Forbidden Island - Cooperative Board Game Devir

The Forbidden Island BGILLA — Cooperative board game by Matt Leacock

The Forbidden Island is a cooperative board game by Devir, for 2-4 players, recommended for ages 10 and up, in Catalan. After reviewing it, we believe it's a very good option for families and groups who prefer to win or lose together.

Publisher: Devir. Type: Cooperative board game. Players: 2-4. Recommended age: 10+. Edition: Catalan.

The Forbidden Island is a cooperative game designed in 2010 by Matt Leacock, author of the Pandemic saga. In this game, all players work together with a common goal: to retrieve the four treasures from the island and escape by helicopter before the waters claim everything. Either everyone wins, or everyone loses.

It is one of the best entry points into the cooperative genre, especially recommended for children aged 10 and up and for families who want to discover this type of game.

How to play

To set up the game, the tiles are shuffled and placed face up in a cross shape, forming a different board in each game. Each player takes on the role of an adventurer with a special power: pilot, explorer, engineer, messenger, navigator, or diver. These powers must be used in a coordinated manner to help the team.

In each turn, the player can perform three actions from the following:

• Move to an adjacent tile
• Shore up a sinking tile (flip it face up again)
• Give a treasure card to a teammate on the same tile
• Collect a treasure by handing in 4 cards of the corresponding treasure

After the actions, the player draws cards from the treasure deck and checks the water level marker, which indicates how many island cards to draw. The indicated tiles sink (are flipped face down) or, if they were already sunken, disappear from the board forever.

Victory and defeat conditions

Players win if they manage to collect all four treasures, reach the helipad, and escape by helicopter. They lose if:

• A player is trapped on a disappearing tile and cannot swim to an adjacent one
• A tile containing the only possible location to collect a treasure disappears
• The water level rises to the maximum
• The helipad sinks

Why it works so well

The Forbidden Island generates constant communication among players. Joint plans must be made, agreed-upon decisions taken, and each character's special powers used at the right moment. The continuous rise of the water level creates a real sense of urgency that maintains tension until the end. Since the board changes with each game depending on the tile placement, replayability is very high.

Once the group has played a couple of games, the difficulty level can be adjusted: novice, normal, elite, or legendary.

The four treasures

• The Earth Stone
• The Crystal of Fire
• The Statue of Wind
• The Ocean's Chalice

Specifications

• Reference: BGILLA
• Author: Matt Leacock
• Publisher: Devir Iberia
• Language: Catalan
• Players: 2-4
• Recommended age: 10 years and up
• Game duration: Approximately 30 minutes
• Game type: Cooperative, adventure, resource management
• EAN: 8436017220889

❓ Frequently asked questions

How many players is it for?

For 2-4 players.

Is it cooperative or competitive?

It is fully cooperative: all players play together against the game to escape the island.

From what age is it recommended?

Recommended age +10 years.

How long does a game last?

About 30 minutes.

What language is it in?

In Catalan, official Devir edition.

How long does the order take to arrive?

If you place your order before 13:00, it ships the same business day. You will receive it in 24-48 hours on the peninsula (free shipping for orders over 49.99€).

Can I pick it up at the store?

Yes, at our physical store at Avinguda 28 de Febrer, Albox (Almería) by appointment. Book at hiperocio.com.

What guarantee does it have?

Legal guarantee in Spain of 3 years for manufacturing defects (General Law for the Defense of Consumers and Users). After-sales service from our store in Albox.

Warranty and shipping

• Warranty: 3 years
• Free shipping on orders over 49.99 €
• Available for shipping throughout Spain

EAN: 8436017220889