Have you ever wanted to build your own Jurassic Park? Well, do I have a board game for you. Dinosaur Island is a fun competitive and addicting worker placement board game. This world will allow you to build your own dinos - from the friendly herbivores, medium size slightly angry carnivores, and last but not least the big carnivores who will ruin your day if they are released. Sounds great right, having your own dino park? Well, keep reading for how the game is played and my opinions at the end.

Game Setup

1. Board and Components

   Each player gets a lab board, a park board, and a collection of dinosaur meeples, workers, and cubes.

   The central board includes the market, objectives, and phases for different game actions.

1. DNA Dice and Specialists

   Dice representing different types of DNA are rolled and placed in the research lab.

   Specialist and attraction cards are placed in the market.

1. Objectives and End Game

   Players agree on a set of objectives and an end-game condition. 

   The game usually ends when a certain number of objectives are completed or a specified number of rounds are played.

Game Phases

Dinosaur Island is played over a series of rounds, each consisting of five phases:

1. Research Phase

   Players take turns drafting DNA dice to collect DNA, increase their cold storage capacity, or gain other benefits.

   Players can also spend money to gain advanced DNA from dice with higher values.

1. Market Phase

    Players take turns buying items from the market, such as new dinosaur recipes, attractions, and specialists.

   Players can also buy security upgrades to protect their park from rampaging dinosaurs.

1. Worker Phase

   Players assign workers to various tasks on their lab boards, such as refining DNA, creating dinosaurs, and improving their park’s infrastructure.

   Tasks include increasing DNA storage, upgrading the lab, or creating new dinosaurs.

1. Park Phase

   Players manage their park by assigning visitors, earning money, and gaining excitement based on their attractions.

   Excitement draws visitors to the park, who generate income and victory points, but more dangerous dinosaurs also increase the risk of incidents.

1. Cleanup Phase

   Players reset the game board for the next round by refreshing the market, resetting worker assignments, and managing visitor incidents.

Key Elements

DNA Management 

Players collect and manage different types of DNA to create dinosaurs. Basic DNA is more common, while advanced DNA is rarer but necessary for more impressive dinosaurs.

Dinosaur Creation 

Different dinosaur species offer various benefits, such as increased excitement or higher visitor capacity. Larger and more dangerous dinosaurs attract more visitors but also pose greater risks.

Park Development

Players build attractions and improve facilities to manage visitor flow and increase income. Attractions can include food stands, rides, and more.

Security

Managing security is crucial to prevent dinosaur escapes, which can harm visitors and reduce a player’s score. Security upgrades are necessary as more dangerous dinosaurs are created.

Specialists

Hiring specialists can provide unique advantages and abilities, such as bonuses to dinosaur creation, improved park management, or additional actions.

Winning the Game

Victory points are earned through a combination of park attractions, dinosaur creation, visitor management, and completing objectives. The player with the most victory points at the end of the game wins.

Playing this game you start to notice how competitive it will become. You will not only have to manage your own park but will have to keep tabs on the other players' boards. Dinosaur Island offers a rich, strategic experience with multiple paths to victory, making each game unique and engaging. You can play up to 4 players and there will be plenty to keep each game interesting. 

Final thoughts are this is a very solid board game. This is a game is ideal for those who love dinos and those who love some competitive elements. Overall I would rate this game a 8.5/10. 

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