The Legacy of Mars
- Players
- 1-5
- Best withThe player count this game plays best at.
- 3 players
- Play timeHow long a full game runs once everyone knows the rules.
- 300 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 12+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 2.2 / 5
- Year
- 2027
About the game
The Legacy of Mars threads a series of linked missions across new sides of the Red Planet, building on Terraforming Mars' familiar engine with additions like melting glaciers, worker resources, and unlockable innovation cards. Winning a mission makes a player governor of that planet, earning bonus points that carry into the final, decisive mission. Each stage introduces a new planet and new mechanics, layering an overarching campaign on top of the mechanics fans of the original already know.
Hobbli's Notes
The Legacy of Mars takes the familiar Terraforming Mars engine and stretches it across a linked campaign, with each mission unfolding on a fresh planet and carrying new mechanics like glacier-melting and unlockable innovation cards. It's an ambitious attempt to give a beloved euro a lasting narrative arc, and fans who already know Terraforming Mars will find plenty familiar to build on. Early reception has been mixed, though, with the five-hour total campaign length and mission-to-mission pacing proving a tougher sell than the streamlined original.
What we like
- Builds directly on the well-loved Terraforming Mars engine, so existing fans have a head start.
- Each mission introduces new mechanics that keep the campaign from feeling repetitive.
- Solo mode carries over the original's strong single-player appeal.
- Ties missions together into an overarching campaign with real stakes.
Keep in mind
- Five-hour total campaign length is a major time commitment.
- Early community reception has been mixed compared to the original game.
- Pacing between missions can feel uneven for newcomers to the format.
Who it's for
Best for dedicated Terraforming Mars fans ready to commit to a long linked campaign, ages 12+, in groups of 1-5.
