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Terraforming Mars Board Game - Award Winning Strategic Space Adventure Game for Family Game Night, Competitive Play & High Replay Value - Adults, Teens and lovers of Board Games by Stronghold Games
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Return this item for free
Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges
Learn more about free returns.- Go to your orders and start the return
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Purchase options and add-ons
Age Range (Description) | Teen |
Number of Players | 1 to 5 |
Brand | Stronghold Games |
Theme | Strategy |
Material | Cardboard |
About this item
- Compete for different milestones and awards worth many VPS
- In Terraforming Mars, players control a corporation and compete to transform Mars into a habitable planet
- Will lead the way into humanitys new era?
- 120 Minutes Playing Time
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Product information
Product Dimensions | 3 x 11.7 x 11.6 inches |
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Item Weight | 1.1 pounds |
Country of Origin | Germany |
ASIN | B01GSYA4K2 |
Item model number | STG06005 |
Manufacturer recommended age | 12 years and up |
Best Sellers Rank | #6,821 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games) #214 in Board Games (Toys & Games) |
Customer Reviews |
4.8 out of 5 stars |
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
Release date | September 28, 2016 |
Language | English |
Manufacturer | Indie Boards & Cards |
Warranty & Support
Feedback
Product Description
Venture into the cosmos with the Terraforming Mars board game. This space adventure captivates players with strategic gameplay that's perfect for game nights, adults, and teens ages 14 and up. Experience the thrill of competition as you reshape the Red Planet's destiny. With awards and recognition under its belt, Terraforming Mars offers a unique blend of strategic brilliance that keeps players engaged. Engage in thrilling competition, where every move counts. The game's high replay value guarantees a fresh and exciting adventure with each playthrough. Prepare for an unforgettable journey across the stars, where strategy meets excitement in a game that's ideal for intergenerational enjoyment.
From the manufacturer
Prelude | Hellas & Elysium | Turmoil | Colonies | Venus Next | |
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Add to Cart
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Add to Cart
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Customer Reviews |
4.8 out of 5 stars
5,602
|
4.8 out of 5 stars
5,602
|
4.8 out of 5 stars
5,602
|
4.8 out of 5 stars
5,602
|
4.8 out of 5 stars
5,602
|
Description | Speed up your game by drafting these asymmetric player setup cards. | Change up your game with new maps, each with new milestones & awards. | Events and global politics add negotiation and emphasize planning ahead. | Discover new ways to gain resources and test out multiple new strategies. | Another terraforming goal adds new cards and new ways to score points. |
What's in the box
Videos
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Terraforming Mars Board Game Unboxing and Review
Dungeon Loot Armory
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2:28
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My Favorite Game Terraforming Mars
Regular Dude Reviews
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1:10
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My Thoughts On Terraforming Mars
The Powells, Ashley & Noah
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Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the quality, cooperative mode, and expansion of the board game. For example, they mention it's a fun game with complex strategies that makes you stay on your toes. That said, they appreciate the variety, and design. Opinions are mixed on the artwork and complexity level.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers like the quality of the board game. They say it's an enjoyable game with different strategies to win. They also say it has fun mechanics and is addicting. Customers also say the board itself is perfectly fine.
"...The board itself is perfectly fine. Can't complain. For the player pieces and the currency pieces, these are actually quite nice!..." Read more
"...They are great quality and completely take care of the problem of accidentally bumping/moving your production markers from the player boards that..." Read more
"...It is just a double-sided board that comes with a different map, different milestones and awards...." Read more
"...but I have played it at least 10 times already in a week because it is so addicting. Great strategy game and solo is a nice challenge...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the complexity level of the game. Some mention that the gameplay is easy to follow once they understand the rules, while others say that the symbols look difficult to understand. They also say the manual isn't the best organized, and the game is too time consuming for adults.
"...The basic structure remains the same, but adds variation to the play...." Read more
"...Great strategy game and solo is a nice challenge...." Read more
"Great game concept, so-so components.Pros:Real science...." Read more
"...It is a great engine builder game. You are also competing against fellow corporations (IE: the other players)...." Read more
Customers find the game has tremendous replay value, and they say it's well worth the time. They also appreciate the great sense of progression in the game, and say it’s a major seller. Customers also mention that the game mechanics and thematics work well, and it can be played multiple times.
"...I'd give it 6 stars if I could. It's that good. Definitely a gamer's game (ie. not intended for newcomers/nongamers), but worth every penny...." Read more
"This is a great addition to the base game. It is just a double-sided board that comes with a different map, different milestones and awards...." Read more
"...SO MANY CUBES!There's a great sense of progression in the game. Everyone is always doing something, together or alone...." Read more
"...played at least a dozen times and it is different each time with great replay value...." Read more
Customers find the expansion great, adding a new dimension without many rules. They also say it's great to play with, making the game more agile from start. Customers say the game is broadening with the addition of the Turmoil expansion. They appreciate the elegant mechanism that adds depth to the Terraforming Mars base.
"...At a $41 price point, I can't recommend this game enough. It has numerous expansions (I think around 5 or 6), so even if you tire of the base game..." Read more
"...Overall, Terraforming Mars is a fantastic addition to any board gamers shelf." Read more
"...Overall, it's a great expansion and definitely worth the price...." Read more
"...The rules are pretty easy to pick up, and it comes with an expansion deck to draw it out into a longer game...." Read more
Customers find the cooperative mode of the board game excellent, very well with 2 players, and semi-cooperative. They also say the game is great with a group.
"...Though not as vibrant or colorful, the wooden boards work so much better. Game on!..." Read more
"...Great strategy game and solo is a nice challenge...." Read more
"...The game also plays excellently solo. I have played at least a dozen times and it is different each time with great replay value...." Read more
"...Plays best 2 player imo." Read more
Customers find the variety in the board game to be great. They mention that the core game offers lots of play options, with a building mechanic that offers tons of choice. They appreciate the massive number of action cards and variability of starting corporations. They also mention that this expansion gives players more options and can fill in gaps when needed. Customers also mention the game has lots of pieces and a very unique board. They say the game offers so much variability in the way you play the game, with variable player powers and an enormous amount of research cards.
"...While there is definitely a learning curve to this game, it offers so much variability in the way you play the game...." Read more
"...TM also has a wonderful solo variant, so if you're looking for a challenge, and you like to play solo (or at least have that option), look no further..." Read more
"...For an exceptional solo experience, I highly recommend the Prelude expansion...." Read more
"...It is one of my current favorites. The solo game is very good too. It's fairly quick, compared to the multi-player game...." Read more
Customers find the concept nice, clever, and fun. They also say the game is well-thought-out and brilliant. Customers also say that the pieces are visually and functionally appealing. They love the components and the well-balanced design.
"...For the player pieces and the currency pieces, these are actually quite nice!..." Read more
"...It's very clever, and very fun. Games typically take me 1-2 hours...." Read more
"...The concept is there. Lots of players have a lot of fun participating in all these systems and pushing cubes around their mat...." Read more
"...I like the theme & I like the components. Even though the cards are thin & the ME(money) cubes are already flaking, I still like them...." Read more
Customers have mixed opinions about the artwork in the board game. Some love the theme, saying it's a masterpiece of game design, and refreshingly unique. However, others say that the artwork is poor and distracting. They also mention that the cards look like clip art and are not as vibrant or colorful.
"...They're little colored cubes - some are translucent, others are a little shiny. I'm actually a fan of the pieces...." Read more
"...since they are easy to get shuffled around but otherwise all the elements are great as is the game play. Nice addition to my collection." Read more
"...Though not as vibrant or colorful, the wooden boards work so much better. Game on!..." Read more
"...The theme is ever-present, and some people are really going to dig that.Cons:Player mats are a real problem...." Read more
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BUILD QUALITY
When it comes to the quality of the pieces and board, it's a bit of a mixed bag. The board itself is perfectly fine. Can't complain. For the player pieces and the currency pieces, these are actually quite nice! They're little colored cubes - some are translucent, others are a little shiny. I'm actually a fan of the pieces.
My biggest complaint with the build quality, however, is the player sheet every player gets. This is where you track your "production" and your resources throughout the game. For starters, this sheet is a little confusing. My bigger complaint here, though, is that a portion of this sheet is dedicated to show how much of a given resource you earn every round. To indicate this, you put one of your colored player pieces on the designated number. The problem, though, is that the slightest of bumps on this sheet can slide the pieces around, meaning you can turn your production from a 3 to a 4, which can have a pretty big impact. I would have loved to have seen a physical slider piece, or little slots to hold the pieces.
This complaint is not a HUGE deal, but probably my biggest concern with the build quality.
INSTRUCTIONS
I have to admit, when you first look at the instruction manual, it's pretty overwhelming. There are about 20 very dense pages of instructions to read through which walk through the mechanics of the game. It took myself and 4 other people about 2 hours to digest the instructions. We found ourselves referring to this manual often over the course of the game. The manual isn't the best organized, so answering a specific question about the game can often be trying to find a needle in a haystack. Further, the wording in the manual is often a little bit confusing and tricky to understand.
One aspect of the instructions that I like is that they have a "beginner" version, which is recommended for the first time you play. Essentially, this gives every player the same "corporation", which removes some of the variability but makes it a bit easier to learn the mechanics of the game.
MECHANICS
This is where the game really shines. While there is definitely a learning curve to this game, it offers so much variability in the way you play the game. There are numerous way to increase your "Terraform Rating" (aka, your score), and these actions you take ultimately progress the game in a super natural way.
There is no designated number of turns that this game will last. There's no timer. There's no countdown. Instead, you are progressing towards making Mars into a "viable planet" to live on. You do this by increasing temperature of the planet, increasing the number of oceans, and increasing the percentage of Oxygen. The actions you take throughout the game may do any of these 3 things, either directly or indirectly. Sometimes, there are even moments where by increasing the temperature you increase the Oxygen level.
Another really interesting aspect is the concept of a "generation". A generation is more or less a round of the game. Within each generation, every players takes turns. Each turn consists of up to 2 actions per player. Players continue going in a circle taking their actions until they have no further actions that they want to take, and they "pass". Once every player passes, the generation is complete.
One dynamic I noticed is that the early generations of the game take quite awhile. People are figuring out their strategy, and are building the economy. However as the game progresses, the generations start to move very quickly and the game's resources start to increase at a must faster rate.
Overall, the game probably took at least 2 hours to play.
REPLAYABILITY
What made this game so interesting, was the 2nd time I played. The first time was certainly fun, but was generally learning the mechanics and the basic strategies. For the 2nd time playing, though, we understood the main goals, but more importantly, we used the more advanced corporations. These corporations offer even more variation and customization about how you want to win the game.
This type of strategizing is what really sold me on this game.
CONCLUSION
Ultimately, this game is quite complicated with a hefty instruction manual and a steep learning curve. But with the endless possibilities of how you want to play the game, the level of strategizing really outweighs the upfront cost, making this a really rewarding game to learn and to play.
TM also has a wonderful solo variant, so if you're looking for a challenge, and you like to play solo (or at least have that option), look no further. That's actually the main reason I bought this game, and yet now I can't wait to try it multiplayer. And since it has the solo mode, I'll be able to teach it no problem and help move the game along as well. Another huge plus for me.
At its core, TM is an engine builder, with cards and projects to help increase 6 main resources and production of said resources (MegaCredits=money, Steel, Titanium, Plants, Energy, and Heat). I won't go into great detail, but it's from these resources and a set amount of starting resources depending on which Corporation (think player) you play as that you start your engine building. There are 5 beginner corporations that are generic and all the same, and then there are an additional 12 that each have their own special ability(ies) and amount of starting credits, and possibly resources and/or resource production. I recommend starting with a beginner corporation, as knowing which cards to keep during setup also has a learning curve.
Throughout the game, the player(s) are attempting to gain victory points (known as Terraform Rating, or TR) while simultaneously terraforming the planet. This terraforming includes 3 main elements: increasing temperature, oxygen levels, and water/ocean tiles.
In the solo mode, you are attempting to complete all 3 of these before the end of your 14th turn. If you do so, you win. You can also keep track of your best scores, though TM isn't simply just a beat your own score solo mode. You actually have to WIN first (ie. complete the 3 elements to terraforming by end of turn 14), which is NOT easy. It's very clever, and very fun. Games typically take me 1-2 hours.
In multi mode, you are trying to accrue the highest TR at the game end, signified by the completion of all 3 elements of terraforming. However, you score not only points from your base TR, cards, city tiles, and plant tiles (as in the solo mode), but also from any awards or milestones that you claimed. In that regard TM is somewhat of a point salad game...which I think is great. Again, looking forward to trying it multiplayer.
While initially there is some luck of the draw, this is mitigated each turn during the refresh phase, as each player gets to look at 4 new cards from the deck and decide how many to keep, paying 3 credits per card. It is also and perhaps more so mitigated by the standard projects listed on the board, which every player has access to every turn regardless of which cards they may or may not have. These can be key in the solo mode if you don't get the best starting cards, which I assume would be true multiplayer.
At a $41 price point, I can't recommend this game enough. It has numerous expansions (I think around 5 or 6), so even if you tire of the base game at some point (I haven't yet), there is much more you can add to TM. The Hellas & Elysium expansion is a double sided board with 2 new and different faces of Mars to terraform (ie different maps), so you have the option of 3 maps total. The Prelude expansion has additional cards and more importantly additional corporations, for even more variety. I have yet to get to either of these, but am looking forward to it when the time comes. There are also several others that I do not have yet.
All this being said, the replayability is quite high on TM. And it's tons of fun if you like to think. There is a reason it's been in the top 20 on BGG the last 4 years since it's inception.
EDIT: I forgot to mention that I highly suggest buying at least the 2 pack of wooden player boards from Smonex. They are great quality and completely take care of the problem of accidentally bumping/moving your production markers from the player boards that come with the game. Though not as vibrant or colorful, the wooden boards work so much better. Game on!
EDIT 10/1/22: I have all the expansions except Turmoil, and I still love it. Favorite game of all time. Even better with the expansions; so much replayability.
Top reviews from other countries
This is a storage box for the base game and expansions only. It does not come with the base game nor any of the expansions, but it does come with a couple extra cards and the 3d ocean, forest, unique and city tiles.
The delivery package was a bit deceptive at first since it's only the actual two-sided board covered by some print.
That kinda shocked me at first since I usually expect boxes instead of envelopes with anything related to boardgames but it was quite alright and it arrived undamaged.