MonToons: Guardians of the Coral Isles
Beneath the shimmering waves of the Coral Isles, a storm brews.
The MonToons, once mere rivals, now stand on the edge of destiny as the ancient prophecy of the Tidalmark awakens.
The Waystones, primordial relics pulsing with the Isles’ elemental might, have surged to life, promising untold power to those bold enough to claim them. Yet, the Isles are no longer the sanctuary they once were.Â
Long ago, a MonToon named Kava shattered the world’s balance, twisting magic into a seeping Blight that cracked the Waystones and unleashed chaos upon sea, land, and sky. Now, as Guardians rise from their ageless slumber and corrupted forces stir from the abyss, every MonToon must fight, not just for dominance, but for survival itself.Â
Will you carve your legend into the Isles? Or be lost beneath the rising tide?
If there’s anything that draws me into a game, it’s a good story – and MonToons has certainly delivered! Designed by Devon Mettlin, the roll-and-write arena combat game has a gripping story, which is compelling enough to put you right at the heart of the Coral Isles. It’s the first game I’ve tried from the Micro May campaign 2025, and my expectations for it are pretty high. Why? Because of its predecessor.
MonToons: Clash of the Coral Isles was launched in 2024, and it made quite a buzz. Whether it’s the amazing artwork or the asymmetric gameplay, it was a breath of fresh air in the world of PNP games. And now, with an expansion in the mix, it was time for my team and me to dive headfirst into both editions!
Questions that lingered in my mind before playing the game:
- How replayable is the game?
- What’s the optimal number of players for this game?
- How much does the expansion enhance the game?
All you need
Clash of the Coral Isles
Before playing Guardians of the Coral Isles, we played its predecessor- Clash of the Coral Isles. And you don’t need much to assemble the game.Â
The game consists of a battle map- to be precise, one map that you can pick from the 12 available battle maps. The game includes 8 MonToon player sheets, and you’ll need to choose 2, 3, or 4 sheets depending on the number of players. Print them out, and make sure to laminate. It’s a roll-and-write game, so you need to score/draw/write on the player sheets and the battle map. Make sure to have a whiteboard marker for each player on hand.
With the prints sorted out, pick 2/3/4 player pieces (based on how many are playing) and grab a D6 dice that represents the Waystone.
Lastly, grab 5 D6 dice per player. So that’s a minimum of 10 to a maximum of 20 dice for the players. And you’re ready!
Guardians of the Coral Isles
The expansion introduces you to three more battle maps, which are blight-infused, adding another dimension to the gameplay. Alongside the 3 maps, you also get introduced to 3 different types of guardians who can help you win the combat. You can print all the guardians on 5 pages. Laminate them just as you did with the rest of the game’s printouts.
After playing the game for a good week with my teammates for 10 rounds, here are my findings on MonToons.
My findings
Deeper than Kava’s corruption
There are multiple aspects of the game that add immense depth to the game. Take the battle map for instance- there are 4 different types of terrain with about 14 variations in them, all of which will impact the way you navigate on the field. And there are 12 maps to choose from!Â
The battle maps aside, there are 8 MonToons with their distinguishable player sheets- they have their varying health, special movement, attacking patterns, Waystone actions, and more.Â
Now, add the blight-infused battle maps and the 3 types of guardians in the mix, from the expansion!
The depth that the game has achieved makes it quite replayable, and it was fun to play the game with different battle maps and MonToons. I managed to play the game with 5 unique MonToons, so I’ve yet to experience combat with the rest of the 3. The depth of the game took me back to playing Chronicles of the Civilization last month- entirely different in theme, but similar in terms of depth!
Gameception | Game in a game!
You’ll encounter three minigames on the player sheet that you’ll need to navigate skillfully to unlock special and ultimate attacks, and to mark the Waystone. There are also few conditions to awaken the guardians in the expansion, followed by minigames to unlock their special attacks. And all the while you’re trying to ace these mini games, you’ll also need to skillfully navigate your way in the battle map to avoid certain terrains, attack/defend yourself from the MonToons, mark the Waystone, and also claim a few bonuses along the way.
In other words, a lot is happening at a time, all at once! And I loved it. With so many moving parts, you can adapt your strategy through multiple paths to victory.
The Sweet Spot!
So, what’s the optimal player count for the game? After 10 rounds, my team and I took a vote, and the majority favored the 3-player mode. The 3-player mode struck a perfect balance; there was less time between turns, yet enough breathing room to observe and strategize. In 1v1 mode, the battle map felt a bit empty, and the pace was almost too fast. The 4-player mode is definitely solid, but after 10 rounds, it seemed to us that three players hit the sweet spot.
The phase between your turns, when other players make their moves, is quite entertaining since their gameplay impacts you as well. At times, though only occasionally, having three opponents constantly altering my strategies felt a bit overwhelming, which is why I preferred having two opponents via a 3-player setup.
But hey, those are our findings from the first 10 plays. Our preference may shift to the 4-player mode as we keep playing the game. Which we will!
Take your time!
You may not ace the game from the get go. But you’ll get the hang of navigating the battle map, making the most of your MonToon, and mastering the minigames – all in due time!
Luck plays a fairly minimal role in this game, so you’ll need to bring your A-game when it comes to strategy. The game ages like fine wine, so keep at it! And a little imagination goes a long way; just picture yourself right there in the Coral Isles!
A Beautiful, Expanding Universe
Like I mentioned earlier, I am a sucker for captivating stories in a game. And the Montoons series is offering me much more- a Universe!
Devon has already mentioned that more games are coming in this series, and the thought of the depth future expansions will bring has me genuinely excited.
And speaking of beauty, the artwork of this game is top-notch. Kudos to Animesh Debnath, Nilanjan Malakar, and Chris Beck for giving the game such a unique and striking look!
The Verdict
So, the expansion- Yay or nay?
Expansion does not click for every game, but MonToons is built in a way that it would seamlessly integrate it. Guardians of the Coral Isles not only added a compelling segment to the narrative but also brought into the equation another series of minigames, and with it, more depth.Â
Devon, are we finally going to encounter Kava in the 3rd edition? You know where to find me!
So a 100% Yay-er from me for the expansion. It worked well, didn’t overcomplicate the game, and added more to the story.
Get Ready!
We are days away from the launch of MonToons: Guardians of the Coral Isles at Kickstarter. If you think the game is your type, then make sure to follow its campaign and back it!
A big thanks to Devon for creating the game, and allowing me the opportunity to try the game beforehand.Â
Long live the MonToons and the Coral Isle!Â
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Game Overview
Publisher: Mnstr Games
Designer: Devon Mettlin, Andrew Delacruz  Â
Artist: Animesh Debnath, Nilanjan Malakar, and Chris Beck
Number of players: 2 to 4
Difficulty level: MediumÂ
Rounds of gameplay needed to learn: 2 rounds
Game duration: 40-60 minutes
Available on: Kickstarter
Theme: Roll-and-Write | Arena CombatÂ
Number of pages and color: At least 10, depending on the number of players (color print)
Assembling difficulty level: Super easy. No Assembly required
Lamination: Highly recommended
Additional elements required: 5 D6 Dice per player+Â 1 whiteboard marker per player + 1 gaming piece per player + 1 D6 dice for the Waystone
Time to learn: Within 30-40 minutes
Travel-friendly: 9/10
Shelving friendly: 9/10
Rating from PnP Time: 8.5/10
Tasliman is a board game developer based in Bangladesh, with the dream of exploring the world of games and introducing it to anyone new to it. He is the founder of Kraftz, a brand that develops board games commercially, as well as with reputed entities like BRAC and The Gates Foundation.
