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Control nature spirits in a cooperative strategy game, growing their powers to protect islanders and drive colonizing Invaders away.
Released 29 Jul 2020
Fight as Nature Spirits
Grow Spirit Powers
Drive Out Invaders
Become the spirits of the land, and defend the island from colonizing Invaders spreading blight and destruction! Your spirits work with the native islanders to increase your power and drive the invading colonists from your island in this strategic area-control game.
Developed by Handelabra Games Inc. · Published by Handelabra Games Inc.









Set in an alternate-history world, Spirit Island casts you as spirits of the land defending their island home. You work alongside the native islanders as Invaders spread across the island, build settlements, and blight the land.
In solo or cooperative play, you plan how to respond to the Invaders’ expansion, using spirit powers to move, damage, or remove them and protect the island. Victory comes from driving the Invaders away or generating enough Fear to change the conditions for winning.
Each spirit has distinct abilities and grows through choices that can add presence to the island, provide energy, or improve its powers. You gain and play cards with different costs, timing, and elemental symbols, while modular boards, adversaries, and scenarios provide different setups and challenges.
Players often praise the strategic depth, the distinct ways the spirits play, and the variety of possible setups. Many also value the digital version’s automated rules and bookkeeping, which makes solo games and getting a game started quicker. Some find the learning curve steep, and opinions on the interface and online multiplayer are mixed.
In the most distant reaches of the world, magic still exists, embodied by spirits of the land, of the sky, and of every natural thing. As the great powers of Europe stretch their colonial empires further and further, they will inevitably lay claim to a place where spirits still hold power - and when they do, the land itself will fight back alongside the islanders who live there.

Spirit Island is a cooperative settler-destruction strategy game designed by R. Eric Reuss and set in an alternate-history world around A.D. 1700. Players become different Spirits of the land, each with their own unique elemental powers, forced to defend their island home from colonizing Invaders spreading blight and destruction. Your Spirits work with the native Dahan to increase your power and drive the invading colonists from your island in this strategic area-control game.
In Spirit Island, players choose between 1-4 Spirits to control. The number of Spirits determines the size of the island:

8 different Spirits, each with 4 Power cards unique to that Spirit
36 Minor Power cards that enhance the abilities of your Spirits
22 Major Power cards with more powerful effects to devastate the Invaders
A modular island, made up of 4 balanced island boards, for a variety of layouts
Thematic island boards that reflect the canonical island and provide a new challenge
3 multi-tier Adversaries (specific Invaders) for play variety and fine-tuned challenge: Brandenburg-Prussia, England, and Sweden
4 optional Scenarios for even more play variety
15 Invader cards driving a distinctive Invader expansion system
2 Blight cards with challenging effects as the Invaders blight the Island
15 Fear cards with beneficial effects, earned as you terrify the Invaders
Every rule & interaction in the game has been carefully adapted and thoroughly tested by expert Spirit Island players, as well as the designer himself. If you’re wondering how a certain situation works in Spirit Island, this game is the ultimate rules lawyer!
Original dynamic music composed by Jean-Marc Giffin brings Spirit Island to life. Each Spirit has unique musical elements that wax and wane as the game progresses.
3D Textured maps bring a realistic look and isometric perspective to the Island.
3D Classic maps present the Island the way it looks on the tabletop.
2D Classic maps provide a simplified top-down option for all you number crunchers out there.
Over 78,000 different potential game configurations to choose from.
Play a solo game with 1 to 4 Spirits, or pass & play with your friends (locally or with Steam Remote Play Together).
Cross-platform online multiplayer with friends and others from around the world.
Branch & Claw adds two Spirits, an Adversary, four Scenarios, many new Power, Fear, and Blight cards, and new mechanics including the Event Deck.
Jagged Earth adds new Spirits, Island Boards, Adversaries, Scenarios, many new Power, Event, Fear, and Blight cards, and much more.
Horizons of Spirit Island adds five Spirits and three Island Boards, especially suited for newer players to Spirit Island.
Promo Pack 1: Flame includes two Spirits: Heart of the Wildfire and Serpent Slumbering Beneath the Island.
Promo Pack 2: Feather includes two Spirits, an Adversary, two Scenarios, Aspects for Core Game Spirits, and Fear Cards.
Nature Incarnate includes powerful new Spirits, many Aspects, an Adversary, Scenarios, and many new Power, Event, Fear, and Blight cards. Partial content is now available and more will be released in coming updates.
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux |
|---|---|
| Steam Deck | Playable |
| Achievements | 54 |
| Age ratings |
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| Controller required | No |
| DLC / extras | 9 listed on Steam |
| Content notices |
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| Website | Official website |
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