# Forbidden Desert

Forbidden Desert is a board game for 2–5 players. It plays in 45 minutes and is meant for ages 10 and up. Ludoya players call it best with 4. It is rated 6.8 out of 10 by 76 Ludoya reviewers. The cheapest copy in stock is $21.53 (United States).

- **Players:** 2–5 (best with 4)
- **Playing time:** 45 minutes
- **Minimum age:** 10+
- **Complexity:** 2 out of 5
- **Year published:** 2013
- **Categories:** Adventure, Fantasy, Science Fiction
- **Mechanics:** Map Deformation, Pick-up and Deliver, Grid Movement, Tile Placement, Solo / Solitaire Game, Cooperative Game, Hand Management, Action Points, Variable Player Powers, Modular Board, Bias, Square Grid
- **Ludoya rating:** 6.8 out of 10, from 76 reviews
- **Owned by:** 179 Ludoya players
- **Plays logged on Ludoya:** 347
- **Unique players:** 243

**Designers:** Matt Leacock

**Artists:** Tyler Edlin, C. B. Canga

**Publishers:** Gamewright

## Where to buy in United States

| Shop | Price | Link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Gamers Guild AZ | 21.53 $ | https://gamersguildaz.com/products/forbidden-desert |
| Board Game Bliss | 36.95 $ | https://www.boardgamebliss.com/products/forbidden-desert |
| 401 Games | 43.95 $ | https://store.401games.ca/products/forbidden-desert |
| Svet deskovych her | 415 Kč | https://www.svet-deskovych-her.cz/produkty/4866/zakazana-poust |
| Reflexshop | 8490 Ft | https://reflexshop.hu/gamewright-tiltott-sivatag-kooperativ-tarsasjatek |
| Juegos de la Mesa Redonda | 24.29 € | https://juegosdelamesaredonda.com/412-el-desierto-prohibido-8436017221213.html |
| Spelexperten | 279 kr | https://www.spelexperten.com/sallskapsspel/familjespel/forbidden-desert.html |
| Good Games | 41 $ | https://www.goodgames.com.au/products/forbidden-desert |
| Ludifolie | 26.9 € | https://www.ludifolie.com/1405-le-desert-interdit.html |
| Gameology | 43.95 $ | https://www.gameology.com.au/products/forbidden-desert |
| Zatu Games | 25.95 £ | https://zatu.com/products/forbidden-desert |
| Games Empire | 49.99 $ | https://gamesempire.com.au/products/forbidden-desert |
| Gamers@Hart | 27 £ | https://gamersathart.co.uk/product/forbidden-desert/ |
| Spilforsyningen | 259.95 kr | https://spilforsyningen.dk/products/forbidden-desert |
| Alphaspel | 419 kr | https://alphaspel.se/491-bradspel/36102-forbidden-desert-en |
| Gamers World | 40 € | https://gamersworld.ie/product/forbidden-desert/ |
| Game Ninja | 449 kr | https://www.gameninja.no/produkt/forbidden-desert-en/ |

## Expansions

- [Forbidden Desert: Storm Tracker Gear Card](https://www.ludoya.com/games/forbidden-desert-storm-tracker-gear-card)

## Similar games

- [Forbidden Jungle](https://www.ludoya.com/games/forbidden-jungle)
- [Sub Terra II: Inferno's Edge](https://www.ludoya.com/games/sub-terra-ii-infernos-edge)
- [Solenia](https://www.ludoya.com/games/solenia)
- [Flash Point: Fire Rescue](https://www.ludoya.com/games/flash-point-fire-rescue)
- [Fire of Eidolon](https://www.ludoya.com/games/fire-of-eidolon)
- [Flash Point: Legacy of Flame](https://www.ludoya.com/games/flash-point-legacy-of-flame)
- [Sub Terra: Collector's Edition](https://www.ludoya.com/games/sub-terra-collectors-edition)
- [The Quest for El Dorado: The Golden Temples](https://www.ludoya.com/games/the-quest-for-el-dorado-the-golden-temples)
- [Unknown](https://www.ludoya.com/games/unknown)
- [Arkeis](https://www.ludoya.com/games/arkeis)
- [Maximum Apocalypse: Wasted Wilds](https://www.ludoya.com/games/maximum-apocalypse-wasted-wilds)
- [Thunderbirds](https://www.ludoya.com/games/thunderbirds)

## Rules questions

### How many actions do I get on my turn, and does moving use an action?

You may take up to 4 actions each turn (you can take 0–4), and moving to an adjacent, unblocked tile costs 1 action per move (no diagonal moves) (p3).

### Do I have to excavate a tile before I can pick up a flying machine part?

Yes — picking up a revealed Flying Machine part costs 1 action and the part must be on an unblocked, excavated tile; if the part is on an unexcavated tile you must excavate it first (p3, p4).

### Can I move onto or through a tile that has 2 sand markers on it?

No — a tile with 2 or more Sand markers is considered blocked/impassable and you may not move onto or through it (p3; see sand stacking on p6).

### If I'm on a tile with 2 or more Sand markers (buried), can I still take actions?

If your pawn is on a tile with 2+ Sand markers you are buried and must have Sand removed down to one or none before you can take any further actions; teammates may spend actions to dig you out (p6).

### When do we draw Sand Storm cards and what does a "Wind Blows" card do?

After you take actions, draw Sand Storm cards equal to the current Sand Storm level; Wind Blows cards shift the indicated number of tiles into the storm hole (moving any pawns, markers, and parts with the tiles) and then place one Sand marker on each tile that moved (p5).

### Is sharing water or passing equipment an action?

No — players on the same tile may share water and pass equipment cards for free at any time, though you may never exceed your canteen's maximum; note Sun Beats Down storm cards force drinking if you're not in a tunnel or protected (p3, p6).

## Links

- [This page](https://www.ludoya.com/games/forbidden-desert)
- [Forbidden Desert in the Ludoya app](https://app.ludoya.com/g/forbidden-desert)
- [BoardGameGeek entry](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/136063)

_Data from Ludoya, updated 2026-09-19. Ratings, ownership and play counts are Ludoya's own._