If you could make a game about any topic you were interested in, what would it be? Sci-fi, of course, is a popular route. War gaming, even, is a well-fought field. Racing games, too, like Heat: Pedal to the Metal, are fantastic. Animals, of course, feature from Root to Everdell; every flavour of furry friend is offered.
Well, for Elizabeth Hargrave, the creator of the distinguished Wingspan, she has been making a career out of interesting themes. Of course, bird watching and keeping have taken the world by storm. But since 2019, she has released games about butterflies, mushrooms, and most recently, shells.
Sanibel is the brand-new 2026 release, which, alongside Wingspan Americas, are the latest additions to her roster. Featuring the shorelines and sandy beaches of Florida, you collect shells, placing them into a wallpaper-style abstract grid to score points. This personal board is known as your bag, as you grab and go along the coastal shores. The pieces then fall to the bottom of the bag, piling up Tetris-style and scoring points for shells next to them.
Featuring a refreshing tide as the main display of pieces, you will travel along different beach zones to collect the right shells. In classic style, whoever is last on the beach gets to take their turn next. Offering a cat-and-mouse mechanic to increase the interaction between players.
For players aged 10 upwards, this features the same interesting theme with well-managed mechanics. A set collection game with abstract elements thrown in, Sanibel is sure to delight families. With just enough intrigue to engage parents but simple rules to keep the children happy. For those passionate about beach cleans or collecting beautiful shells, this would make a welcome addition to anyone’s shelf. True to form, this game would also not be out of place on a new gamer’s bookcase – such are the ease of the mechanics.
