In this edition of Game On we bring to you Forbidden Island. It’s a cooperative game where you work as a team to collect four treasures and escape before islands where these items are located and the escape route sink and are unable to be used.
Recommended Age and Number of Players
The manufacturer’s recommended age for this game is 10+, however, my family played with kids who are 8 and 10 and they did not have any issues learning the rules, offering gameplay suggestions, and did not find the play to be too difficult. Being a cooperative game helped since we discussed moves as a group.
Play is recommended for 2-4 players. We played with three or four players. For a slightly larger group people could be paired up on a *team* but with the cooperative aspect, the number of players is more essential when it comes to the number of pawns that can take action each round.
Game Setup
I give a 7 out of 10 rating for setup and instructions. The instructions can feel a bit intimidating and even slightly confusing at first. We had to refer back to them several times throughout play the first few times we played the game and again as a reminder when longer periods of time passed between playing.
The actual setup isn’t too bad. But the gameplay consists of several steps and rules that could take some getting used to at first. It’s more a matter of remembering the order in which things can be done and making sure all of the steps are taken for each person’s turn prior to moving on.
Cardboard squares are placed randomly in a set design pattern. These serve as various islands that can be flooded and then sunk and removed if flooded a second time before shoring it up. If a treasure is not captured before its island completely sinks the game is lost. There is also an escape island that also must remain in play throughout the entire game in order to win.
While there is a bit of a learning curve, don’t be deterred. The game is fairly easy once you get used to the flow of play. The reward after the challenge of learning the various rules is a game that is fun and gets you thinking as a team.
Gameplay and Duration
I give a 9 out of 10 rating for gameplay. There is a lot of strategy and problem solving involved in winning this game making it both fun and challenging.
During each player’s turn up to three actions can be taken followed by selecting a specific number of treasure cards, and finally island cards to determine which areas flood. Players are able to discuss strategy and what actions will help the team successfully capture treasures and escape before islands sink.
Depending on how much time is spent on strategy, games can be completed within 30-45 minutes. There’s a lot of replay value in the game as although the setup each time is the same, the placement of islands always changes.
Conclusion
Overall, my family has enjoyed this game. Depending on how things go, it can also be difficult to actually win the game, making it more challenging. This is a good game to use critical thinking as well as cooperative play skills. Younger kids should be able to play due to the cooperative style as long as at least one adult is also playing to help guide things along.
For my family, this is a different take on a cooperative game and something different as far as being challenging for kids and adults, even when working together. If you’re looking for a fun, cooperative game check out Forbidden Island.
Interested in seeing what games we’ve covered in the past? Click here.
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