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Forbidden Desert
Gamewright · 2013
2–545 min10+ yrs2.0/5 complexity7.1 BGG#607 BGG58,9 KCo-opFamily
⚡ short answer
How do you play Forbidden Desert?
The primary objective of Forbidden Desert is for all players to cooperatively find four specific ship parts (propeller, engine, solar crystal, and navigation array) that are buried beneath the sand. Once all four parts are found and excavated, all players must then move their pawns to the launchpad tile, which is also hidden, and successfully 'launch' the ship to escape the desert. This must be achieved before any player succumbs to thirst, gets buried by sand, or the storm's intensity reaches its maximum level.
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the rules in 60 seconds▶ auto · 1/6
🧩
01
Setup
Players set up a grid of desert tiles, each with a hidden side, and place their pawns and sand markers, along with the storm meter and ship parts.
The rules, step by step
Setup
To set up Forbidden Desert, players first arrange 24 desert tiles face down in a 5x5 grid, leaving the center space empty. These tiles are then flipped over, revealing either a desert landscape or a special location. Each player chooses a character pawn and places it on a starting tile. Sand markers are placed on designated tiles, and the storm meter is set to level 1. The four ship parts (propeller, engine, solar crystal, and navigation array) are placed near the board, ready to be discovered. The storm deck and treasure deck are shuffled and placed nearby.
Objective
The primary objective of Forbidden Desert is for all players to cooperatively find four specific ship parts (propeller, engine, solar crystal, and navigation array) that are buried beneath the sand. Once all four parts are found and excavated, all players must then move their pawns to the launchpad tile, which is also hidden, and successfully 'launch' the ship to escape the desert. This must be achieved before any player succumbs to thirst, gets buried by sand, or the storm's intensity reaches its maximum level.
On your turn
During a player's turn, they first perform up to four actions. These actions can include moving their pawn to an adjacent tile, excavating sand from their current tile or an adjacent one, collecting a discovered ship part, or sharing water with an adjacent player. After taking actions, the player draws a number of storm cards equal to the current storm intensity level. These cards dictate how the storm moves across the board, adding sand to tiles and potentially burying players, and can also increase the storm's intensity, making subsequent turns more challenging.
Scoring
Forbidden Desert is a fully cooperative game, meaning there is no individual scoring. All players either win together or lose together. Success is achieved only if the entire team manages to collect all four ship parts and escape from the desert. If any player runs out of water (dies of thirst), a player is buried under too much sand, or the storm intensity meter reaches its maximum level, all players collectively lose the game.
Game end
The game concludes in one of two ways. Players achieve victory if they successfully locate and excavate all four ship parts, and then all player pawns converge on the launchpad tile, signifying their escape from the desert. Conversely, the game ends in defeat for all players if any single player's water level drops to zero (thirst), if any player's tile accumulates too many sand markers, effectively burying them, or if the storm intensity marker on the storm meter reaches its highest possible level, indicating an overwhelming and inescapable sandstorm.
Tips
Effective communication and strategic planning are crucial for success in Forbidden Desert. Players should prioritize excavating tiles that are likely to contain ship parts or essential resources like water. Managing water levels is vital, so sharing water and seeking out oases should be a constant consideration. Players should also work together to clear sand from critical paths and prevent anyone from becoming buried. Utilizing character abilities and found equipment cards wisely can provide significant advantages in overcoming the desert's challenges and the escalating storm.
🔬 game anatomy
Complexity2.0 / 5
BGG rating7.1 / 10
Vibe
Co-opFamily
Language dependence
Some text — easily memorized
Play time
45 min
Players
2–5
Recommended age
10+ yrs
BGG rank
#607
✨ from Trișache · verified
Frequently asked questions
Q1What is the goal of the game?
The primary objective of Forbidden Desert is for all players to cooperatively find four specific ship parts (propeller, engine, solar crystal, and navigation array) that are buried beneath the sand. Once all four parts are found and excavated, all players must then move their pawns to the launchpad tile, which is also hidden, and successfully 'launch' the ship to escape the desert. This must be achieved before any player succumbs to thirst, gets buried by sand, or the storm's intensity reaches its maximum level.
Q2How do you set up the game?
To set up Forbidden Desert, players first arrange 24 desert tiles face down in a 5x5 grid, leaving the center space empty. These tiles are then flipped over, revealing either a desert landscape or a special location. Each player chooses a character pawn and places it on a starting tile. Sand markers are placed on designated tiles, and the storm meter is set to level 1. The four ship parts (propeller, engine, solar crystal, and navigation array) are placed near the board, ready to be discovered. The storm deck and treasure deck are shuffled and placed nearby.
Q3How does a turn work?
During a player's turn, they first perform up to four actions. These actions can include moving their pawn to an adjacent tile, excavating sand from their current tile or an adjacent one, collecting a discovered ship part, or sharing water with an adjacent player. After taking actions, the player draws a number of storm cards equal to the current storm intensity level. These cards dictate how the storm moves across the board, adding sand to tiles and potentially burying players, and can also increase the storm's intensity, making subsequent turns more challenging.
Q4How is scoring calculated?
Forbidden Desert is a fully cooperative game, meaning there is no individual scoring. All players either win together or lose together. Success is achieved only if the entire team manages to collect all four ship parts and escape from the desert. If any player runs out of water (dies of thirst), a player is buried under too much sand, or the storm intensity meter reaches its maximum level, all players collectively lose the game.
Q5When and how does the game end?
The game concludes in one of two ways. Players achieve victory if they successfully locate and excavate all four ship parts, and then all player pawns converge on the launchpad tile, signifying their escape from the desert. Conversely, the game ends in defeat for all players if any single player's water level drops to zero (thirst), if any player's tile accumulates too many sand markers, effectively burying them, or if the storm intensity marker on the storm meter reaches its highest possible level, indicating an overwhelming and inescapable sandstorm.
Q6What tips are there for beginners?
Effective communication and strategic planning are crucial for success in Forbidden Desert. Players should prioritize excavating tiles that are likely to contain ship parts or essential resources like water. Managing water levels is vital, so sharing water and seeking out oases should be a constant consideration. Players should also work together to clear sand from critical paths and prevent anyone from becoming buried. Utilizing character abilities and found equipment cards wisely can provide significant advantages in overcoming the desert's challenges and the escalating storm.
Q7How much does Forbidden Desert cost?
No store is currently tracking Forbidden Desert. Check the Prices tab — you can set a price alert to be notified when it appears.
Q8Where can I buy Forbidden Desert cheapest?
Check the Prices tab — howtoplay.ro aggregates offers from 7+ Romanian board-game stores and tracks price history.
Q9How do you play Forbidden Desert?
Forbidden Desert is a adventure game, for 2–5 players, taking ~45 minutes, featuring action points. Check the Rules tab for setup, gameplay, and scoring, or ask Trișache anything about Forbidden Desert — our AI assistant built by howtoplay.ro and trained specifically on board game rulebooks.
Q10How many players does Forbidden Desert support?
Forbidden Desert is played by 2–5 players.
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