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Captain Sonar
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Discovery
2002
Rules assistance for Discovery
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 45 min
- 12+
- Complexity 1.8/5
Rules assistant for Discovery
For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Discovery is a board game released in 2002 for 2 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Bo Jakob Malm and Carl-Johan R. E. Nilsson and its main mechanics are Grid Movement, Simulation, and Hidden Movement.
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About the game
Discovery (also sold as Destination Tresor in French, and Discovery Island in Sweden) is an interesting deduction game of discovery. Each player begins in an unknown location on an island (the opponent picks where the other starts), and each has the same goal: find the hidden treasure. The treasure is hidden in one of 28 spots on the island, and there are 7 clues available in special checkpoints to help determine where it is. The island is made up of 5 different types of terrain, and for each type of terrain there is a set of corresponding hexes. In play, one player calls a direction (Northeast, South, etc.) and the other player (who knows where you are) reveals a hex on the type of terrain you just stepped into. On the back of the hex there is a number, showing how many hours have been used. Each turn, a player gets 12 hours worth of movement. By moving this way, you can eventually figure out where you are and then start moving with more accuracy. The game uses a clever device that reveals only one spot of a 6 x 6 matrix. A card, from a large set, is initially placed and this determines where the treasure will be for that game. When players get to a checkpoint, they can reveal that spot on the card to get a clue. The clues can tell you which of 4 types of treasure spots is "live", and also the six surrounding terrain types. The board is well designed so that with a few clues you can narrow down the options of spots. Components (Based on Nordic 2002 version) - 2x Map boards - 2x Plastic map sheets - 1x Checkometer - 28x Checkometer cards - 18x Equipment cards - 2x Whiteboard pencils - 210x Terrain tiles divided as - - 20x Plain tiles - - 82x Jungle tiles - - 35x Mountain tiles - - 50x Swamp tiles - - 20x Outback tiles - - 4x Special tiles
Categories
Publishers
- Tactic
Questions and answers
Discovery supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Discovery is 45 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Discovery for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Discovery has a complexity rating of 1.8 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Discovery belongs to these categories: Deduction and Exploration. Its main mechanics are Grid Movement, Simulation, and Hidden Movement. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Discovery are: Bo Jakob Malm and Carl-Johan R. E. Nilsson. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Discovery as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.