Spirit Island

Spirit Island is a complex cooperative game in which the players try to defend their island against invasion by hostile colonists.

The players are all different spirits, each with its own unique power over the elements. Each turn, players choose which of their power cards they want to play and pay the energy required to do so. By playing clever combinations, players can unlock free bonus effects. Some powers are faster than others, so careful planning is needed to get the most out of each move. The invading colonists spread across the island in a fairly predictable way, and the native inhabitants often try to help by fighting back, but they do not always behave quite as one might wish.

Each round represents a period of 1-3 years. At the start, you can only win by destroying every single one of the invaders’ constructions on the island, but as the colonists are scared out of their wits, winning becomes easier. You lose if one of the spirits is destroyed, if the island is infested with blight, or if the stack of invader cards runs out.

The game includes several different colonising powers to play against. Each has its own particular challenges to overcome.

Spirit Island is a rather complex but fabulous cooperative game that is also very well suited to solo play.