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Wingspan's Elizabeth Hargrave is back. This time with Shells! Sanibel Board Game Review
WBG Score: 8
Player Count: 2-4
You’ll like this if you like: Shells and Chills
Published by: Avalon Hill
Designed by: Elizabeth Hargrave
The reviewer bought this copy for themselves. See our review policy here
A gentle stroll with a sneaky puzzle underneath
Sanibel looks like the kind of game you play with a cup of tea and zero stress. And to be fair, that’s partly true. But after a few turns, you realise there is a surprisingly sharp little puzzle hiding beneath the sandy surface. It is not trying to overwhelm you, but it absolutely wants you to think just enough to feel clever.
The hook is simple. You are walking along a beach, picking up shells, and dropping them into your bag Tetris-style. The twist is that turn order is dynamic. Whoever is furthest back goes next. That single rule quietly drives the entire game. Do you grab three tiles now and hand your opponent two turns in a row, or take one and control the tempo? In one of my plays, I greedily scooped up a chunky set of tiles, only to watch my opponent take two perfect turns back-to-back and completely ruin my careful shark tooth plan. Lesson learned.
What really works is the balance between drafting and placement. Choosing shells feels easy. Fitting them into your bag is where the game lives. Tiles fall down, spaces can get blocked, and suddenly that “perfect” piece does not fit anywhere useful. The lighthouse moment halfway through adds a nice shift in gears, giving you a mini objective and forcing you to rethink your layout. It is not ground breaking, but it is clean, clever, and very easy to enjoy. Let's get it to the table and see how it plays.
How to Set Up Sanibel
Setting up Sanibel is straightforward, although there's a reasonable amount of tile sorting involved. The three sections of the main board form a long beach, beginning with some beach chairs, stretching towards a lighthouse and eventually bringing everyone back again. The different shell tiles are separated by shape, with hexagonal and diamond tiles placed into their respective draw bags. Starting shells are then distributed across the beach sections according to the symbols printed on the board, with slightly fewer available in a two-player game.
Each player takes a personal bag board and matching wooden token, along with two randomly dealt lighthouse tiles. These special tiles introduce individual scoring opportunities that become relevant later in the game. Everyone also receives a small collection of starting shells, which they arrange in their bag before the first turn. The starting positions are randomly determined, and a wave token is placed on the beach, ready to replenish the shoreline throughout the game. Give everyone a scoring reference card, and you're ready to start collecting.
How to Play Sanibel
The objective is simple: collect shells, arrange them in your bag and finish with the most points. On your turn, you move your token forward along the beach to an unoccupied footprint, travelling at least into the next beach section but potentially skipping several sections entirely. Each footprint shows how many shells you can collect from that particular stretch of beach, generally between one and three. The further you travel, the more opportunities you might bypass, but sometimes the perfect collection of shells is worth the journey.
After collecting your tiles, you must fit them into your bag (onto your player board). Shells need to be supported from below, either by the bottom of the bag or by shells already inside it, and you cannot place anything outside the grid. You must also avoid creating inaccessible spaces that can no longer be filled from the top. Importantly, shells placed on previous turns cannot be moved, although you can rearrange those collected during your current turn before committing to their positions. This means an early placement that looks perfectly sensible can become rather inconvenient later.
The beach is not a static collection of tiles either. A wave token moves along the path, and whenever it becomes the furthest behind, it takes a turn of its own, washing fresh shells onto the beach. There are also sand crab tiles, which allow you to collect an additional shell from another beach section rather than adding the crab to your bag. These little interruptions keep the available choices changing and prevent the drafting from becoming entirely predictable.
Eventually, everyone reaches the lighthouse, which cannot be skipped. Here, players choose between different rewards, potentially adding one or both of their special lighthouse tiles to their bag, sometimes alongside additional shells. These lighthouse tiles introduce extra scoring opportunities, rewarding particular patterns, collections or placements. After visiting the lighthouse, everyone continues along the return journey towards the beach chairs, where a final reward awaits. Once all players have completed their walk, the game ends and everyone scores their collection.
Scoring is where the real puzzle reveals itself. Ceriths reward collecting larger quantities, bivalves score through matching shells, and snails benefit from connected groups containing different varieties. Coquinas prefer separate pairs, while shark teeth score through their largest connected group, with bonus points for players who collect the most. Echinoderms, meanwhile, can reward collecting different varieties and keeping them separate. Even the small triangular spaces around the edges of your bag matter, as you can fill them with bonus shell tiles when properly supported. There are several ways to earn points, but each asks you to arrange your collection a little differently.
Sanibel Review: More Than Just a Pretty Beach
The first thing that strikes me about Sanibel is just how inviting it all feels. The colours are warm, the artwork is lovely, and the subject matter is wonderfully refreshing. There are no monsters to defeat, armies to command or complicated economies to manage. You're simply walking along a beach collecting shells, and somehow that is more than enough to make the game appealing. Elizabeth Hargrave has a real talent for finding interesting subjects in the natural world and building engaging games around them, and Sanibel continues that tradition nicely.
But pretty components will only get a game so far, and thankfully there's plenty more happening here. The dynamic turn order is easily my favourite mechanism, because it makes every movement decision feel meaningful. You might spot three tiles that would work beautifully together, but taking them could mean jumping so far ahead that another player gets several turns before you act again. Equally, moving cautiously might give you more opportunities, but there's no guarantee the shells you want will still be available. It's a brilliant little balancing act between greed, patience and positioning, all delivered without adding any real complexity.
What I particularly enjoy is that the best decision isn't always the most obvious one. Sometimes collecting fewer shells is genuinely better, either because you can preserve your position in the turn order or because the tiles fit your existing strategy more efficiently. A large haul can feel exciting, but if those pieces don't work together, you've potentially sacrificed several future opportunities for very little benefit. Conversely, taking one perfectly placed shell might complete a valuable scoring combination while leaving you in a strong position for another turn. This creates a satisfying sense that you're making clever decisions rather than simply collecting whatever happens to be available.
The tile placement is equally engaging, and arguably becomes the main focus as the game progresses. Early on, your bag is relatively empty, and there's plenty of freedom to experiment. You start building groups, keeping certain shells apart and leaving yourself room for future discoveries. But as the space fills, those initial decisions begin to matter. Suddenly, a shell you desperately need cannot fit where you want it, or a beautifully connected group has accidentally blocked access to another scoring opportunity. There's something immensely satisfying about squeezing a tile into exactly the right space, especially when it completes two different objectives at once.
I also really like how the scoring systems encourage different approaches. Shark teeth want to be connected, coquinas want carefully separated pairs, and bivalves are interested in matching varieties regardless of where they sit. These competing demands mean you cannot simply fill your bag randomly and expect a great result. There are genuine decisions about which scoring opportunities to pursue and which to abandon. I found myself focusing heavily on one particular collection in one game, only to realise towards the end that I'd neglected several easier points elsewhere. It's a nice reminder that having a plan is important, but knowing when to adapt it matters just as much.
That said, the scoring is also one of my small criticisms. There are quite a few different conditions to remember, and during the first game or two, you'll probably spend a fair amount of time checking the reference guide. Some categories also feel more satisfying to build than others, and I found myself naturally gravitating towards familiar approaches. There is variety here, particularly through the lighthouse tiles, but the core scoring strategies don't change dramatically between games. It's not a major issue in something this light, although those looking for deeper strategic development might eventually find the experience a little repetitive.
The lighthouse is a particularly nice addition because it creates a natural turning point in the game. You've spent the first part of your journey collecting shells and establishing a rough plan, and suddenly you're presented with another scoring opportunity that might complement what you've already built. Choosing whether to take one or two lighthouse tiles, and potentially sacrificing other rewards, creates another interesting decision. I like that these tiles provide some individual direction without completely changing the game. They add enough variety to encourage different approaches, but keep the experience focused on its central puzzle.
Player interaction is relatively gentle, although it's certainly present. You're not attacking anyone or directly interfering with their bag, but you're constantly watching which shells other players might want and deciding whether to claim them first. The shared beach and unusual turn order create little moments of competition, particularly when several players are chasing similar scoring opportunities. At times, however, the competition can feel limited, especially when the available tiles don't overlap with your plans. I don't particularly mind that, because Sanibel isn't trying to be confrontational, but anyone hoping for tense, cut-throat drafting may find it a little too friendly.
I think the game also handles different player counts nicely. With fewer players, the turn-order puzzle can feel more deliberate, as you have a clearer idea of how your movement might affect your opponent's next opportunity. With more players, the beach becomes busier, the available shells change more frequently and planning quite so far ahead becomes harder. Neither approach fundamentally changes the experience, and the opportunity to begin placing your shells while another player takes their turn helps everything move along. For a game that takes around 45 minutes, it strikes a lovely balance between giving players meaningful decisions and keeping everyone engaged.
Most importantly, Sanibel is simply enjoyable to play. I've played plenty of games that offer far more complicated puzzles, deeper strategies and tougher decisions, but they don't always leave me wanting another go quite so readily. Sanibel has that wonderful quality of being easy to bring to the table, pleasant to spend time with and just challenging enough to remain interesting. It doesn't demand your full concentration every second, but it rewards you when you give it a little thought. Sometimes that's exactly what I want from a board game.
Pros
Clever turn order: A simple movement system creates genuinely interesting decisions about timing, opportunity and how much to collect.
Satisfying tile placement: The different shapes and scoring conditions make organising your bag rewarding without becoming overwhelming.
Beautifully integrated theme: Lovely artwork and a relaxing seaside setting make the whole experience approachable and appealing.
Accessible but engaging: Easy to teach, smooth to play and enjoyable across different player counts, with enough strategy to reward repeat plays.
Cons
Scoring takes some learning: The different shell conditions mean frequent reference to the scoring guide during early games.
Limited strategic variety: Despite several scoring routes, games can begin to feel similar once familiar approaches emerge.
Gentle player interaction: Competition for tiles exists, but those seeking direct conflict or constant tension may find it lacking.
Occasional tile frustration: Sometimes the shells available simply don't suit your plans, and earlier placement decisions can leave you with few useful options.
Final Thoughts on Sanibel
Sanibel is a charming game with considerably more going on beneath the surface than its relaxed presentation initially suggests. The dynamic turn order is excellent, the tile-placement puzzle is consistently satisfying, and the different scoring methods provide just enough strategic direction to make each collection feel purposeful. I particularly enjoy how the game encourages you to think about the consequences of taking more, rather than automatically rewarding the biggest haul. It's simple, but there's a cleverness to it that gradually becomes more apparent the longer you play.
There are limitations, of course. The scoring takes a little getting used to, player interaction is relatively light, and the game doesn't offer enormous strategic variety. But I don't think it needs to. Sanibel knows exactly what it wants to be, and succeeds because it delivers that experience so comfortably. It's relaxing without being boring, accessible without being simplistic, and attractive without relying entirely on its appearance.
For me, the real strength is how effortlessly it combines a gentle theme with meaningful decisions. There's something wonderfully satisfying about building a carefully organised bag of shells, finding the perfect tile at just the right moment and watching your scoring plans come together. It's a game I'd happily recommend to families, casual players and anyone looking for a lighter puzzle that still rewards a little thought. I came for the beach, but stayed for the clever gameplay underneath. A real shore thing.
