Description
Forbidden Island is a visually stunning cooperative board game.
Instead of winning by competing with other players like most games, everyone must work together to win the game.
Players take turns moving their pawns around the ‘island’, which is built by arranging the many beautifully screen-printed tiles before play begins.
As the game progresses, more and more island tiles sink, becoming unavailable, and the pace increases.
Players use strategies to keep the island from sinking, while trying to collect treasures and items. As the water level rises, it gets more difficult- sacrifices must be made.
With multiple levels of difficulty, different characters to choose from (each with a special ability of their own), many optional island formats and game variations available, Forbidden Island has huge replay value.
The game can be played by as few as two players and up to four (though it can accommodate five).
More players translates into a faster and more difficult game, though the extra help can make all the difference. This is a fun game, tricky for players of almost any age.
From the publisher’s website:
Solo Variant
For a difficult solo game use the following rules
Choose only one role (choose, not random draw). A good choice is the Explorer (move and shore up diagonally).
Start the Water Level 2 ticks up from the lowest mark (“Elite” level).
Draw 3 Treasure cards per turn, instead of 2. This makes it easier to get treasure cards faster (it’s hard when it’s just you alone) but will also make the waters rise faster.
Treasure card hand limit is 7.
Play with only one pawn, and all other rules according to the rulebook.
[Video Review] Forbidden Island
Player feedback
The forums at BoardGameGeek often have good discussions about gameplay.
We have selected some of the best links below. (Links will open in a new window or tab)
- Official Variant Tile Layouts
- 10 New Roles
- Forbidden Island – Variant Listing
- Forbidden Lookout – A Firewatch Print and Play Retheme
- Easy Variants
Files
A selection of files from BoardGameGeek. Links will open in a new window or tab.
Official Rules for Forbidden Island
Official rules for Forbidden Island. Uploaded with permission from Gamewright.
>> Click to download PDF <<
Ten New roles and Treasure Power-up Cards
This zip archive contains four Adobe Acrobat (PDF) files, 2 pages each, for printing the fronts and backs of new player roles and treasure power-ups.
>> Click to download ZIP <<
Forbidden Island – Unofficial Layouts
Forbidden Islands Inksaver V1.1; Fan made layouts collected from forums.
>> Click to download PDF <<
Forbidden Island Maps
I made a printer-friendly PDF sheet of the 12 official Forbidden Island layouts and would like to share it with you all.
This one includes “Treasure Island” and the original, familiar “Forbidden Island” (for completeness).
>> Click to download PDF <<