Gloomhaven vs Spirit Island
A side-by-side comparison of two of the most-asked-about board games — using only verified specs from our catalogue. No invented rules, no fluff.
Specs and BoardGameGeek rankings current as of June 2026. Gaps in our data show as a dash (—).
| Gloomhaven | Spirit Island | |
|---|---|---|
| Year | 2017 | 2017 |
| Players | 1–4 | 1–4 |
| Playtime | ~60 min | ~90 min |
| Recommended age | 14+ | 13+ |
| Complexity (BGG weight) | 3.9 / 5 | 4.1 / 5 |
| BGG rank | #4 | #11 |
| Designers | Isaac Childres | R. Eric Reuss |
| Key mechanics | Action Queue, Action Retrieval, Campaign / Battle Card Driven, Card Play Conflict Resolution | Action Retrieval, Area Majority / Influence, Automatic Resource Growth, Campaign / Battle Card Driven |
Both games share these mechanics: Action Retrieval, Campaign / Battle Card Driven, Cooperative Game, Hand Management, Modular Board, Simultaneous Action Selection, Solo / Solitaire Game, Tags, Variable Player Powers.
Which should you get?
Based only on the specs above — not on opinion:
- Both sit at a similar weight (3.9 and 4.1 of 5 on BoardGameGeek), so neither is the obvious 'lighter' pick.
- If table time matters, Gloomhaven is the shorter game (~60 min vs ~90 min).
- On raw BoardGameGeek ranking, Gloomhaven currently sits higher (#4 vs #11).
Both are well-loved games; the "right" one depends on your group. Read the full entries for Gloomhaven and Spirit Island.
Where to buy
Gloomhaven
Find Gloomhaven on Amazon →Spirit Island
Find Spirit Island on Amazon →Amazon links are affiliate search links. As an Amazon Associate, EveryGameMade earns from qualifying purchases.
Common questions
Is Gloomhaven or Spirit Island harder to learn?
They're close: Gloomhaven is rated 3.9 of 5 and Spirit Island 4.1 of 5 on BoardGameGeek, so both are a similar level to learn.
Which is faster to play, Gloomhaven or Spirit Island?
Gloomhaven is the quicker game at about 60 minutes, versus roughly 90 minutes for Spirit Island.
How many players do Gloomhaven and Spirit Island support?
Gloomhaven plays with 1–4 players; Spirit Island plays with 1–4 players.