Moai

About this board game

Moai is a strategic board game for 2–5 players, with an approximate play time of 75 minutes, that follows the dramatic history of Easter Island until the arrival of Dutch Admiral Jacob Roggeveen.

Set on a tiny, isolated island in the Pacific, the game draws on the society that created hundreds of enormous stone statues. Players can relive the developments and excesses of a culture shaped by limited land, limited food sources, and severe resource constraints.

The history behind Moai is one of ambition and consumption. The carving of the statues, the rapid deforestation of the island, and pressure on available food sources all contributed to an extreme culture that ultimately became the victim of its own consumption.

• Explore the historical setting of Easter Island.
• Experience a strategic game inspired by the island’s culture and monumental stone statues.
• Follow the island’s story through the arrival of Dutch Admiral Jacob Roggeveen.

Roggeveen was the first European to discover the island, naming it for the day of his discovery. The game combines these historical features with an engaging strategic experience, inviting players to revisit a fascinating chapter of Polynesian history.

Beyond its setting, Moai presents Easter Island as a reminder of the resource limits facing the entire planet. Its story asks whether growing populations and increasing demands on fuel and food could lead to a fate similar to that suffered by this small island hundreds of years ago.

Released in 2007, Moai offers an accessible way to engage with Easter Island’s extraordinary monuments, cultural history, and environmental legacy around the tabletop.