Cooperative games have become some of my favorite ones to play. Everyone must work together in order to complete a task and beat the game. Everyone is playing against the game and not each other. These games require good communication, teamwork and, of course, some luck.
In Forbidden Island, players are on an island that is sinking. They must recover all four treasures on the island and get to the helicopter landing pad before the island sinks. If the players are unable to get all of the treasure and get off the island before the the water claims the treasure, then everyone loses. You all win or you all lose together.
First, the game comes in a beautiful tin with some great artwork. I have seen this game in Target on occasion if your browsing the board game section. The game "island" is represented by cards that show different locations on the island. Some of the cards also show where the treasure is located. There are four treasures and each treasure can be located in one of two locations on the board. So if one location sinks, then you have one more shot at getting that treasure.
On a player's turn, they can take up to three actions. They can move one space on the board. They can give another player a treasure card. Eventually a player with 4 of the same treasure cards in their hand can move to a treasure location and turn the cards in to claim the treasure. Another action is to shore up. Since the island is sinking, the location tiles will take on water during the course of of the game. This is shown by flipping the individual tile over. If a sinking location takes on water again it is removed from the game and that location is no longer available. So shoring up allows locations that are sinking to be flipped back over to their water-free side. Players will constantly balance shoring up the sinking island, moving across the board to gain and give each other matching treasure cards, and then move to claim those treasures. Finally, all players must reach the helicopter pad and get off the island with all of the treasure. One other thing that makes the game cooperative is your role. Each player has a special role like "Explorer" who can "Move and Shore Up Diagonally." All the other players can only move and shore up horizontally and vertically. Since each player has one special skill, all players must take actions on their turn that cater to their strength. After three actions, you get to draw a number of treasure cards that you will keep or trade to other players so that when a player has four they can retrieve the treasure.
After a player goes, the island has a turn. The player who just finished their turn draws a certain number of of cards from a location card deck. These are cards that match all all the island location tiles. When a location card is drawn, the player finds the matching island tile and flips it over and it is one stage away from completely sinking. In this location card deck there are special cards called Water Rise! cards. These are the cards that really keep the game tense. When one of these cards is drawn, you follow the instructions on the card. In summary, these cards are what signals the player to shuffle the location cards that have already be drawn and put them back on the top of the location card deck. So location tiles on the board that have already been flipped are now on the top of the deck to be drawn again. This increases the chances a location will completely sink and makes you really feel like you are racing the water overtaking you. The water rise cards also cause the player to raise the island water level represented by a rectangular counter. As the overall water level counter rise represented by a higher number, more location cards must be drawn and locations flipped over on each of the island's turns essentially speeding up the sinking process.
Give Forbidden Island a try. All of you will be working together in a tense race to trade cards, gain treasure, use you abilities to maximize the parties' chances, all while repairing the island just enough to accomplish your task. In the end, teamwork pays off and everyone feels the accomplishment of the win or you learn from your mistakes and go treasure hunting again.
Good luck getting off Forbidden Island!
In Forbidden Island, players are on an island that is sinking. They must recover all four treasures on the island and get to the helicopter landing pad before the island sinks. If the players are unable to get all of the treasure and get off the island before the the water claims the treasure, then everyone loses. You all win or you all lose together.
 |
| Forbidden Island Tin |
First, the game comes in a beautiful tin with some great artwork. I have seen this game in Target on occasion if your browsing the board game section. The game "island" is represented by cards that show different locations on the island. Some of the cards also show where the treasure is located. There are four treasures and each treasure can be located in one of two locations on the board. So if one location sinks, then you have one more shot at getting that treasure.
On a player's turn, they can take up to three actions. They can move one space on the board. They can give another player a treasure card. Eventually a player with 4 of the same treasure cards in their hand can move to a treasure location and turn the cards in to claim the treasure. Another action is to shore up. Since the island is sinking, the location tiles will take on water during the course of of the game. This is shown by flipping the individual tile over. If a sinking location takes on water again it is removed from the game and that location is no longer available. So shoring up allows locations that are sinking to be flipped back over to their water-free side. Players will constantly balance shoring up the sinking island, moving across the board to gain and give each other matching treasure cards, and then move to claim those treasures. Finally, all players must reach the helicopter pad and get off the island with all of the treasure. One other thing that makes the game cooperative is your role. Each player has a special role like "Explorer" who can "Move and Shore Up Diagonally." All the other players can only move and shore up horizontally and vertically. Since each player has one special skill, all players must take actions on their turn that cater to their strength. After three actions, you get to draw a number of treasure cards that you will keep or trade to other players so that when a player has four they can retrieve the treasure.
After a player goes, the island has a turn. The player who just finished their turn draws a certain number of of cards from a location card deck. These are cards that match all all the island location tiles. When a location card is drawn, the player finds the matching island tile and flips it over and it is one stage away from completely sinking. In this location card deck there are special cards called Water Rise! cards. These are the cards that really keep the game tense. When one of these cards is drawn, you follow the instructions on the card. In summary, these cards are what signals the player to shuffle the location cards that have already be drawn and put them back on the top of the location card deck. So location tiles on the board that have already been flipped are now on the top of the deck to be drawn again. This increases the chances a location will completely sink and makes you really feel like you are racing the water overtaking you. The water rise cards also cause the player to raise the island water level represented by a rectangular counter. As the overall water level counter rise represented by a higher number, more location cards must be drawn and locations flipped over on each of the island's turns essentially speeding up the sinking process.
Give Forbidden Island a try. All of you will be working together in a tense race to trade cards, gain treasure, use you abilities to maximize the parties' chances, all while repairing the island just enough to accomplish your task. In the end, teamwork pays off and everyone feels the accomplishment of the win or you learn from your mistakes and go treasure hunting again.
Good luck getting off Forbidden Island!
 |
| The types of cards and items found in Forbidden items |
No comments:
Post a Comment