Wild Card Thursday! Some men just want to watch the world burn; others just want to blog about whatever game they feel like. I am part of the latter group. Thursdays are a wild card I may take a look at a designer, a game, a mechanic, a convention, news in the industry, or some other crazy curveball. Today we look at the vintage cult classic Fireball Island.

The vitals
Released 1986
Designer: Chuck Kennedy & Bruce Lund
Plays: 2-4
EPT: 45 minutes

I was unfamiliar with the game until Sean had mentioned it could be a fun classic game for us to play and review at which point I started my research. The game at first glance appeared as a simple children’s roll and move game and soon revealed itself to be so much more! (I have embedded our video review below *note it was shot in our old format back when 1 was good and 10 was bad and we didn’t use rubrics)

In Fireball Island players act as explorers seeking out Vul-Kar’s Jewel. Players decide who player one is via the standard high roll goes first and are each given a card from the draw pile. The game does play with the standard roll and move mechanic though they have a few options on paths they can take, tunnels they can travel through and fireballs they must avoid. If a player rolls a one their character does not move and they must roll a fireball instead.

The gameboard is a 3d vacuform with fireballs spread about the peaks of hills that are pushed off leaving decimation in their wake. Players must launch a fireball that has a chance of knocking down one of the explorers, sometimes meaning they must fireball themselves. When a player is hit they must place their explorer on a smolder pit on their side; their next turn being dedicated to standing up. If the player was holding the jewel the jewel is dropped in their location. Additional spaces let players draw new cards which can be used to launch a fireball at will, draw new cards, take extra turns, cancel other cards, as well as a multitude of other options!

Players move their characters about the map with the goal of taking Vul-Kar’s jewel and then escaping the island before the jewel can get stolen by another player. The first player to reach the docks with the jewel is declared the winner!

As I learned more about the game I was very excited to give it a play.Initially I found the fireballs are relatively gimmicky but equally amazing as a strategy developed around which fireball to launch and who to target when. There is a plethora of luck in the roll and move mechanic yet that finds itself slightly balanced with other in game choices; predominantly focused around the card drawing and playing.

Despite the game’s age the vintage aspect adds to the game rather than remove from it. I felt almost as if I were taking part in a classic radio adventure serial and on occasion found myself falling into my 1950s radio voice and narrating my turns. The game’s 3d play surface, fireballs, Vul-Car, and the forced competitiveness all make the game very enjoyable with the prime downfall being how difficult is is to find at a reasonable price. This is a game I believe warrants a re-print so a new generation of children (and adults) can enjoy it the same way many did years ago.

All-in-all the game is a fantastic adventure in a short time and for some a great path back to their childhood. I give Fireball Island 7.25 out of 10!
Visuals – 1.5 // 2
Skill/Luck – .25 // 1
Pacing – 2 // 2
Theme/Immersion – 1.5 // 2
Mechanics – .25 // 1
Fun Factor 1.75 // 2

Visit again Tomorrow as I take a look at another of my favorite games; Arkham Horror! Until then you can find us on social media!
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