Das letzte Paradies

About this board game

Das letzte Paradies is a 30-minute board game for 3–5 players about secret bidding, island development, and the difficult balance between commerce and nature. Released in 1993, it challenges players to pursue wealth while protecting the natural surroundings that make their buildings valuable.

Each round, players bid for tiles using coins hidden in a closed fist. The highest bidder wins the tile but pays only the amount of the second-highest bid. The buyer then chooses whether to place the tile as a building or as forest, shaping the shared island paradise one decision at a time.

Buildings can be lucrative, but their value depends on the surrounding area remaining undeveloped. Forest provides no income directly, yet preserved nature can increase the worth of nearby villas and hotels—and its value rises especially when it is in danger of disappearing. This creates a constant tension between building more and protecting what is left.

• Secret, second-price bidding for island tiles
• A choice between placing a building or preserving forest
• Building values influenced by the immediate surrounding area
• A final test of whether each player has more money than at the start

Players must watch both their finances and the changing landscape. More buildings may offer greater opportunities, but they also reduce the forest that supports their value. Leaving land undeveloped can bring recognition and improve nearby buildings, even though it does not provide income by itself.

As soon as the last building counter has been sold and placed, and any resulting bonuses have been paid, the game ends. Anyone with less money than they started with has lost; among the remaining players, the richest wins. Das letzte Paradies is part of the Franckh-Kosmos “Spiele-Galerie” series.