Forbidden Island

Forbidden Island is designed for 2 to 4 players and is fully cooperative, meaning everyone wins or loses together. Each player selects a unique role with a special ability that contributes to the team. The game is designed by Matt Leacock, who also created Pandemic.

Forbidden Island was designed by Matt Leacock, the same designer as Pandemic, and shares similar cooperative mechanics. Forbidden Island is generally considered lighter and more family-friendly than Pandemic, with a shorter playtime. Both games feature escalating difficulty and teamwork-based gameplay.

In Forbidden Island, players must work together to retrieve four sacred treasures from a sinking island and then escape via helicopter before the island disappears beneath the water. Island tiles are removed as the game progresses, creating a constantly shrinking play area. The escalating difficulty comes from the rising water level mechanic.

Forbidden Island is generally recommended for ages 10 and up, though younger children can often play with adult guidance. Its cooperative nature makes it accessible for families since players help each other rather than compete. The rules are simpler than many strategy board games, making it a good gateway game.