Reviews

BoardgameGeek rating: 6.9 of 10.00
See ratings (583) and comments (187)       (at 08 / Sep / 2004)

In June 2001 Kahuna got the french
Golden JesWeb as the best 2 player game.

The complete review is written in french language, but on Golden JesWeb-site it'll be translated automatically by programm.

"This is the type of game where better players will win regularly, as strategy, planning and a good memory are essential to success. Both games [Arabana-Ikibiti and it's reissue Kahuna] have nice handicapping rules included, allowing the weaker players to start the game with some bridges already on the board. In addition, Arabana-Ikibiti comes with a "Seafarer" variant! A small dig at Siedler, perhaps?
Overall, both games are worth picking up if you are a fan of two player games
...
Either game may be played with either rule set, although the Kahuna rules are strongly recommended for a nice, close contest. The are both fine games, but for the beautiful pieces, I recommend Kahuna."

(Doug Adams, read his full review at the billabong boardgamers website).

The theme matches the mechanics fairly well, perhaps because you don't have any preconceived ideas about what Kahuna magic should look like, and this certainly doesn't feel like a dry, abstract game like so many two player games are. Games are generally very close, with the initiative swinging from one side to the other and feel quite tense and involving. The game is mainly tactical with a smidgeon of strategy (eg. trying to block off one area), and some memory/card counting and luck. Although it doesn't have a strong "just one more go" feeling, this is a game which I am sure we will be returning to regularly. 8 out of 10 is the verdict from the Richards household!

(Eddy Richards, Counter magazine, found at Funagain Games: http://kumquat.com/cgi-kumquat/funagain/04481   -   at this source you'll find several Funagain Games customer reviews of Kahuna)

I've been playing Kahuna ... with my 5 year old. She really enjoys it and is quite ruthless. It says 10 years + on the box.
...
My daughter understands the rules fully, and has good intuition when and where to place a bridge (costing 1 card) and when to remove an opponent's bridge (costing 2 cards). Some strategies elude her, but that's just a matter of playing several more games and maybe another year of maturity. Certainly the 10 years + on the box is well off. I would categorize Kahuna as a cerebral kids' game.

(Joe Czapski , complete review at David Vander Ark's Home Page )

To my mind, "Kahuna" can be classified as a real "brain-killer". The game is highly strategic and demands everything from the players, but it still is a very enjoyable game. After the first rounds, both players will have "isle-bastions" on the board, and now the most fun part of the game starts - the developing of stratgies to break up the "fortification" of the opponent. A friend of mine once made a joke by qualifying "Kahuna" as "Island-chess", and I think that this certainly gives a close description of the game. Nonetheless, the game is an absolute enrichment to the Kosmos-series of 2-player-games.

(Frank Schulte-Kulkmann at Kulkmannīs G@mebox: http://members.aol.com/kulkmann/kahuna.htm )

The high rating that I give this game is not for its intricacies or thought-provoking intrigue, but for its elegance and fun. The excellent components, including a mounted map and wooden pieces, push this game into the "must have" category. You will not find a better board game in an 8" x 8" package.

(Ray D. Smith at http://boardgames.about.com/ games/boardgames/library/games/blka01r1.htm )