
- BGG rank
- BGG #14,147
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Rudolph
- 2–6 players
- 15–20 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2025

2024
Rules assistance for Hawaiki islands
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Hawaiki islands is a board game released in 2024 for 2–5 players, 40–60 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Gabriel Buendía Herrerías and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Contracts, and Worker Placement.
Step into Hawaiki, where the greatness of your town is in your hands. Travel the archipelago, get resources and build towns to be the largest in Polynesia. Only one will go down in history. Hawaiki is an introductory eurogame with different levels of strategy where we have to get resources from the market to build cabins over the islands and make offerings to the goddess of the sea, who will watch over our movements. Increase your reputation by choosing the best place on each island, creating communication between them, dominating their resources, making offerings and trading with other players. —description from the publisher
Hawaiki islands supports 2–5 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Hawaiki islands is 40–60 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 Hawaiki islands for ages 10 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.
Hawaiki islands has a complexity rating of 1.3 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.
Hawaiki islands belongs to these categories: Exploration, Mythology, and Civilization. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Contracts, and Worker Placement. 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 Hawaiki islands are: Gabriel Buendía Herrerías. 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 Hawaiki islands 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.