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Forbidden Island is the cooperative game that got a lot of families into modern board games. Your team races across a sinking island to collect four treasures and fly off before the tiles flood away. If you love working together against the board, these games like Forbidden Island keep the teamwork and the rising tension, from two more games in the same series to a firefighting rescue and a castle under siege.
Best next game after Forbidden Island: Forbidden Desert
The harder sequel: dig through shifting sand, ration water and rebuild a flying machine. It costs about $27.
Price band: $20–$30 (about $27) · Check today’s price on Amazon
1. Forbidden Desert — groups ready for a tougher challenge
Players: 2 to 5, ages 10+ · Price band: $20–$30 (about $27) · Pick for: Groups ready for a tougher challenge · See Forbidden Desert on Amazon
Designer Matt Leacock followed Forbidden Island with this desert survival game. A sandstorm moves tiles around the board and buries them in sand, the sun dries out your water and you must find the four parts of a flying machine and lift off together. It plays like a more demanding version of the island, so it is the natural next step.
See how it compares with the newest entry in our Forbidden Desert vs Forbidden Jungle guide.
Skip it if: you play with young kids; it is noticeably harder.
2. Forbidden Jungle — fans of the series who want something new
Players: 2 to 5, ages 10+ · Price band: $20–$30 (about $21) · Pick for: Fans of the series who want something new · See Forbidden Jungle on Amazon
The latest Forbidden game drops your team in an overgrown alien spaceport. You explore tiles, slide sections of the board with machines and fight off spider-like aliens that lay eggs and spin webs. To win, you power a portal with four crystals and get everyone onto it before the place collapses.
Skip it if: you want the simplest rules; this one has more moving parts.
3. Pandemic — teams who like planning
Players: 2 to 4, ages 8+ · Price band: $30+ (about $42) · Pick for: Teams who like planning · See Pandemic on Amazon
Also by Matt Leacock, Pandemic has your team traveling the world to treat outbreaks and discover cures for four diseases. Each player has a special role, just like the adventurers in Forbidden Island, and the epidemics keep ramping up the pressure. It is a little longer and more strategic.
Skip it if: you want something quick; a game takes about 45 minutes.
4. Castle Panic — families and mixed ages
Players: 1 to 6, ages 10+ · Price band: $30+ (about $35) · Pick for: Families and mixed ages · See Castle Panic on Amazon
Monsters march out of the forest toward a castle in the middle of the board, and everyone plays cards to hit them before they knock down the walls. It is easy to teach, plays up to six and has the same everyone-wins-or-loses feeling.
Skip it if: your group dislikes card luck; what you draw matters a lot.
5. Flash Point: Fire Rescue — groups who like a theme they can feel
Players: 1 to 6, ages 10+ · Price band: $30+ (about $40) · Pick for: Groups who like a theme they can feel · See Flash Point: Fire Rescue on Amazon
Your team of firefighters charges into a burning building to carry out victims before it collapses. Fire spreads on every turn, so you are constantly choosing between fighting flames and getting people out. Rescue seven victims and you win.
Skip it if: you need a game for very young players.
Cooperative games like Forbidden Island compared
| Game | Players | Goal | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forbidden Island | 2 to 4 | Grab four treasures, escape | Check current price |
| Forbidden Desert | 2 to 5 | Rebuild a flying machine | about $27 |
| Forbidden Jungle | 2 to 5 | Power a portal and escape | about $21 |
| Pandemic | 2 to 4 | Cure four diseases | about $42 |
| Castle Panic | 1 to 6 | Defend the castle | about $35 |
| Flash Point: Fire Rescue | 1 to 6 | Rescue seven victims | about $40 |
Why Forbidden Island works so well
Forbidden Island hits a sweet spot: it teaches in ten minutes, a game takes about half an hour and the sinking tiles create real drama. Everyone has a role with a special power, and the group talks through every turn together. The games above keep those strengths. Desert and Jungle add difficulty, Pandemic adds strategy and Castle Panic and Flash Point add a stronger theme.
For more teamwork picks, browse our games like Pandemic and games like Castle Panic lists.
Which Forbidden Island alternative to buy
- You finished Forbidden Island and want more: Forbidden Desert.
- Bigger groups of five or six: Castle Panic or Flash Point.
- Teens and adults who like strategy: Pandemic.
- Series fans who own the first two: Forbidden Jungle.
Games like Forbidden Island FAQ
Is Forbidden Desert harder than Forbidden Island?
Yes. It adds water management and shifting tiles, so most groups find it a step up.
What is the best family cooperative game like Forbidden Island?
Castle Panic is the easiest to teach to mixed ages and plays up to six.
Who designed Forbidden Island?
Matt Leacock, who also designed Pandemic and the other Forbidden games.
