
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,623
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Gipsy King
- 2–5 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2007

1999
Rules assistance for Isi
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.
Isi is a board game released in 1999 for 2 players, 30 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Corné van Moorsel and its main mechanics are Modular Board and Network and Route Building.
Isi is a colorful abstract strategy game played on two levels. On a basic level, each player is moving a pawn around the island of Isi, picking up tokens - there's a little strategy here, because which tokens you pick up are important, and one player's pawn can interfere with the other's. But on another level, players are spending those tokens to build 'trade routes' between cities on the same island. Cities grow as they become connected by trade routes, and at the end of the game whichever city's grown the most becomes the capital city; whoever is connected the most to the capital wins the game. Re-implemented by: Morisi
Isi 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 Isi is 30 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 Isi 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.
Isi belongs to these categories: Abstract Strategy. Its main mechanics are Modular Board and Network and Route Building. 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 Isi are: Corné van Moorsel. 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 Isi 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.