Spirit Island

Spirit Island

Island Spirits join forces using elemental powers to defend their home from invaders

1-4 Players | 90-120 Mins | Ages 13+

Powerful Spirits have existed on this isolated island for time immemorial. They are both part of the natural world and - at the same time - something beyond nature. Native Islanders, known as the Dahan, have learned how to co-exist with the spirits, but with a healthy dose of fear and reverence. However, now, the island has been "discovered" by invaders from a far-off land. These would-be colonists are taking over the land and upsetting the natural balance, destroying the presence of Spirits as they go. As Spirits, you must grow in power and work together to drive the invaders from your island... before it’s too late!

In the most distant reaches of the world, magic still exists, embodied by spirits of the land, of the sky, and of every natural thing. As the great powers of Europe stretch their colonial empires further and further, they will inevitably lay claim to a place where spirits still hold power - and when they do, the land itself will fight back alongside the islanders who live there.

Spirit Island is a complex and thematic co-operative game about defending your island home from colonizing Invaders. Players are different spirits of the land, each with its own unique elemental powers. Every turn, players simultaneously choose which of their power cards to play, paying energy to do so. Using combinations of power cards that match a spirit's elemental affinities can grant free bonus effects. Faster powers take effect immediately, before the Invaders spread and ravage, but other magics are slower, requiring forethought and planning to use effectively. In the Spirit phase, spirits gain energy, and choose how / whether to Grow: to reclaim used power cards, to seek new power, or to spread their presence into new areas of the island.

The Invaders expand across the island map in a semi-predictable fashion. Each turn they explore into some lands (portions of the island); the next turn, they build in those lands, forming towns and cities. The turn after that, they ravage there, bringing blight to the land and attacking any native islanders present. The islanders fight back against the Invaders when attacked, and lend the spirits some other aid, but may not always do so exactly as you'd hoped. Some Powers work through the islanders, helping them, for example, to drive out the Invaders or clean the land of blight.

The game escalates as it progresses: spirits spread their presence to new parts of the island and seek out new and more potent powers, while the Invaders step up their colonization efforts. Each turn represents 1-3 years of alternate history. At game start, winning requires destroying every last explorer, town and city on the board - but as you frighten the Invaders more and more, victory becomes easier: they'll run away even if explorers or even towns and cities remain. Defeat comes if any spirit is destroyed, if the island is overrun by blight, or if the Invader deck is depleted before achieving victory.

The game includes different adversaries to fight against (eg., a Swedish Mining Colony, or a Remote British Colony). Each changes play in different ways, and offers a different path of difficulty boosts to keep the game challenging as you gain skill.

Awards & Honors
2024 Nederlandse Spellenprijs Best Expert Game Nominee
2021 Scelto dai Goblin Winner
2021 Japan Boardgame Prize Voters' Selection Nominee
2021 Gra Roku Advanced Game of the Year Nominee
2019 Spiel der Spiele Hit für Experten Recommended
2019 As d'Or - Jeu de l'Année Expert Nominee
2017 Golden Geek Most Innovative Board Game Nominee
2017 Golden Geek Board Game of the Year Nominee
2017 Golden Geek Best Thematic Board Game Nominee
2017 Golden Geek Best Strategy Board Game Nominee
2017 Golden Geek Best Solo Board Game Nominee
2017 Golden Geek Best Cooperative Game Nominee
2017 Golden Geek Best Board Game Artwork & Presentation Nominee
2017 Cardboard Republic Striker Laurel Nominee
2017 Board Game Quest Awards Game of the Year Nominee
2017 Board Game Quest Awards Best Coop Game Winner
2017 Board Game Quest Awards Best Coop Game Nominee