How many players can play 'The Isle of Cats'?

'The Isle of Cats' can be played by 1 to 4 players. Yes, it has a really fun solo mode for when you want to save kitties by yourself!

What is the average game duration?

A game typically takes between 60 to 90 minutes, depending on the number of players and everyone's familiarity with the rules.

What is the complexity level of the game?

It's considered a medium-weight game. It's not overly complex, but it offers plenty of strategic depth with card drafting and polyomino placement, making it accessible for families and challenging for more experienced players.

Are the components of good quality?

Yes, the components are of excellent quality, featuring unique cat tiles, sturdy boat boards, and well-illustrated cards that contribute to the thematic immersion.

Is this game for beginners or more experienced players?

It's a versatile game! It has a 'family mode' that simplifies some rules for beginners and children, but it also offers a challenging experience with lessons and point optimization for more experienced players.

Do I need to know English to play?

The language dependency is moderate. The cards have text, so a translated spreadsheet or translated cards (if a localized version exists) will greatly help with game flow.

What is the main objective of the game?

Your main goal is to rescue as many cats as possible from The Isle of Cats, fit them efficiently onto your boat (keeping families together), and complete lessons to accumulate the most victory points before Lord Vesh arrives.

The Isle of Cats

The City of Games, Arclight Games, GaGa Games · Board game · 2019

1–4 · best 3 Solo 60–90 min Weight 2.4/5

8.3 rating Ludopedia

7.6 rating BGG

Read verdict Buy · from US$ 34.97

STEP BY STEP

Objective of the Game

Welcome to The Isle of Cats, a purr-fectly delightful game where you're on a mission to rescue as many cats as possible from the evil Lord Vesh! Your goal is to explore the island, rescue unique cat families, and fill your boat with these adorable felines, while also finding ancient treasures. The player with the most victory points at the end of the game, earned by successfully rescuing cats and completing objectives, will be crowned the ultimate cat rescuer!

Preparation (Setup)

Setting sail for The Isle of Cats is a breeze! Here’s how to get your game ready:

Each player takes a player board (your boat) and places it in front of them.
Place the main island board in the center of the playing area.
Shuffle the deck of development cards and place it face down on the designated spot on the island board.
Place the various cat tiles, treasure tiles, and fish tokens in their respective supply areas, easily accessible to all players.
Each player receives a starting hand of development cards (as specified by the rulebook for player count) and a certain amount of fish tokens (the game's currency).
Place the Oshax cat tile and the basket tokens near the island board.

The Game Turn

A game of The Isle of Cats unfolds over five rounds, each with five distinct phases. Let's break down a typical round:

Explore Phase:
- Each player draws a set number of development cards from the deck.
- Players then choose which cards to keep by paying fish tokens. Cards not kept are discarded.
- These cards represent various actions you can take, such as rescuing cats, finding treasures, or gaining special abilities.
Rescue Phase:
- Players take turns rescuing cats from the island.
- To rescue a cat, you must play a rescue card and pay the required fish tokens.
- Once rescued, you take a cat tile from the island and place it onto your player board (your boat).
- Cats come in different shapes and colors, and how you place them on your boat is crucial for scoring.
Rare Finds Phase:
- Players can now play treasure cards to claim treasure tiles.
- These treasures also need to be placed on your boat and can help fill gaps or score extra points.
Oshax Phase:
- If you have played an Oshax card, you can now rescue an Oshax cat.
- Oshax cats are special as they can be rotated and placed in any orientation on your boat, making them very flexible for filling spaces.
End of Round Phase:
- All remaining fish tokens are kept for the next round.
- Any unplayed development cards are discarded.
- The round marker advances, and a new round begins!

End of Game and Scoring

The game concludes after the fifth round. Once the final End of Round Phase is complete, it's time for the grand scoring! Players will tally their points based on several categories:

Covered Rat Tiles: Each rat tile on your boat that is completely covered by cat or treasure tiles scores points.
Completed Cat Families: Groups of adjacent cats of the same color score points. The larger the family, the more points!
Public Objectives: Points for achieving shared goals that were revealed at the start of the game.
Private Objectives: Points for completing secret goals from your own development cards.
Uncovered Rat Tiles: Beware! Each rat tile on your boat that is still visible at the end of the game will cost you negative points.
Uncovered Rooms: Any room on your boat that is not completely filled with tiles will also cost you negative points.
Remaining Fish: Any leftover fish tokens are converted into points.

The player with the highest total score wins the game and is recognized as the most heroic cat rescuer!

Tips for Winning

Want to become a master cat rescuer? Here are a couple of tips to get you started:

Plan Your Boat Layout: Think ahead about how you're going to place your cat and treasure tiles. Try to cover as many rat tiles as possible and aim to create large, contiguous groups of same-colored cats for big points.
Balance Card Play and Fish: Don't spend all your fish tokens in the Explore Phase! You'll need fish to actually rescue cats and play other important cards later in the round. Sometimes, passing on a card to save fish is the smarter move.

Rules videos