Gamewright’s Forbidden Island board game has been gaining in popularity in the hobby. Designed by Matt Leacock, the cooperative board game was released in 2010 and quickly earned “The Golden Geek” Award as the “Best Family Board Game” from the readers of the Boardgame Geek Website.  Forbidden Island has also garnered a slew of other awards including Creative Child Magazine's “Game of the Year,” FamilyFun Magazine's “Toy of the Year,” Games Magazine's “Top 100 Game,” Funfare All Star Award, and a Mensa Select designation.
 
The players in Forbidden Island join a team of adventurers on a perilous mission to capture four sacred treasures. The team has to work together in a pulse-pounding race against time as the very island itself is sinking beneath their feet. 
 
The game works best with four players, ages 10 and up, and it takes just 30 minute to play. The affordable Forbidden Island game (MSRP is just  $17.99) comes in a beautifully illustrated tin, which includes 58 cards, 24 tiles, 6 pawns, 4 treasure figurines, 1 water meter, 1 water level meter, and game rules.