Island Fortress

Frost Forge Games, Game Salute · Board game · 2013

8.5 Ludopedia 6.3 BGG 2–4 · best 3 45–90 min Weight 2.9/5

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8.5 rating Ludopedia

6.3 rating BGG

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Our Verdict

RECOMMENDED

If you love strategy and building, Island Fortress is a must-try. The game uniquely blends sealed bids and pattern building.

Highlights

Strategic sealed bids
Engaging pattern building
Balanced competitive interaction

Keep in mind

May be complex for beginners
Playtime can stretch

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About the game

What you do in a play session

In Island Fortress, you play as a master builder chosen by Governor Cortland Hansen to help construct the mighty Fort Aldenford on Alcott Island. Your goal is to become the most distinguished architect, using workers, taskmasters, and the governor himself to achieve glory. Each player uses an identical deck of five role cards to plan their actions, such as hiring workers, building sections of the wall, or collecting money from the treasury. In addition to scoring points for building the majority of blocks in each row of the fortress wall, you can also earn bonuses by completing the governor's favors, following his preferred construction patterns. Island Fortress, originally known as Huang Di with a Great Wall of China theme, won the first ProtoSlam competition in 2006 and is the first published game by designer Bryan Johnson.