
- BGG rank
- BGG #10,491
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Dice Age: The Hunt
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.6/5
- 2017

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

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Merchants of Sky Islands is a board game released in 2024 for 2–4 players, 45–50 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Toshiki Sato and its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence and Tile Placement.
空島の商人 (Sorashima no Shonin) (Merchants of Sky Islands) is a tile placement game from Japan. The Sky Islands float on the sea-filled planet Aquarius. The trade between the Sky Islands flourished by operating vehicles that used flying stones that generated anti-gravitational energy. This game is a story of the great trading era on the Sky Islands. When tiles are placed, resources can be obtained through trade with neighbouring islands. Using the resources you gain, you can build trading posts, harbours, and towers to strengthen your power. Players compete for the majority of empty islands, and the player who earns the most victory points wins. 海一面の惑星「アクエリアス」に浮かぶ空島。 反重力エネルギーを生み出す飛行石を使った乗り物を操り、空島と空島の交易は栄えた。 このゲームはそんな空島における大交易時代のお話。 タイルを配置すると、隣接する島との交易により資源を得ることができます。 得た資源を使って、商館を建てたり、港を建てたり、塔を建てたりして勢力を強めていきます。 空島のマジョリティを競い、最も多くの勝利点を稼いだプレイヤーが勝ちとなります。 --description by publisher
Merchants of Sky Islands supports 2–4 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 Merchants of Sky Islands is 45–50 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 Merchants of Sky 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.
Merchants of Sky Islands has a complexity rating of 1.5 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.
Merchants of Sky Islands belongs to these categories: Fantasy and Nautical. Its main mechanics are Area Majority / Influence and Tile 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 Merchants of Sky Islands are: Toshiki Sato. 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 Merchants of Sky 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.