Forbidden Island - Board game Gamewright - Free user manual and instructions

Product Type	Board Game
Brand	Gamewright
Model	Forbidden Island
Number of Players	2-4
Age Range	10+
Playing Time	30 minutes
Dimensions (Box)	10 x 10 x 2 inches
Weight	1.5 lbs
Game Type	Cooperative
Theme	Adventure / Survival
Difficulty Level	Medium
Main Mechanics	Tile placement, Hand management, Pick-up and deliver
Components	58 playing cards, 24 tile pieces, 4 pawns, 6 treasure figurines, 3 water level markers
Setup Time	5 minutes
Replayability	High (variable island layout)
Language	English
Suggested Players	Family, Strategy enthusiasts
Care Instructions	Keep away from moisture; store in a dry place
Safety Warnings	Choking hazard - small parts; not for children under 3
Warranty	Limited lifetime warranty for manufacturing defects

Frequently Asked Questions - Forbidden Island Gamewright

How do I set up the island?

Place the 24 island tiles face down to form a grid. Each player selects a pawn and places it on the starting tile indicated by the scenario. Shuffle the treasure cards and place them face down. Refer to the setup diagram in the manual.

What is the objective of the game?

Players cooperate to collect the four treasures (Earth Stone, Crystal of Fire, Ocean's Chalice, and Statue of the Wind) from the sinking island and escape via the helicopter pad. All players must be on the helicopter pad tile with a helicopter lift card to win.

How does the water level rise?

The water level rises when a player draws a Waters Rise! card from the treasure deck. Increase the water level meter by one. If it reaches the skull, the game ends in defeat.

Can I move through flooded tiles?

No, you cannot move onto or over a flooded tile. You must use an action to shore up a flooded tile before moving through it. However, you can move off a flooded tile if you are already on it.

What happens when an island tile sinks?

If a flooded tile gets flooded again (by a Waters Rise card or another effect), it sinks and is removed from the game. Any pawn or treasure on that tile is lost and removed from play. The game becomes more difficult.

How many actions do I get per turn?

Each player gets three actions per turn. Actions include moving, shoring up a tile, giving a treasure card to another player, or capturing a treasure (if you have four matching cards). You cannot skip actions.

Can I trade treasure cards freely?

You can give a treasure card to another player only if both pawns are on the same tile. It costs one action to give one card. You may also receive cards voluntarily. There is no limit to the number of cards you can hold.

What happens if the helicopter pad sinks?

If the helicopter pad tile sinks, the game is lost immediately because there is no way to escape. Always try to shore up or avoid flooding near that tile.

How do I win at Forbidden Island?

To win, all four treasures must be captured (each treasure requires four matching cards) and all players must be on the helicopter pad tile. Then, any player must play a Helicopter Lift card to fly away. The game ends immediately on victory.

Can I play solo?

Yes, you can play solo by controlling two pawns (or more). The rules are the same, and you must still collect all treasures and escape. Forbidden Island is designed for cooperative play, making solo a valid challenge.

USER MANUAL Forbidden Island Gamewright

ADVENTURE... IF YOU DARE

2-4 PLAYERS | AGES 10 AND UP

F orbidden Island was the secluded retreat of an ancient mystical empire known as the Archeans. Legend has it that the Archeans possessed the ability to control the Earth's core elements – fire, wind, water, and earth – through four sacred treasures: The Crystal of Fire, The Statue of the Wind, The Ocean's Chalice, and The Earth Stone. Because of their potential to cause catastrophic damage if they fell into enemy hands, the Archeans kept the treasures secretly hidden on Forbidden Island and designed it to sink if intruders ever attempted to claim them. In the centuries since the mysterious collapse of their empire, Forbidden Island remained undiscovered ... until now.

Will your team be the first to breach its borders, capture the treasures, and make it out alive?

CONTENTS

58 cards, divided as follows:

28 Treasure cards (red back)

5 each of 4 treasures

3 Waters Rise!

3 Helicopter Lift

2 Sandbags

24 Flood cards (blue back)

6 Adventurer cards

24 double-sided Island tiles

6 wooden pawns

4 treasure figurines:

The Earth Stone

The Statue of the Wind

The Crystal of Fire

The Ocean's Chalice

1 Water Meter

1 Water Level marker

Surreal landscape painting of misty mountains at sunset with golden sun and clouds (no text or symbols)

OBJECT

Your team of adventurers must work together to keep Forbidden Island from sinking, in order to buy enough time to capture its four treasures. Once you've captured them, you must make it to Fools' Landing and escape by helicopter to win. If however, the island sinks before you can complete your tasks, the mission ends in defeat!

SETUP

1. CREATE FORBIDDEN ISLAND: Shuffle the 24 Island tiles and randomly place them face up (non blue and white side) into a grid as follows: First make a 4 x 4 square of tiles in the center of the playing area. Then place 2 tiles next to each of the 2 middle tiles on every side of the square. (Important Note: Leave a small gap between the tiles.) This forms Forbidden Island and your pawns will move on it like a game board.

1. PLACE THE TREASURES: Place the 4 treasure figurines – The Earth Stone, The Statue of the Wind, The Crystal of Fire, and The Ocean's Chalice – around the island. Your team will try to capture these treasures during the course of the game by discarding 4 matching Treasure cards on a corresponding Island tile. Take a moment to locate the 8 tiles on which you can claim treasures. Each treasure can be claimed on one of two tiles, as indicated by the symbol in the bottom left corner:

The Earth Stone The Crystal of Fire The Ocean's ChaliceThe Statue of the Wind

1. DIVIDE THE CARDS: Separate the cards into three decks according to card back: Flood deck (blue back), Treasure deck (red back), and Adventurer cards (6 cards).

Flood Deck Treasure Deck Adventurer Cards

1. THE ISLAND STARTS TO SINK: Shuffle the Flood deck and place it face down on one side of the island to form the Flood draw pile. Draw the top 6 cards (1 at a time) and place them face up next to the draw pile to form the Flood discard pile. For each card drawn, flip the corresponding Island tile over to its “flooded” (blue and white) side.

graph LR
    A["flood card"] --> B["Observatory"]
    B --> C["normal tile flooded tile"]

5. THE ADVENTURERS APPEAR:

Shuffle the 6 Adventurer cards and randomly deal 1 to each player. Each of you will take on the role of an adventurer with a special power that only you can do during the game. Take a moment to read aloud your roles and powers written on the bottom of the cards so that your teammates know your strengths. You'll find the game will be easier to win if you cooperate and take advantage of these special powers.

Take a pawn matching the color of your Adventurer card and place it on the corresponding Island tile. (Look for the matching pawn icon in the lower right corner of the Gates and Fools' Landing tiles.) Put any extra Adventurer cards and pawns back in the box. Note: It's OK to start on a flooded tile.

6. HAND OUT TREASURE DECK CARDS:

Thoroughly shuffle the Treasure deck and deal 2 cards to each player. Place your cards face up in front of you so that both you and your teammates can easily see them. If anyone gets a Waters Rise! card, give them a replacement card and shuffle the Waters Rise! card back into the Treasure deck. Place the Treasure deck face down by one side of the island. Note: There will be a Treasure discard pile right next to the Treasure deck.

1. SET THE WATER LEVEL: Place the Water Level marker on the left side of the Water Meter and set it to the appropriate starting difficulty level, according to the type of game you want to play. (For example, if this is your first time playing a cooperative game, set it to the Novice level.)

ORDER OF PLAY

The player who last visited an island goes first and play continues to the left. On every turn, do the following three things in order:

1. Take up to 3 actions.
2. Draw 2 Treasure deck cards.
3. Draw Flood cards equal to the water level.

The parts of each turn are described below. Also note that the back of every Adventurer card shows a quick reference guide.

1. TAKE UP TO 3 ACTIONS

You may take up to 3 actions each turn (could be 0, 1, or 2). Your teammates are allowed (and encouraged!) to give you advice on the best actions to take during your turn. Select a combination of any of the following 4 actions:

• Move
• Shore Up
• Give a Treasure Card
  • Capture a Treasure

MOVE

You may, for 1 or more actions, move your pawn to an adjacent Island tile: either up, down, left, or right, but never diagonally. You may move onto a flooded tile, but may not move onto (or over) the space of a missing tile.

Exceptions:

The Explorer may also move diagonally.

graph TD
    A["Upward Arrow"] --> B["Right Arrow"]
    C["Left Arrow"] --> D["Downward Arrow"]
    E["Right Arrow"] --> F["Upward Arrow"]
    G["Downward Arrow"] --> H["Right Arrow"]
    I["Upward Arrow"] --> J["Left Arrow"]
    K["Right Arrow"] --> L["Downward Arrow"]

The Pilot may move to any tile once per turn for 1 action.

The Navigator may move other players up to 2 adjacent tiles per action.

The Diver may move through one or more adjacent missing and/or flooded tiles for 1 action.

SHORE UP

You may, for 1 or more actions, shore up any adjacent Island tile (up, down, left, right), or the Island tile your pawn is on. To shore up a tile, simply flip it over so its unflooded side is facing up.

Exceptions:

The Engineer may shore up 2 tiles for 1 action.

The Explorer may also shore up tiles diagonally.

GIVE A TREASURE CARD

You may give 1 or more of your Treasure cards to another player if both of your pawns are on the same island tile. It costs 1 action for each card you give away. (See “Hand Limit” for restrictions.) You may not give Special Action cards.

graph LR
    A["Blue group"] --> B["Red figure"]
    B --> C["Tel glass with decorative elements"]

Exceptions:

The Messenger may give cards without having to be on the same tile.

CAPTURE A TREASURE

You may, for 1 action, capture a treasure by discarding 4 matching Treasure cards from your hand if your pawn is on either corresponding island tile:

Discard CapturePawn on Corresponding Tile
	-OR-
	-OR-
	-OR-
	-OR-

Notes

• When you capture a treasure, discard cards to the Treasure discard pile and move the figurine in front of you.
• You may capture a treasure on a flooded tile.

2. DRAW 2 TREASURE DECK CARDS

After taking actions, you must draw 2 cards from the top of the Treasure deck and add them to your face up hand. Draw cards 1 at a time. If you draw a Waters Rise! card, do not add it to your hand, but follow the instructions on the card and then discard it to the Treasure discard pile.

TREASURE CARDS

There are 5 of each Treasure card in the Treasure deck. The aim is to collect 4 of the same Treasure card in order to find the corresponding treasure of Forbidden Island. You can give Treasure cards to other players using the Give a Treasure Card action.

Four identical decorative panels with red flame-like patterns on a beige background, no text or symbols visible.

There are 2 types of Special Action cards in the Treasure deck – Helicopter Lifts (3) and Sandbags (2) – that will help your team during the game. These cards are taken into your hand and can be played at any time — even on another player's turn. Playing a Special Action card does not require an action. Discard these cards to the Treasure discard pile immediately when played.

Note: You may use the power of a Special Action card if you are forced to discard it.

WATERS RISE! CARDS

There are 3 Waters Rise! cards in the Treasure deck. When you draw a Waters Rise! card, you must immediately do the following:

1. Move the Water Level marker up to cover the next tick mark on the Water Meter. Note how many cards will now be drawn at the end of your turn by looking at the number on the right of the meter.

1. Take all of the cards from the Flood discard pile, shuffle them, and then place them face down on top of the Flood draw pile. This means that previously drawn cards will be drawn again soon!

2. Discard the Waters Rise! card to the Treasure discard pile.

Notes:

• If you draw a Waters Rise! card, you do not get a replacement card.
• If you draw 2 Waters Rise! cards in a row, shuffle the Flood discard pile only once but move the Water Level marker up 2 tick marks.
• If you draw a Waters Rise! card but there are no cards in the Flood discard pile, just move the Water Level marker up 1 tick mark.

WHEN THE TREASURE DECK RUNS OUT

When the last card of the Treasure deck is drawn, immediately shuffle the Treasure discard pile and turn it over to form a new Treasure deck.

HAND LIMIT

You may only have 5 cards in your hand, including Treasure and Special Action cards. If you ever find that you have 6 or more cards (for example because you drew more cards or received cards from another player) you must immediately choose and discard the excess to the Treasure discard pile. If you choose to discard a Special Action card, you may use its action before discarding.

3. DRAW FLOOD CARDS

After drawing 2 Treasure cards, you must now take on the role of Forbidden Island! Draw a number of cards from the top of the Flood draw pile equal to the current Water Meter level. (For example, if the level is at 3, draw 3 cards.) Draw cards 1 at a time and place them face up onto the Flood discard pile. For each card drawn, find the matching Island tile and do one of the following:

- If the matching Island tile is un-flooded, flip it over to its flooded side.

- If the matching Island tile is already flooded, it sinks into the abyss! Remove it and the matching Flood card from the game and place them out of play.

Note: You cannot play a Sandbag card to save a flooded tile once you've revealed the matching Flood card.

PAWNS ON FLOODED TILES

If a pawn is on a tile that becomes flooded, lift the pawn off the tile, flip it and then return the pawn to the tile.

If a pawn is on a tile that must be removed, it must immediately “swim” to an adjacent tile (up, down, left, or right) that is still part of the island (even flooded). If a pawn is on a tile that is removed and cannot move to an adjacent tile, it sinks into the abyss and everyone loses the game!

Exceptions: The Diver may swim to the nearest tile. The Explorer may swim diagonally. The Pilot may fly to any tile.

WHEN THE FLOOD DRAW PILE RUNS OUT

If the Flood draw pile ever runs out, immediately shuffle the Flood discard pile and stack the cards face down to form a new Flood draw pile. If this happens in the middle of a turn, continue drawing Flood cards as necessary from the new pile.

GAME END

WINNING THE GAME

Get to Fools' Landing! Once you have collected all four treasures, everyone must move their pawns to the Fools' Landing tile. Then, one player must discard a Helicopter Lift card to lift your team off of Forbidden Island for the win!

Note: You may win if Fools' Landing is flooded.

LOSING THE GAME

There are four possible ways to lose:

1. If both Temples, Caves, Palaces, or Gardens tiles sink before you collect their respective treasures.
2. If the Fools' Landing tile sinks.
3. If any player is on an Island tile that sinks and there is no adjacent tile to swim to.
4. If the water level reaches the skull and crossbones.

DIFFICULTY

Once you've won the Novice game, try starting the water level at the Normal, Elite, or Legendary difficulty settings. Also, try playing with a different mix of adventurers.

A WORD FROM GAMEWRIGHT

It's a great honor to introduce the latest creation by cooperative game master, Matt Leacock. There are so many things we love about this unique game: from the rich illustrations, to the collaborative nature of play, to the innovative set of rules, to the infinite possibilities generated by the tiles and cards. Don't be surprised if your pulse starts pounding faster soon after you start playing – it's a game that instantly generates an electrifying atmosphere of tension and excitement!

Game by Matt Leacock

Illustrations by C.B. Canga

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