Some games win you over with size, and some win you over with calm. Islantiles, announced by Thunderrock Innovations, is one of those that wants you relaxed and thinking: a strategy roguelite that mixes deckbuilding with city puzzles, made by an independent team of just two people.
How it works
The player places buildings drawn from a custom deck to put together islands. Each island is a new puzzle, and each decision shapes the deck, which evolves over the course of the run. What stands out is the roguelite loop: if an attempt goes wrong, the current deck is lost, but the unlocked technologies remain valid and expand your options in the next runs.
The package in numbers:
- over 100 handmade islands;
- over 150 technologies to unlock, in a branching tree;
- synergies and combinations to discover;
- leaderboards to compete with friends or the world.
Strategy without hurry
You can see the care in leaving out what usually tires you in strategy games. Islantiles has no 4X mechanics, doesn’t simulate citizens, has no combat and has no timer. The idea, according to the creators, is strategic depth without micromanagement.
Creator Daniel Espen explained the intention: “We love deep strategy, but we also wanted to create something calming, something you could play with a cup of tea.”
A nice detail: that sentence sums up the tone of the released images well, with colorful islands and a look that resembles a children’s book watercolor.
Who makes it
Thunderrock Innovations is an independent duo that likes games mixing genres, with a focus on strategy, atmosphere and replayability. At the time of the announcement, the game could already be added to wishlists on Steam.
What came next
According to the Steam page, Islantiles was released on May 4, 2026, with a Brazilian Portuguese interface. On the store, it is described as a “cozy but addictive” roguelike deckbuilder.
Source: Thunderrock Innovations.
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