# Survive: Escape from Atlantis! ## General Info - **Year Published**: 1982 - **BGG Rating**: 7.3 - **BGG Rank**: #375 - **Players**: 2-4 (Best with: 4) - **Duration**: 45-60 min - **Weight**: 1.69 / 5 - **Designers**: Julian Courtland-Smith - **Artists**: Andrew White, David Ausloos, Jean-Brice Dugait, Julian Courtland-Smith, Stéphane Gantiez - **Publishers**: Parker Brothers, Stronghold Games, ADC Blackfire Entertainment, Arclight Games, asmodee, Asterion Press - **Categories**: Adventure, Animals, Bluffing, Nautical - **Mechanics**: Area Majority / Influence, Dice Rolling, Grid Movement, Hexagon Grid, Map Reduction, Memory, Modular Board, Movement Points, Secret Unit Deployment, Take That ## Verdict If you're looking for a classic game of chaotic survival and player interaction, Survive: Escape from Atlantis! delivers a thrilling race against time and each other. It's a fantastic choice for families and groups who enjoy a bit of take-that in their escape plans. Engaging, thematic, and easy to learn High player interaction and tension Hidden information adds replayability Satisfying blend of strategy and luck Can be quite cutthroat Luck of the draw impacts outcomes RECOMMENDED ## Description Get ready for a breathtaking adventure in 'Survive: Escape from Atlantis!', a re-released classic that throws you into the middle of an imminent disaster! Just imagine: a paradisiacal island, but one that's sinking every round. Your goal is to save as many people as possible, getting them to the safety of neighboring islands before the main island finally explodes. But don't think it'll be easy! The ocean is full of dangers, with sea creatures like serpents, sharks, and hungry whales ready to turn your castaways into snacks. Each player controls ten 'meeples' with hidden values (from 1 to 6), and the key is to remember where your most valuable characters are located to maximize your score at the end. You can try your luck swimming or, if you're fortunate, grab a boat to speed up your escape. With each turn, a part of the island sinks, and you need to be strategic in moving your survivors, whether it's dodging threats or, perhaps, 'helping' an opponent encounter a shark. Originally published in 1982, 'Survive' received a new lease on life with the 'Survive: Escape from Atlantis!' reprint by Stronghold Games in 2011. This modern version not only brought the game back but also included additional components, such as dolphins and dive dice, which were removed from later editions but can be acquired separately by fans. It's a game of strategy and bluff where memory and cunning are just as important as luck! ## How to Play Game Objective At the beginning of the 20th century, explorers discovered the mysterious island of Atlantis and its treasures. However, the island has begun to sink! The players' objective is to lead their Explorers to mainland (the islands located at the corners of the board). Victory is decided by the sum of the points printed on the bases of the saved Explorers; therefore, the winner is whoever accumulates the most points, and not necessarily whoever saved the most characters. Setup Place the 5 Sea Serpent pawns on the board spaces that have the corresponding icon. Shuffle the Terrain Tiles (Beach, Forest, and Mountain) face down and place them randomly within the bold sea area of the board, creating the island. Each player chooses a color and takes the 10 corresponding Explorer pawns. Note: each pawn has a number from 1 to 6 on its base (representing the treasure), which must be kept secret. Each player takes 2 Boat pawns. The remaining Boats, as well as the Shark and Whale pawns, are set aside for later use. Determine the first player. In clockwise order, each player places one Explorer on an empty Terrain Tile, repeating the process until all 10 of each player's pawns are on the board. In clockwise order, each player places their 2 Boats in empty sea spaces that are adjacent to a Terrain Tile. Game Flow Players take their turns in clockwise order. During a turn, actions must follow this mandatory order: Use of Terrain Tile from "hand": The player may use a single tile obtained in previous turns. Movement: The player has a total of 3 movement spaces to distribute among any combination of Explorers and/or Boats. Terrain Removal: The player removes one Terrain Tile from the island and discreetly looks at the back of the tile. Creature Movement: The player rolls the Creature Die and moves the corresponding creature to attack opponents or protect their own characters. Actions and How to Play Movement of Explorers and Boats Explorers on Land: May move to another adjacent Terrain Tile, enter a Boat in an adjacent sea space, or move between adjacent Boats. A Boat can hold a maximum of 3 explorers. Swimmers: An Explorer becomes a Swimmer when jumping from a Boat into the sea, when the Terrain Tile beneath them is removed, or when a Boat sinks. A Swimmer moves only 1 sea space per turn and can only enter a Boat if both are in the same sea space. Boats: Move one sea space at the cost of one movement. Control of the Boat belongs to the player with the highest number of Explorers on board. In the event of a tie, all tied players control the Boat. Mainland: To disembark on mainland, one movement is spent (whether leaving an adjacent anchored Boat or moving a Swimmer from an adjacent sea space). The Creature Die Sea Serpent: Moves 1 sea space. If it enters a space with a Boat with passengers or with Swimmers, it removes all of them from the game. Shark: Moves 1 or 2 sea spaces. If it stops in a space with Swimmers, it removes all of them from the game. It does not affect Boats. Whale: Moves 1 to 3 sea spaces. If it enters a space with a Boat with passengers, the Boat is removed and the passengers become Swimmers (who are removed immediately if there is a Shark or Sea Serpent at the location). Terrain Tile Information (Back of the Tile) When removing a tile, the player checks the border of the tile: Green Border (Immediate): Actions resolved instantly. They may spawn a Shark, Whale, or Boat at the location, or cause a Whirlpool (removes everything in the space and adjacent spaces) or a Volcanic Eruption. Red Border (Start of Turn): The tile goes into the player's "hand" and can be used in step 1 of the turn to move Swimmers (Dolphin), Boats (Winds), or creatures (Serpent, Shark, or Whale) to any empty space. Red Border with "X" (Defensive): Used outside of one's own turn to negate an attack from a Shark or a Whale, removing the creature from the game before it causes damage. Terrain Removal Rules The removed tile must be adjacent to a sea space. The mandatory removal order is: first all Beaches, then Forests, and finally Mountains. Tiles surrounded by higher-level terrain are removed as the last tile of that type. End of Game and Scoring The game ends immediately when the tile with the Volcano icon (located under one of the Mountains) is revealed, causing the Volcanic Eruption that destroys the rest of the island and all Explorers who have not reached the mainland. Scoring: The player flips over all their Explorers who reached the mainland and sums the numbers printed on their bases. The player with the highest total sum of points wins. Tips for Winning Try to remember the position of your highest-value Explorers to prioritize leading them to the mainland. Use the red border tiles with "X" strategically to protect your Swimmers from Sharks or your Boats from Whales during opponents' turns. Remember that control of a Boat is determined by the majority of Explorers on board; try to dominate the vessel to decide the direction of movement. ## FAQ ### What is the ideal number of players for 'Survive: Escape from Atlantis!'? The game is designed for 2 to 4 players. While it works well with 2, the experience truly shines with 3 or 4, as player interaction and 'betrayal' become more intense and fun. ### What is the average game duration? A game of 'Survive: Escape from Atlantis!' typically lasts between 45 to 60 minutes. It's an ideal length for a quick and exciting game session. ### Is it a complex game? Who is it recommended for? No, it's quite accessible, with a weight of 1.693/5 on BGG. It's easy to learn but offers enough strategic depth to be enjoyable. It's recommended for families, groups of friends, and anyone looking for a lightly strategic game with lots of interaction and laughs (or screams of despair!). ### What are the main components of the game? You'll find hexagonal island tiles that sink, wooden meeples with hidden values, boats, and sea creature tokens (sharks, whales, sea serpents). The 2011 edition even added dolphins and dive dice! ### What makes 'Survive: Escape from Atlantis!' different from other escape games? What sets it apart is the combination of memory (to remember your meeples' values), the constant board reduction that increases tension, and the direct, often 'malicious' interaction between players, who can use sea creatures against each other. It's a classic for a reason! ### Are there any expansions for the game? Yes! Over the years, several expansions have been released, adding new elements like volcanoes, giant squids, and more sea creatures, which can be integrated to increase replayability and game complexity. ## Price Comparison ### Best International Offers - **BoardGamePrices.com**: $ 38.60 (https://boardgameprices.com/item/go?source=A&storeitemid=3439568&utm_source=boardgamesbot.com) - See all on BoardGamePrices: https://boardgameprices.com/item/show/1168/survive-escape-from-atlantis?utm_source=boardgamesbot.com