Sprit Island

🧠 Teaser

The Island Needs your Help!

What starts as a simple defense of a peaceful island quickly escalates into an epic struggle of strategy, teamwork, and survival. Spirit Island is not a casual co‑op you can breeze through in an hour—it’s a demanding, deeply thematic experience where every decision matters, mistakes have consequences, and victories feel truly earned. If you’re looking for a game that challenges your group to think, plan, and fight together against relentless invaders, this is one that will keep you at the table long into the night.

🎯 Game Overview

• Title: Spirit Island

• Publisher / Year: Greater Than Games, LLC / 2017

• Theme / Setting: Strategy / Action Retrieval – Deck Building – Cooperative

• Target Audience: Dedicated board game players

• Recommended Players: 2–4

• Complexity: Medium / High

• BGG Ranking: 11

• Overall Score (My Review): 8.5 / 10

📈 Quick Stats

🧩 Components & Presentation

Score: 9.5 / 10

I was really impressed by the artwork when I unboxed this board game, and I couldn’t wait to play it. The quality of the cards is decent, and you get a good feeling right out of the box. The details on the components are impressive, from the artwork on the cards to the explorers, towns, and cities.

Full Unboxing of the Sprit Island

📜 Rules & Accessibility

Score: 10 / 10

The rulebook is very well-written and organized. You just need to follow it to set up and start the game. I couldn’t find any ambiguities, and any question we had during the game could be answered by consulting the rulebook.

⚙️ Gameplay

Score: 9 / 10

The sprit island gameplay is unique and combines mechanisms from presence placement to deck building, while the invader deck adds an extra layer of challenge. The flow of the game is smooth and impressively balanced, which is remarkable given the number of moving parts. Knowing the upcoming Ravage and Build actions reduces the luck factor, shifting the focus toward both short- and long-term strategy.

The cooperative setup shines, as each spirit has its own unique abilities and growth path, encouraging teamwork and synergy. What makes the experience even more engaging is the escalating tension as invaders spread, the thematic integration of fear and blight, and the sheer replayability offered by different spirits and adversaries. It’s a game that rewards mastery while staying engaging and fresh across many plays.

🔄 Gameflow

One of the strengths of Spirit Island is how its round structure creates both predictability and tension. Each round follows a clear sequence, but the invaders’ steady advance forces players to constantly adapt.

1. Spirit Phase – Players gain energy, reclaim cards, and grow their presence on the island.

2. Fast Powers Phase – Spirits use fast abilities before the invaders act, often to defend lands or push enemies away.

3. Invader Phase – The invaders Ravage, Build, and Explore based on the revealed cards.

4. Slow Powers Phase – Spirits unleash slower but often more powerful abilities, turning the tide after the invaders’ actions.

5. Time Passes – Reset for the next round, with blight spreading if lands are overrun.

This flow repeats, with the invaders escalating each turn while spirits grow stronger and unlock new abilities. The rhythm of the game creates a constant push‑and‑pull: you’re always just on the edge of losing control, but with clever planning and teamwork, you can turn the tide.

😄 Fun Factor & Theme

Score: 8.5 / 10

Even though turns are played simultaneously, the game demands constant collaboration to stop the invaders from spreading and taking control of the island. That teamwork is what makes it fun—every decision feels shared and meaningful. The theme also stands out as refreshingly unique, since most games follow the opposite pattern of players expanding and conquering rather than defending against colonization.

📊 Pros & Cons

✅ Pros

• Strong cooperative design

• Asymmetric spirits keep gameplay fresh

• Predictability and low luck factor

❌ Cons

• Difficult and heavy

• Intense learning curve

• Long playtime

🧮 Score Summary

📝 Verdict

Overall Score: 8.5 / 10

What a game! My first play of Spirit Island turned what was supposed to be a game night into a game morning—we spent nearly 8 hours fully engaged in the struggle to defend the island. The complexity of the mechanics and the richness of the theme pulled us in completely, demanding our full focus and cooperation. Even when we made mistakes early on and allowed blight to spread, the game gave us the tools to adapt, recover, and ultimately push back the invaders.

What stood out most was how each turn felt more rewarding than the last. As our spirits grew stronger, unlocking new powers and abilities, the sense of progression was both strategic and thrilling. The cooperative nature of the game meant that every decision was shared, every victory celebrated together, and every setback felt like a collective challenge to overcome.

Yes, it’s a heavy and demanding game, but that’s exactly what makes it shine. It’s not just about winning—it’s about the journey of discovery, teamwork, and tension that builds from start to finish. Spirit Island is a masterpiece of design that deserves its place among the top 100 board games of all time on BGG, and for groups who enjoy deep, thematic co-ops, it’s an unforgettable experience.

📌 Recommendation

Spirit Island is a phenomenal cooperative experience, but it’s also a heavy and time‑demanding game. For new players, I strongly recommend starting with a smaller group (2–3 players). This keeps the playtime more manageable, reduces the complexity of coordinating multiple spirits, and helps everyone get familiar with the mechanics before tackling a full 4‑player game.

The official Rules Reference is an excellent companion during play. It helps clarify tricky rules and edge cases, but be aware that consulting it frequently can add to the overall playtime.

If you enjoy deep strategy, asymmetric co‑op play, and a unique theme, Spirit Island is absolutely worth the investment. Just be prepared for a learning curve and a longer session, especially in your first few plays.