Similar to Flip 7 but a MUCH MORE FRIENDLY version! The game designers achieved a game that aligns with their values the most. When one person gets too greedy, the system is designed to spread the wealth. When one person has the resources they need, they must gift their excess to those with less. Players can’t harm each other; they can only enrich each other. But we like to classify this as optimistic push-your-luck.
Note: 2 players? Use the variant of 2 side by side towers for each player, but only 1 bucket & hand of cards!
Note: when placing a fire gem on the board, it must be orthogonally adjacent to a fire gem (or eternal fire in the center). This means it must be edge to edge next to a fire gem already on the board (ie, diagonally is NOT adjacent for placing fire gems). However, the game is interesting because the purple firebreak tokens are the opposite and must NOT be placed edge to edge next to another purple firebreak tokens (but diagonal is fine).
Ordered original game plus the new stand alone Icebound Isles (play each separate or combine together for 3-4 player game) including the two promo card sets.
TIPs to make it easier: The easiest/coziest mode to try from the updated co-op rules is that you need to achieve all 7 goals but there isno time limit. Keep playing 7, 8, 9 turns. However long it takes. The faster you achieve the goals the better your score, but you can keep playing until you get them. It takes the pressure off and allows you to the learn the game. Use 3 goals and all the setbacks. I would probably remove the goal that requires junior specialists as we changed that one to require seniors instead and make it more positive. [another person suggests removing all the setback cards to make it easier] [I found it helped to let any player take part of their turn at any time, not specifically in clockwise order]
