Mission: Red Planet (Second/Third Edition)
- Players
- 2-6
- Best withThe player count this game plays best at.
- 4 players
- Play timeHow long a full game runs once everyone knows the rules.
- 90 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 14+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 2.2 / 5
- Year
- 2015
About the game
In this Victorian-era sci-fi race for Martian resources, players secretly deploy character cards each round to send astronauts to Mars, occupy resource-rich zones, and sabotage rivals. Area majority battles over celerium, sylvanite, and ice determine who scores the most points across three collection phases. Unique character abilities and secret mission cards add hidden strategy to the shifting board state. It's a tense, interactive area-control game with a charming steampunk theme.
Hobbli's Notes
Hobbli's team enjoys Mission: Red Planet for how much backstabbing tension it packs into a relatively approachable area-majority framework. The character card mind games, guessing who else wants the same role, keep every round sharp and interactive.
What we like
- Strong player interaction through role selection.
- Area-majority scoring keeps every round tense.
- Scales up to six players well.
- Charming steampunk sci-fi theme.
Keep in mind
- Can suffer from elimination-style frustration when sabotaged.
- Some downtime while others plan their moves.
- Newer players may struggle to read the shifting board.
Who it's for
Great for 2-6 players aged 10+ who enjoy area-majority games with direct player interaction and light sci-fi theming.
