At first, when my buddy Marcus pulled out Spirit Island nearly three years ago, I inwardly rolled my eyes. Just another cooperative game in which we would likely struggle for two hours against some escalating threat system. I am certainly no stranger to co-op games, but so many of them have the feel of treading water until the game decides you have had enough fun. However, Marcus wanted to continue, and Sarah was already reading the rule book with that look she gives when she finds herself interested in the premise of a game, so I decided to give it a shot.
Spirit Island (created by R. Eric Reuss and published by Greater Than Games) completely turned my expectations upside down. Rather than playing another group of plucky heroes trying to overcome incredible odds, you are playing as literal spirits of the land — ancient, powerful entities defending your sacred island from colonizing invaders. It is like someone took the common colonial expansion theme that appears in so many games, and asked “what if we told this story from the other side?” As a result, Spirit Island is thematically brilliant and provides an emotional experience that I was not prepared for.
The spirits that you can choose from were what drew me in right away. You have options such as Lightning’s Swift Strike, who specializes in quick and brutal attacks, or River Surges in Sunlight, who is all about using your movement of the invaders to control the pace of the game. And then there are spirits such as Shadows Flicker Like Flame, which is… it is hard to describe without coming off as though I am inventing fantasy nonsense, however, each spirit has its own unique personality that is evident in how they play. Sarah typically selects Vital Strength of the Earth because she likes the slow and relentless growth of that spirit — it fits her style of play perfectly.
What I found appealing was how the theme was not simply slapped onto some abstract mechanics. The way that your spirit grows in power as you progress through the game, gaining energy and developing new abilities, feels as though you are waking ancient powers. When you use a power card titled Terrifying Nightmares and watch the invader pieces scurry off of the board, it is exhilarating. You are not simply moving wooden blocks around — you are summoning the wrath of nature itself.
The components of the game create an immersive atmosphere as well. The spirit boards are not simply player aids — they are works of art that display your spirit’s domain and powers. The island boards can be set up in a variety of ways, so each game will feel as though you are defending a unique location. Even the invader pieces (the explorers, the towns, the cities) are menacing as they spread across your sacred lands like a plague.
However, it is here where Spirit Island truly shines — it is very difficult to beat, without feeling as though you are being treated unfairly. I have played dozens of games at this point, and I would estimate that we win approximately sixty percent of the time, however, each of our losses feel as though we have learned something significant. The invaders are very predictable in terms of their actions (they will explore, then develop, then ravage your land), however, the combination of various spirits, power cards, and random events creates a constant need for you to adjust your strategy.
Last month, Sarah and I hosted a game night for two other couples, and by the end of the night, every person involved was fully immersed in the tactical puzzle. John, who normally becomes paralyzed by the decision-making process in more complex games, was providing these excellent suggestions regarding the coordination of powers between spirits. “Wait, if Lisa uses her Ocean’s Hungry Grasp to move those explorers, I can use Thunderspeaker’s coordinated attack on them!” This is the magic of this game — it creates these situations where the theme and mechanics of the game come together perfectly.
The cooperative elements of the game work because each spirit adds a unique element to the table, however, you are all working towards the same objective — eliminating the invaders prior to destroying too much of the island. There is a wonderful tension when you want to focus on increasing the strength of your own spirit, but you also need to coordinate your efforts with the other players in order to manage the immediate threats. I have seen games where we managed to pull off last second victories due to the fact that someone made a sacrifice of their ideal turn in order to assist another player in managing a crisis.
What I enjoy most about Spirit Island is how the game treats you with respect. The rulebook is massive, the interactions are intricate, and there are several ways to fail (the explorer cards run out, too much damage is inflicted upon the land through blights, etc.). However, once you have grasped the systems of the game, everything makes thematic sense. Of course, the invaders are going to become more fearful as you begin to demonstrate your supernatural powers. Of course, blighting the land will hinder the ability of your spirits to manifest their abilities. The game believes in you and trusts that you will be able to navigate complexity in order to create a genuine experience.
Over the past few years, I have introduced Spirit Island to possibly fifteen different people, and the reactions are always interesting. Some people are immediately turned off by it — it is clearly not a gateway game, and if you are looking for something light and casual, then look somewhere else. However, the people who connect with the game are completely enamored. My neighbour Dave purchased his own copy of the game after playing it once and he has since purchased every expansion. That is the Spirit Island effect.
There is a tremendous amount of replayability in Spirit Island due to the different combinations of spirits and variable setup options. We have played approximately forty games, and I still feel as though I am finding new strategies and interacting with aspects of the game that I have not previously experienced. The addition of the expansion spirits and adversaries (specific invader nations with their own abilities and escalation patterns) continues to add freshness to the gameplay experience. For example, playing against the Brandenburg-Prussia adversary feels completely different from playing against England, both thematically and mechanically.
In the competitive world of cooperative gaming, what ultimately sets Spirit Island apart from other cooperative games is that it allows you to feel empowered while still presenting challenges. Most co-ops leave you barely surviving against increasingly insurmountable odds. With Spirit Island, you begin relatively weak, but grow into these powerful forces of nature that can alter the very landscape of your sacred lands. When you finally find that perfect turn where all of your powers come together and you eliminate half of the invaders in one glorious blow… that is why I play board games.
The game demands patience and strategic thinking. Spirit Island is not a game that you can just throw on the table for a quick evening of fun. Set-up is fifteen minutes long, explaining the rules to new players takes another twenty minutes, and games can range from two to three hours. However, for Sarah and myself, this has become a feature — not a bug. Spirit Island nights are events — we dedicate the entire evening to playing the game, order take-out, and immerse ourselves in the defense of our ancient lands.
If you are a gamer that appreciates theme and storytelling in your games, and does not mind complexity in exchange for experiencing memorable experiences, then Spirit Island is a must-play. It is an example of how cooperative games can be mechanically sophisticated while providing strong thematic experiences. Each time we play, we are left with stories to share — the desperate last stand where River saved the coastal regions, the perfect storm of powers that cleared three cities from the board in a single turn. That is precisely what I want from my board games.
Meeple Power is all about celebrating the joy of board games—great stories, clever mechanics, and big laughs around the table. We cover everything from easy-to-learn gateway games to deep strategic epics, shining a light on the creativity, community, and occasional chaos that make tabletop gaming so much fun. Whether you’re rolling dice, flipping cards, or arguing house rules with friends, we’re here to keep the game night spirit alive.