My Island (2023) Board Game – Board Game Guys

My Island is a city-building board game designed by Reiner Knizia and published by KOSMOS. It was released in 2023 and is suitable for 2-4 players, with a recommended age of 10 and above. The game features a unique combination of mechanisms such as Bingo, Catch the Leader, Enclosure, and Grid Coverage Legacy Game, making it a fun and engaging experience for players.

Game Components of My Island

Player Boards: Double-sided boards, one side for the legacy campaign and the other for eternal mode.

Hexagonal Tiles: Tiles featuring different terrain types such as houses, fields, paths, and walls.

Card Deck: A central deck of cards showing the tiles to be placed.

Stickers and Markers: For customizing the game board.

Rule Envelopes: Eight sealed envelopes containing new rules, story, and components for each chapter.

Scoring Components: Tokens and scoreboards for tracking individual scores.

How To Setup My Island

To set up My Island, each player takes a board and places it with the main side up. Players select tiles matching their chosen color and place a cream cube on the starting space. The deck of cards is shuffled and placed in a central space. The top card is flipped, and each player must find the matching tile shape to place on their board, ensuring at least one hex touches a matching colored hex.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Tile Placement: Players place hexagonal tiles on their boards based on the cards drawn.

Matching Hexes: Tiles must be placed so that at least one hex matches the color of an adjacent hex.

Scoring Conditions: New scoring conditions are introduced in each chapter, such as forming paths, clusters of houses, or connecting fields.

Legacy Campaign: The game evolves over 24 games, with new rules and components introduced in each chapter.

Eternal Mode: A non-legacy mode is available on the back side of the board, allowing for repeated play without the campaign elements.

Player Experience

My Island offers a dynamic and evolving gameplay experience. The initial games are relatively simple, but the game ramps up in complexity as new scoring conditions and rules are introduced. Players need to balance short-term and long-term plans, adapting to the changing landscape of their island. The game is suitable for players who enjoy spatial puzzles and are open to the evolving nature of a legacy game.

Pros

Evolving Gameplay: The game changes and develops over the 24-game campaign, keeping it fresh and engaging.

Customizable: Players can customize their boards with stickers and markers.

Replayability: Includes an eternal mode for repeated play after the legacy campaign.

Family Friendly: Suitable for families with players of different ages, as each player competes to beat their personal best.

Engaging Story: The game features a narrative that unfolds as players progress through the chapters.

Cons

Complexity Increase: Later chapters introduce numerous new rules, which can be overwhelming for some players.

Rule Tracking: Players need to keep track of multiple scoring conditions and rules, which can be challenging.

Legacy Limitations: While the game offers an eternal mode, the legacy campaign can only be played through once with the same set of rules and components.

Personal Thoughts on My Island

My Island is ideal for fans of spatial puzzles and legacy games who are looking for a game that evolves and challenges them over multiple play sessions. It is particularly suited for families or players who enjoy competitive yet individual gameplay. However, it may not be the best fit for those who prefer simpler, less complex games or are averse to the changing rules and components inherent in legacy games. Despite its complexity, My Island offers a rewarding and engaging experience that keeps players eager to explore the next episodes and chapters.

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