Board Game Geek Rating: 8.13. Board Game Geek Avg Player Rating: 8.36. Suitable for 1 to 4 players and published in 2021. This is the Retail Edition of the Spirit Island Core Board Game by Greater Than Games, including the core game. In far - off lands, magic thrives in the spirits of nature. As European colonial powers expand, they'll reach an island where spirits and islanders defend their home. Spirit Island is a deep and thematic cooperative game. Players take on the roles of land spirits, each with unique elemental powers. Every turn, players pick power cards, spending energy. Combining cards that match a spirit's elements can give free bonuses. Fast powers act right away, while slower ones need planning. In the Spirit phase, spirits get energy and decide how to Grow: reclaim used cards, find new powers, or spread presence. The Invaders expand predictably. They explore, build settlements and cities, and then ravage the land. Islanders fight back and help the spirits, but not always as expected. Some powers work through the islanders to drive out Invaders or clear blight. As the game goes on, it gets more intense. Spirits spread and get stronger powers, while Invaders step up colonization. Each turn is 1 - 3 years of alternate - history. At start, win by destroying all settlements and cities. As you scare the Invaders, victory gets easier. Lose if a spirit is destroyed, the island is full of blight, or the Invader deck runs out. The game has different adversaries like a Swedish Mining Colony or a Remote British Colony, adding different challenges. We're excited to support campaigns so you can buy Spirit Island Core Game Retail Edition online at TheGameSteward. A large part of your spending will back new Kickstarter games. If you have questions about buying or need game advice, contact The Game Steward.
To play Spirit Island, first, set up the game board according to the instructions. Each player chooses a land spirit, each with its own set of elemental powers. Every turn, players simultaneously select power cards from their hands and spend energy to play them. Try to combine cards that match your spirit's elemental affinities to get free bonus effects. Remember, faster powers take effect right away before the Invaders' actions, while slower ones need careful planning. In the Spirit phase, you'll gain energy and decide what to do with it. You can reclaim used power cards, search for new powers, or spread your spirit's presence to new areas of the island. The Invaders will expand across the island in a semi - predictable way. They'll explore, build, and then ravage the land. Keep an eye on their movements and use your powers to stop them. The islanders will help you fight back, but they may not always act as you'd like. Some of your powers can work through the islanders to drive out the Invaders or clean the blight. As the game progresses, the difficulty will increase. Spirits should spread their influence and get stronger powers, while the Invaders will step up their colonization. To win, at the start, you need to destroy all settlements and cities on the board. But as you scare the Invaders more, you can win even if some remain. You'll lose if any spirit is destroyed, the island is overrun by blight, or the Invader deck runs out before you win. After each game, make sure to put all the cards and pieces back in the box neatly. Keep the game in a dry place to avoid damage to the cards and components. If you're not sure about any rules or how to play a certain power, refer to the game manual or contact The Game Steward for help.
