In Vikings’ Return, first released as Lighthouse Run, you control a set of five sailboats as they race along the coast from lighthouse to lighthouse. Unfortunately, the lighthouse company is understaffed, with only three workers to man the six lighthouses. To make matters worse, a storm is coming up the coast. You have to manage which three lighthouse will be turned on at any one time to move your sailboats. Some moves will help all players, while others will help only you. How far will you manage to get you sailboats before the storm catches you?

In more detail, each player has an identical deck of fourteen cards. The game is played over twelve rounds, and each round a player has a hand of three cards. Each turn, the player plays a card to move a number of boats, some their own and some belonging to other players. The cards also adjust which lighthouses are lit, and the boats may move only if the lighthouse they are approaching is lit. At the end of each round, the storm move closer to the boats on the board. Any boats caught by the storm are out of the game and will score points for the last lighthouse that was passed. The game ends when the storm reaches the harbor at the end of the twelfth round. Player add the points earned for each of their boats and the highest total wins.