Forbidden Island

Game Mechanics

Forbidden Island includes many new and novel mechanics, including co-operative play, modular board, and set collection.

Each student is a member of a team that has to find treasure throughout the island and make it back to a helicopter together in order to win. All along the way, however, the island is slowly sinking in to the ocean, making it more more difficult to escape.

Critical Thinking

Analysis (study the board and pieces)

• Recognizing what tiles are where in the island.
• Being able to recognize the location of important tiles.

Synthesis (understand the rules and how to play)

• Knowing your special ability and when to use it.
• Knowing your team member's special abilities and when to ask they use them.

Evaluation (learn how to win)

• Timing your actions to maximize the actions of your team member's future moves.
• Using team members in coordination to make it easier to gain treasure and make it back to the helicopter.

Co-operatives Play

What makes this type of game so interesting is the pace at which it plays and the fact that you have to work together in order to win. This is really novel and sets a game like this apart from most games, where you wait your turn before really being part of the game. The idea that you are playing against the game (i.e. the island is sinking) makes it particularly exciting.

Some topics you can explore with your son/daughter:

• Of all the types of roles, which one do you think is the most and least valuable?
• What would happen if nobody could talk to each other (e.g. radios didn't work)?
• How long do you think time passes during the game? Minutes? Hours? Days?

Resources and Links

• Board Game Geek - Forbidden Island is actually a remake of another contemporary game, Pandemic. Instead of an island and treasure, you and your team race around the world to fight deadly diseases!
• Pictures - During the class I had a slideshow set up to show pictures from Board Game Geek, including one that showed us different ways to set up the board (e.g. Skull)!