Alaska

About this board game

Alaska is a board game for 2–4 players, played in about 60 minutes, in which players race to collect container blocks from a central island and return them across an ice sheet to their camps.

The game unfolds in two distinct parts. During Winter, players place ice tiles across the hex board to connect their camps with the island. During Spring, the thaw begins and ice tiles can be removed, forcing players to adapt as routes disappear.

On a turn, a card from deck 1 shows the size of the ice tile to place and a number associated with either Winter or Spring. The player then draws an action card from deck 2. Some actions take effect immediately, while others can be saved for a later turn.

• Polar Bear: creates a movable barrier on the ice.
• Frostbite: makes a player drop a container and sends the truck back to its camp.
• Found Container: lets a player place a container directly into the truck at their current location.
• Robbery, Fog, and Helicopter: provide additional effects that can be saved and used later.

A three-hex ice tile counts as one space, making a short route especially valuable early in the game. However, that shortcut may be removed during the thaw, while trucks, the Polar Bear, and dropped containers restrict which tiles can be removed.

In Alaska, players must balance speed with changing access to the ice sheet. The game ends when no more containers can be collected, although Helicopter cards can keep players moving between locations and make the precise endpoint less definite.