Cooper Island
- Players
- 1-4
- Best withThe player count this game plays best at.
- 3 players
- Play timeHow long a full game runs once everyone knows the rules.
- 120 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 12+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 4.2 / 5
- Year
- 2019
About the game
In Cooper Island, players arrive on a new island and race to settle it by placing landscape tiles that generate resources for constructing buildings with special powers. Barriers must be cleared to open new areas for exploration, and players build statues and use supply ships to bring in goods from the old world. The standout mechanism has players sailing ships around the island's coast to track their victory points, picking up bonuses from smaller islands along the way. After five rounds, whoever has developed their settlement best and sailed furthest wins. It's a dense worker-placement and resource-engine game with a satisfying sense of steady growth.
Hobbli's Notes
Cooper Island is an underrated heavy Euro with a genuinely clever scoring-as-movement twist that rewards careful long-term planning. The solo mode included in later printings adds real value for players without a regular group. It asks a lot of new players in terms of complexity and rules overhead, but the payoff is a tight, rewarding engine-building puzzle. Best suited to fans of dense economic Euros who don't mind a slower start.
What we like
- Satisfying tile-laying exploration paired with resource management.
- Unique victory-point tracking via ship movement around the island.
- Strong built-in solo mode for solitaire play.
- Deep, rewarding engine-building for experienced Euro fans.
Keep in mind
- High complexity presents a steep barrier for newcomers.
- Two-hour playtime with some downtime between turns.
- Thin settlement theme mainly serves the mechanics.
Who it's for
Best for experienced Euro-game players aged 12+ who enjoy deep worker placement and resource management, playable solo or in groups of up to four.
