Board Games

Forbidden Island

2–4 players • 30 min • ages 10+ • White Goblin Games • 2010

Publisher: White Goblin Games · Lifestyle Boardgames · ADC Blackfire Entertainment · Gamewright Games
First published: 2010
Players: 2–4 players
Playing time: 30 min
Age: 10+
Genre: Tile based game · Cooperative board game

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Lore

Why it matters

Designed by Matt Leacock, Forbidden Island became a cornerstone of the cooperative board game genre by requiring players to work together to recover artifacts before the board sinks. Its accessible mechanics and shifting modular layout made it a modern classic that helped popularize the team-based strategy format for families and hobbyists alike.

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Gameplay

How it plays

Forbidden Island plays 2–4 players, takes about 30 minutes to play, and is recommended for ages 10 and up.

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Provenance

Where it came from

Forbidden Island was published in 2010 as a cooperative adventure game designed by Matt Leacock. The game emerged during a period of rising interest in accessible, cooperative board games, building on mechanics that encouraged players to work together against the board itself rather than against one another. It was specifically designed to be portable and affordable, featuring a modular board that ensures a different layout with every play session.

The game is widely recognized for its striking visual design, featuring illustrations by C. Burton that evoke a classic pulp-adventure aesthetic. The narrative follows a team of explorers attempting to recover four sacred treasures from a sinking island before it disappears beneath the waves. Upon its release, it was well-received by the gaming community for its simple ruleset and high level of tension, eventually earning a Mensa Select award and becoming a staple of modern board game collections.

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Collectors

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About

About Forbidden Island

Forbidden Island is a game in the Board Games catalog on collecto.rs. 2–4 players • 30 min • ages 10+ • White Goblin Games • 2010. It's filed under tile-based game and cooperative board game. The catalog entry lists set collection as its mechanic. Catalog data is sourced from Wikidata. No public games collectors track this one yet — adding yours would make you the first on collecto.rs.

How do you play Forbidden Island?

Forbidden Island is a board game for 2–4 players, running about 30 minutes, filed under tile-based game and cooperative board game. The catalog entry lists set collection as its mechanic. collecto.rs catalogues the game, not its rules — for the full rulebook, use the copy in the box or the publisher's own site.

How many players is Forbidden Island for?

Forbidden Island is built for 2–4 players. That count comes from this catalog entry alone — nothing from an expansion or a spin-off is folded into it.

How long does Forbidden Island take to play?

A game of Forbidden Island is listed at about 30 minutes. Real sessions run shorter or longer depending on player count and how well the table already knows the game.

What age is Forbidden Island for?

Forbidden Island lists a minimum age of 10. That's a recommended starting age rather than a hard rule.

Who publishes Forbidden Island?

Forbidden Island is published by White Goblin Games, Lifestyle Boardgames, ADC Blackfire Entertainment, Gamewright Games and 3 more. The catalog gives its publication year as 2010.

Has Forbidden Island won any awards?

Yes — the catalog entry for Forbidden Island lists Golden Geek Award for Best Children's Board Game.

How many collectors track Forbidden Island on collecto.rs?

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Can I track my own copy of Forbidden Island?

Yes. collecto.rs is free — sign up to log your game, upload photos, record condition, edition, and acquisition cost, and connect with other board games collectors. Your collection stays private by default.

Where does the Forbidden Island catalog entry come from?

The catalog entry for Forbidden Island is sourced from Wikidata. Catalog-level facts stay consistent across every collector; your own data (condition, edition, acquisition notes) is yours.