Tongiaki: Journey into the Unknown

Sail canoes across ancient Polynesia, lay wavy sea tiles and spread your tribe to as many islands as possible.

Designer: Thomas Rauscher
Published by: PS-Games
Editions by: Schmidt Spiele, Überplay

Ancient Polynesia, a fleet of canoes and a lot of open ocean. In Tongiaki, from 2004, you spread your tribe to as many islands as you can, because islands are worth between two and five points and extra pawns on the same island earn nothing. Everyone starts on Tonga, and the crowding forces you to push out in tile-laying expeditions. Unique wavy-edged hexes build the sea, and only fate decides whether a voyage lands in Tahiti, Fiji or Oahu or ends in utter failure, though careful planning improves your odds. Found a Royal Island and you get one to call your own. A tense little gamble where bad luck at sea is part of the story.

Wavy-edged sea hexes build the mapIslands worth two to five pointsRoyal Islands can be founded

Who it's for

You like exploration with a roll-the-dice flavor and a friendly table that can laugh at a shipwreck. Four players is the sweet spot.

Not for you if…

You dislike luck in your exploration or want tight planning. Voyages can simply fail, and that is part of the design.

Vibe's take

Breezy but risky. Each expedition is a small gamble on the next tile, so you cheer a lucky landfall, groan when a voyage sinks, and quickly move on to the next boat.