Spirit Island is one of the best ways to introduce newbies to the concept of the co-op board game. Thanks to the popularity of classics like Monopoly and Risk, people tend to treat the genre as strictly competitive. Even when making alliances in these games, betrayal would inevitably follow. Many Monopoly games have ended in broken trust.
Spirit Island, currently $7.49 on Steam, stands among the best board games for a sleek co-op experience. The self-proclaimed “cooperative settler-destruction” strategy game pits up to four Spirits to defend their island homes. Each spirit has unique powers, assigning each player a different role depending on the map. They can also pick up new Power cards along the way to fend off those nasty invaders.
The Spirits can experience a variety of scenarios, invaders, and hazards in each playthrough. No single game of Spirit Island will feel the same, providing it with massive replay value. I’ve personally never felt more in-tune during a board game session than Spirit Island. DnD Parties will bicker all day while Monopoly oligarchs engage in cutthroat capitalism. In contrast, Spirit Island players will join hands and kick out colonizers with awesome powers.
The digital version also gains some exclusive bonuses, such as beautiful 3D maps and DLC. Speaking of DLC, the base game isn’t the only thing on sale right now. The Archipelago Bundle is also at a generous 54% off, for players who want the whole experience.
Alternatively, they can opt for the Handelabra Digital Tabletop Collection at 27% off. The bundle features the following strategy titles alongside Spirit Island.
- Sentinels of Earth-Prime
- Aeon’s End
- Sentinels of the Multiverse
- One Deck Dungeon
- One Deck Galaxy
The Spirit Island Steam sale ends on Sunday, August 10, 2025. With only a week left on that sale, you’d better “Add to Cart” fast if you want that deep discount.
Find your fellow spirits over at the Wargamer Discord. If you want more tactical goodness, the best strategy board games list has you covered. For more co-op chaos, the best couples board games could work out great!