
- BGG rank
- BGG #616
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Forbidden Desert
- 2–5 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2013

Rules assistance for Thunderbirds: Tracy Island
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Thunderbirds: Tracy Island is an expansion for Thunderbirds released in 2016 for 1–4 players, 45–60 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Matt Leacock and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Storytelling, and Cooperative Game.
Alert on Tracy Island! Tin-Tin, Brains and Parker, report for action! There are new disasters to face and we will need the Ladybird Jet, FAB 2 and Brains’ upgraded pod vehicles to once again thwart The Hood. Note: As of December 2016, only the English version comes in an actual box. The French version comes in a plain plastic bag.
Thunderbirds: Tracy Island supports 1–4 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 Thunderbirds: Tracy Island is 45–60 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 Thunderbirds: Tracy Island 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.
Thunderbirds: Tracy Island has a complexity rating of 2.7 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-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.
Thunderbirds: Tracy Island belongs to these categories: Movies / TV / Radio theme, Science Fiction, and Expansion for Base-game. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Storytelling, and Cooperative Game. 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 Thunderbirds: Tracy Island are: Matt Leacock. 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 Thunderbirds: Tracy Island as an expansion for Thunderbirds. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Thunderbirds to use it. Check that your edition of Thunderbirds is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.