Forbidden Island is a deceptively simple game. Two to four players are trying to save three hidden treasures off an island before the said island sinks. First this is a game that a 10 year old can play, and second all of the players work together to get the objects. When a friends brought it over for a game night for the first time I honestly thought it sounded a little boring. How wrong I was!
I have now played Forbidden Island with people as young as nine and dedicated (and slightly jaded) adult gamers, and with just one other person and four couples (eight people) playing in pairs. It always surprises me how excited everyone has gotten while playing. Once that first part of the island sinks you would think we were the actual people that are facing the rising water. It is simple enough for young people (or older ones with a few drinks in them) and lends itself to debates about game play many turns into the future… but then true to life, things pop up to ruin those plans. Maybe that is why it is so engaging, we can all work together to fight the things that life throws at us.
What also makes this game great is that it is so versatile. Game play is quick enough that my wife and I can play quickly on those rare instances that both kids are napping at the same time, but if you have a group of people who like to talk strategy it can be long enough to feel fulfilling. It is also a great family game for people with kids hovering at or above the 10 year old mark. There is no sex or violence (other than the possibility of drowning) and is a great opportunity to talk strategy and planning. Now this is hardly a new or rare game, but if by some chance you have not had a chance to play it yet, I would strongly encourage finding a copy.
