The Isle of Cats is a competitive card-drafting, cat-placement board game. You’re citizens of Squall’s End on a rescue mission to the Isle of Cats, and you need to save as many cats as possible before the evil Lord Vesh arrives. Each cat is a uniquely shaped tile that belongs to a family, and you’ll have to fit them all onto your boat while keeping families together. You’ll manage your resources as you choose cards to explore the island, rescue cats, find treasures, befriend the mysterious Oshax, and read ancient lessons. Each lesson gives you another personal way to score points on top of filling your boat and keeping cat families together. The game includes a standard mode, a family mode for younger and newer players, and a solo mode.

Gameplay Overview: The Isle of Cats combines card drafting with a satisfying spatial puzzle. Each day, you draft cards, then spend fish to rescue cats and play cards that help you along the way. Every rescued cat is a chunky, colorful polyomino-style tile that you slot onto your boat, trying to cover rooms, avoid rats, and keep cats of the same color touching. Treasures help fill in awkward gaps, and secret lesson cards give each player their own hidden goals. The family mode makes it easy to play with kids, and the solo mode is great for quiet evenings. With adorable art and a puzzle that’s different every time, it’s a great pick for families, puzzle lovers, and anyone who’s ever wished they could adopt every cat they see.