource cubes: Used to place explorers on the board.

Explorer tokens: Used to surround and capture animal tokens.

Animal tokens: Representing extinct animals like the Dodo, Golden Toad, Owlet Moth, Giant Fossa, and Sardinian Pika.

Windmill-shaped pieces: 10 interchangeable pieces for modular board setup.

How To Setup La Isla

To set up the game, players begin by randomly placing the windmill-shaped tiles around the central tile, creating a unique island layout each time. The starting pieces are also randomly populated, adding to the game’s variability.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Card Phase: Players draw three cards and decide how to use each card’s features in the subsequent phases.

Phase A: Special ability or bonus action.

Phase B: Resource cube acquisition.

Phase C: No card played; players place explorers using resource cubes.

Phase D: Advance animal type on the score track.

Objective: Surround and capture animal tokens by placing explorers on the board. The goal is to maximize point values by collecting and scoring these animals.

Player Experience

La Isla offers a dynamic and strategic experience with a blend of different mechanics. Players must carefully plan their card usage to balance resource collection, special abilities, and animal capture. The game is known for its tight scoring, with final scores often being very close. It is relatively easy to teach, making it accessible to new players, while still offering deep strategic nuances for experienced gamers.

Pros

High replayability: Modular board setup and random population ensure each game is unique.

Strategic depth: Requires careful planning and card management.

Educational element: Teaches about extinct animals.

Balanced gameplay: Tight scoring and close final results.

Cons

Complexity: While not overly complicated, it can take some time to fully understand the card mechanics and phases.

Resource management stress: Players must manage their resources carefully, which can be challenging.

Personal Thoughts on La Isla

La Isla is ideal for those who enjoy a mix of strategy and resource management. It is a great introduction to Stefan Feld’s style of game design and is suitable for both new and experienced board game enthusiasts. The game’s educational aspect about extinct animals makes it a compelling choice for families and schools looking to teach through gaming. However, it may not be the best fit for very young children due to the complexity of the card mechanics and resource management.

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