
Mermaid Island
Overall Rating: 6/10
Age: 5+
GLAM Age Range: 4-8
Number of Players: 2-4
Playing Time: 15-20 min
Publisher: Peaceable Kingdom
Complexity: Low
Available At: Amazon.com

Quick Take: I wanted to love this game, I have a daughter who loves mermaids and we love most of the cooperative games from Peaceable Kingdom. But this games isn’t quite as “peaceable” for us as it could be. Every child I’ve ever played it with has picked a favorite mermaid and really struggles with the idea of getting the group of mermaids to the end and not just their favorite, and the sea witch bad guy is somehow way too terrifying. Even with girls older than mine (ages 6 and 8) they seemed to struggle more with successfully playing this game more than the other Peaceable Kingdom games they played.
How to Play: Get all three mermaids to the island at the end of the game before the sea witch gets there. If the sea witch lands on the same space as a mermaid that mermaid is sent back to the beginning of the game. It uses a spinner and there are some shortcut bridges for the mermaids and also some rainbow pieces that can be collected and used to send the sea witch back a few spaces.
Variations: We’ve struggled to find a variation to make this game work better for the kids I’ve played it with. There isn’t much flexibility in the game, I suppose you could play with two mermaids instead of three to make it easier. Or you could switch out the sea witch token for a little toy of your choosing so it’s cute when the toy dolphin sends you back to the beginning.
Similar Games To Check Out: Dinosaur Escape, Hoot Owl Hoot, Princess Magic Pop-Up Castle Game, Disney Princess Enchanted Cupcake Party, Race to the Treasure, The Fairy Game