How to Play Survive the Island 2024: Explorers, Boats & Monsters
Survive the Island is the refreshed 2024 version of the classic sinking-island game. Players try to rescue their most valuable explorers while manipulating boats, disappearing terrain and hostile creatures.
Scope: 2024 Zygomatic base game for 2–5 players, excluding the Monster Pack expansion.
Explorer values stay secret
Each explorer belongs to one player and has a hidden treasure/value known to its owner. Once placed at setup, its value should not be checked repeatedly, so memory matters.
Move explorers and boats
Use your movement allowance to move your explorers and eligible boats toward the safe corner islands. Boats can carry multiple explorers and become points of both cooperation and conflict.
Remove one terrain tile
After movement, choose an eligible island tile to sink. Resolve the icon/effect on its reverse side; some effects create or move creatures, produce immediate events or change escape routes.
Move a creature
Roll the creature die and move the indicated monster type according to its movement rule. Sharks, sea serpents and the 2024 edition’s kaijus threaten swimmers, boats and routes in different ways.
Reach a safe island to rescue an explorer
An explorer that reaches one of the safe outer islands is removed from danger and will contribute its hidden value at final scoring.
The island disappears over time
Beach terrain disappears first, then forests and mountains according to the sinking rules. Waiting too long leaves valuable explorers swimming or stranded with fewer legal routes.
Highest rescued treasure total wins
When the game ends under the 2024 rules, reveal the values of explorers that reached safety and total them. Lost explorers score nothing.