Das Island ist Verboten!

Here's a quick look and rundown on Gamewright's Forbidden Island. Pretty much if you do any gaming, with adults or kids, you've got to own this own. Plus it's an absolute steal for under fourteen bucks. Most games with tile components, plastic pieces, and the like are going to run you at least double that.

Clicking on that first link will tell you specific box contents as well as give you PDF of the rules. This Boardgamegeek link will give you all the thorough reviews you could ever want. Me? I'm going to give you just the usual impressions and what-not.

It's a cooperative game where you and your fellow explorers, pilots, scientists, and the like are racing to uncover the lost treasures of a forgotten civilization on an uncharted island. Every specialist, like diver or helicopter pilot, has their own unique abilities, which is good because the island is sinking! Find the treasure, GET TO DA CHOPPA, and get out of there with your treasure intact before the island crumbles away. Having written that it sounds just like every Michael Crichton book I've ever read.

Gameplay is fast and so easy to pick up. There's a 'flood waters' mechanic that starts affecting the tiles laid out to represent the island. Once something floods twice, it's gone. You can, as part of your actions, go shore up flooding tiles. You're given cards each turn as well, and you're looking for four of a kind to pick up one of the four elemental treasures. Then you've got to be on a tile where treasure is available...just hope it didn't sink already.

It can be frenetic as everything is crumbling all around and it never loses its fun factor. I've played it now with my eight year old as well as adults. It can be a fun game to whip out while you're waiting on the rest of the gaming group to show up or one to play on the coffee table with newbie, non-gamer friends over for dinner.

Mechanics aside, there's a neat little story going on, and the tiles represent some pretty cool places on this island and tell a cool little story. It also goes a long way that its jam-packed with nothing but quality pieces. For being not 'just under twenty bucks', but closer on the side of twelve it's pretty amazing. You'll be happy with this one.