Forbidden Desert

Lore & Background

Forbidden Desert is set in a desert where legend tells of an ancient technologically advanced civilization that created a solar-powered airship. Players represent explorers whose helicopter crashes during a storm, forcing them to search the desert ruins for the airship's four pieces: Compass, Engine, Propeller, and Solar Crystal. The game board consists of 24 desert tiles arranged in a 5x5 formation with a central storm space. Eight sand markers are placed in a diamond formation at setup, and players start at the crash site. The game includes seven player roles—Archaeologist, Climber, Explorer, Meteorologist, Navigator, Water Carrier, and Engineer—each with unique abilities and varying water capacities. Gameplay involves taking actions such as moving, digging, collecting airship pieces, excavating tiles, and giving water. Special tile icons include tunnels, gears, airship clues, oases/mirages, and a launch pad. Gear cards like Dune Blaster, Jet Pack, and Solar Shield provide additional abilities. The storm deck introduces events such as Sun Beats Down, Storm Picks Up, Storm Movement, Mirage, and Sandstorm cards that affect players and the board.

Reader's Guide

Forbidden Desert is significant as a cooperative board game that builds on the mechanics of its predecessor, Forbidden Island, while introducing new elements like water management and storm movement. The game requires players to work together to collect airship parts and reach the launch pad before the storm overwhelms them or they die of thirst. Its legacy includes being a popular example of cooperative gameplay, where players must coordinate roles and use gear cards strategically. The game offers four difficulty levels—Novice, Normal, Extreme, Legendary—and includes a storm meter that increases the number of storm cards drawn each turn. The inclusion of roles with different water capacities and abilities adds replayability and strategic depth. Forbidden Desert has been well-received in the board gaming community and is referenced on BoardGameGeek.

Did You Know?

• Players win by collecting all four airship pieces (Compass, Engine, Propeller, Solar Crystal) and having all players on the excavated Launch Pad tile.
• The storm deck contains five types of cards: Sun Beats Down, Storm Picks Up, Storm Movement, Mirage, and Sandstorm cards.