Review of Islanders: New Shores – Game Analysis

Sure, let’s dive into this. You know there’s this game, right, called ISLANDERS: New Shores? It’s a follow-up thing to the 2019 version, just without the extra name bit. Anyway, it’s all about these islands. You get to slap down cities, lighthouses, shaman huts, woodmills—like, seriously, whatever makes you tick—and it’s all about racking up as many points as possible to hop to a new island. No timer breathing down your neck, by the way. You just chill, figure out where to plop things for max points, and bob your head to some sweet tunes. There’s something about that minimalist vibe, too—like, it’s weirdly addictive yet super easy to recommend if you ask me.

So, starting out, there’s this tutorial island. It’s kind of like, “Hey, here’s how you do stuff,” but leaves the complex stuff for you to figure out. Basically, you set up buildings, usually next to their buddies, to score big. You kick off new islands by picking from two building card packs like Brickmaker or Seaweed Farm. Sometimes, there’s something special for the island you’re on. You get points, level up, grab more card packs—oh, and there are these neat special perks, like extra points or a penalty-free building copy. Hit enough points, and bam, you decide if you wanna hop to the next island or keep doing your thing for the high score.

After you decide to move on, your points get tallied, and you see how many perks you scored or how many undo’s you didn’t use. Then it’s off to the next round, with new islands bringing their own flair. That’s the game’s High Score Mode, but hey, there’s also Sandbox Mode for all you creative souls. Design your own island with size, climate, shape choices, and just build to your heart’s content.

I played it on Switch 2, and mostly, it was smooth sailing. Sometimes it hiccups with movements—tiny stutters when you’re getting precise—but the Switch 2’s mouse mode would probably help. Weird thing, it’s considered a Switch 1 release, though.

Honestly, I kinda fell for New Shores more than its predecessor. The menus and buildings have a bit more charm, and I can’t help but chase that leaderboard. The whole “just one more run” vibe? Yeah, it’s real. Numbers go up, card packs unlock, life’s good. I have a feeling it’s gonna be a regular on my Switch’s home screen. Perfect for winding down before bed, you know? Ultimately, it’s a fun little puzzle world where fans of the original will feel right at home, and newcomers might just find themselves lured in by the chill island life.