Planet Unknown
- Players
- 1-6
- Best withThe player count this game plays best at.
- 4 players
- Play timeHow long a full game runs once everyone knows the rules.
- 80 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 10+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 2.3 / 5
- Year
- 2022
About the game
Planet Unknown challenges 1-6 players to develop the best colonized planet after Earth's resources have run out. Each round, players place a polyomino-shaped, dual-resource tile onto their planet board and then take two actions tied to the tile's infrastructure types, all while covering their planet efficiently and building an engine of interlocking resources. A shared rotating space station, the Lazy S.U.S.A.N., lets all players interact with a central pool of tiles simultaneously, keeping everyone engaged even when it isn't strictly their turn. Occasional meteor events make development harder, adding a layer of tension to this fresh take on the popular polyomino puzzle genre.
Hobbli's Notes
Planet Unknown's simultaneous rotating tile station is a genuinely clever solution to the classic polyomino-game problem of downtime, and it makes the game feel busier and more social than most puzzle-placement titles. The sci-fi colonization theme is a fun wrapper, and the game scales impressively well from solo up to six players. It's an easy recommendation for fans of Patchwork-style games looking for something with a bit more meat.
What we like
- The simultaneous rotating station keeps every player engaged at once.
- It scales smoothly from solo play all the way up to six players.
- The tile-laying puzzle offers satisfying long-term planning.
- Meteor events and hidden victory points add fun unpredictability.
Keep in mind
- Sharing the rotating station can create some fiddly logistics at the table.
- Tile draws introduce an element of luck outside player control.
- The spatial puzzle style won't appeal to all gamers.
- Meteor events can feel punishing if they hit your planet's key areas.
Who it's for
Great for families and puzzle-game fans ages 10+ who enjoy tile-laying, playable solo or in groups up to six.
