What’s Island?

Island, on the surface, is just a simple source of blue mana. Back in the heyday of Magic, people looked at it and said, “What’s this? You can’t even use it to cast Lightning Bolt?” It wasn’t until Magic: The Puzzling columnist, Mark Rosewater, debuted a puzzle called “Design Space” that dared to use islands as a key piece of the solution, that people began exploring the newfound facet of the game. Long time reader Jamie Wakefield sent in these thoughts:

“It was horrifying. I had been winning games dropping fifth turn Craw Wurms, powered by birds and elves, for months. One night I sat down at a local tournament across from a kid named Brian, who was playing “The deck,” whatever the hell that meant. I figured I had an easy win when he played an Island on turn one, I mean who played Islands? I developed my normal strategy and dropped my Craw Wurm on turn five, he tapped two Islands and my Wurm didn’t resolve. I had never seen anything like it. I knew from that point on, Magic would never be the same.”

Once players figured out that they could stop any spell in the game by tapping two Islands, the Island craze took off, and it never stopped.


When It Was Legal…

Islands achieved such dominance on the tournament scene that talk soon began about possible DCI intervention. In fact, Duelist magazine, in its April 1996 issue, announced the DCI’s intent to ban islands for sanctioned play. Fortunately, for blue mages everywhere, WoTC decided to hire Randy “I love Blue” Buehler, and as his first official action, he put a stop to those plans.

Why Was It Great?

Islands greatness was in its simplicity, it allows you to tap for one blue mana at no additional cost. Tap one island and draw three cards. Tap two islands and stop any spell. Tap three islands and shuffle your deck, draw seven cards. Playing with islands means you draw more cards, win more games, and generally frustrate more new players. All of which qualify Island as an All-Time MVP.

The Big Picture

The power and dominance of Island was such that over the years, R&D has made several attempts at creating a more balanced version of the All-Time MVP. First up was Island Sanctuary, an Island variant that had the drawback of not letting you draw cards, and costing white mana. As you might imagine, it didn’t go over too well. R&D’s next attempt was the infamous Island of Wak-Wak, an Island that didn’t tap for blue mana. The Island of Wak-Wak did see some play, but as it was still in the environment with the original Island, it never had an opportunity to achieve prominence. R&D’s next shot was the valiant but flawed Teferi’s Isle, which tapped for two blue mana and had the keyword Phasing. Unfortunately for Teferi’s Isle, the Phasing keyword ability was too closely related to the keyword Crap, to have much success. R&D’s final attempt to create a more balanced Island took them in an entirely new direction. During the infamous Urza’s Saga block, R&D created Tolarian Academy, an island variant that tapped for blue mana in multiples, with no real drawback. This has variously been known as the “R&D Special Brownies,” and the “R&D hit by a bus,” incidents. Since that time there have been no further attempts to balance the island, and it remains part of the game to this day.

What do you think?

Which card do you think should be the next All-Time MVP? Please vote for which card you would like to be the next All-Time MVP. There are many cards that deserve to be included, but only three slots on the poll. Don’t worry; we’ll get to the rest of them soon!

Next week's choices include the pieces of a three-card combo that has amused immature magic brats, and players without girlfriends for years. Let us know which of Twiddle, Bone Flute, and Chaotic Goo you’d like us to write about!

Discuss this article in the Magic: the Gathering Forums!

What’s Island?

Island, on the surface, is just a simple source of blue mana. Back in the heyday of Magic, people looked at it and said, “What’s this? You can’t even use it to cast Lightning Bolt?” It wasn’t until Magic: The Puzzling columnist, Mark Rosewater, debuted a puzzle called “Design Space” that dared to use islands as a key piece of the solution, that people began exploring the newfound facet of the game. Long time reader Jamie Wakefield sent in these thoughts:

“It was horrifying. I had been winning games dropping fifth turn Craw Wurms, powered by birds and elves, for months. One night I sat down at a local tournament across from a kid named Brian, who was playing “The deck,” whatever the hell that meant. I figured I had an easy win when he played an Island on turn one, I mean who played Islands? I developed my normal strategy and dropped my Craw Wurm on turn five, he tapped two Islands and my Wurm didn’t resolve. I had never seen anything like it. I knew from that point on, Magic would never be the same.”

Once players figured out that they could stop any spell in the game by tapping two Islands, the Island craze took off, and it never stopped.


When It Was Legal…

Islands achieved such dominance on the tournament scene that talk soon began about possible DCI intervention. In fact, Duelist magazine, in its April 1996 issue, announced the DCI’s intent to ban islands for sanctioned play. Fortunately, for blue mages everywhere, WoTC decided to hire Randy “I love Blue” Buehler, and as his first official action, he put a stop to those plans.

Why Was It Great?

Islands greatness was in its simplicity, it allows you to tap for one blue mana at no additional cost. Tap one island and draw three cards. Tap two islands and stop any spell. Tap three islands and shuffle your deck, draw seven cards. Playing with islands means you draw more cards, win more games, and generally frustrate more new players. All of which qualify Island as an All-Time MVP.

The Big Picture

The power and dominance of Island was such that over the years, R&D has made several attempts at creating a more balanced version of the All-Time MVP. First up was Island Sanctuary, an Island variant that had the drawback of not letting you draw cards, and costing white mana. As you might imagine, it didn’t go over too well. R&D’s next attempt was the infamous Island of Wak-Wak, an Island that didn’t tap for blue mana. The Island of Wak-Wak did see some play, but as it was still in the environment with the original Island, it never had an opportunity to achieve prominence. R&D’s next shot was the valiant but flawed Teferi’s Isle, which tapped for two blue mana and had the keyword Phasing. Unfortunately for Teferi’s Isle, the Phasing keyword ability was too closely related to the keyword Crap, to have much success. R&D’s final attempt to create a more balanced Island took them in an entirely new direction. During the infamous Urza’s Saga block, R&D created Tolarian Academy, an island variant that tapped for blue mana in multiples, with no real drawback. This has variously been known as the “R&D Special Brownies,” and the “R&D hit by a bus,” incidents. Since that time there have been no further attempts to balance the island, and it remains part of the game to this day.

What do you think?

Which card do you think should be the next All-Time MVP? Please vote for which card you would like to be the next All-Time MVP. There are many cards that deserve to be included, but only three slots on the poll. Don’t worry; we’ll get to the rest of them soon!

Next week's choices include the pieces of a three-card combo that has amused immature magic brats, and players without girlfriends for years. Let us know which of Twiddle, Bone Flute, and Chaotic Goo you’d like us to write about!

Discuss this article in the Magic: the Gathering Forums!