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Disney released the film Treasure Island in 1950 starring Bobby Driscoll as Jim Hawkins and Robert Newton as Long John Silver. It was Disney’s first completely live-action film and first screen version of Treasure Island made in color. Based on the classic novel Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, and receiving positive views, a board game naturally followed.
Treasure Island: The Pirate Adventure Game was released in 1950. Although the board game is of basic game play, the pieces are not. As you can see from the image below, the inset is truly creative, as well as the pieces.
The 4 ships are metal, each with a matching pawn. And while the pawn itself is common, the way it is kept in the box is wonderful. Each is flipped upside down and its bottom acts as an eye patch for the Pirates.
Also unique is the little metal Treasure Chest, Compass, and Sundial.
The backside of the box reads: “The object of the game is to use the magic sundial and compass as a spinner to Treasure Island, land, find the treasure, and sail on to the Mother ship with the treasure.” First.
Take note of the mention of the ‘magic sundial and compass’. It is. The compass is placed on the top left corner of the board. Around it are 8 numbered white spaces. Players ‘Shake’ the Sundial and then places it on a numbered space (moving around one space each turn). The Sundial ‘magically’ points the compass needle to the number the player is to move. The Sundial and Compass have got some magnetism going on. How cool is that?!
As mentioned, play is pretty basic. Players take turns ‘shaking the Sundial and placing it next to the compass’ to determine the amount of spaces they are to move on the board. There are also the drawing of 3 different types of cards when landing on red or yellow dot spaces.
Initially, the matching pawns are set aside and only the Ships move. Players start in the bottom right corner on a green space of the Mother Ship and move with a goal to land on a Dock Space of Treasure Island. Once a Ship lands on a Dock Space, a player’s matching Pawn is placed on Treasure Island. Movement of a Player’s Pawn on the island is again determined by the compass and sundial (and possibly drawing of cards).
Players must first move straight to the Finger Trunk Tree near the center of Treasure Island. Once there they choose a TREASURE MAP card (these are the White Cards). These cards direct a player to where the Treasure Chest is hidden. The first player to reach his destination directed by the Treasure Map card, FINDS the TREASURE and places the TREASURE CHEST next to his Pawn (or Ship), moving with it.
When the Treasure Chest is found the game changes from trying to find the Treasure to all becoming Pirates and stealing the Treasure Chest from the Treasure Finder.
The Treasure Chest is taken from the Treasure Finder by landing on his space by an exact count. The Treasure Finder (who lost the treasure by a Pirate Attack) must move his Ship to a ‘Repair’ space.
The first Player who returns to the Mother ship (top green space by exact count) with the Treasure Chest, wins the game. It is not always the first to find the Treasure Chest.
There are a few other rules and cards to play the game, but basically it is a race to the Mother ship with the Treasure Chest.
The unique pieces, and of course, ultimately the beloved Story the game is based on, makes this a charming game to add to any collection.
Play a game, any game, today!
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