Board Game Solutions Plays: Terraforming Mars

Imagine this - it's the 2400s, and we're making Mars our second home! In Terraforming Mars, you're one of the big-shot corporations working to turn the red planet green. Sure, we're all working together to get Mars all comfy and cozy, but it's also a bit of a friendly competition.

You're gunning for victory points here, and you're not just earning them for helping Mars become liveable. You'll get points for sprucing up the place across the solar system and generally being a cool space-corporation. So grab your space suit and let's get terraforming!

Off the bat, you'll get a flat player board, some starting resources in the form of cubes, and a handful of project cards. Straight away I managed to knock my cubes over, so a wooden player board with notches for a cube is a must, along with some card marketplaces for the draw piles.

Rounds then play out in the form of drawing cards, and spending/gaining resources along the way. The game ends once Mars is habitable. Points are scored for your terraforming rating, milestones, awards, and tiles on Mars.

The ultimate aim is to turn Mars into the hottest (literally!) property in the galaxy. You can make the air breathable, warm up the planet, or even create oceans. Keep an eye out for milestones and awards - they're your ticket to big points. Once Mars is ready for life and all the ocean tiles are on the board, the game's up! The one with the most points for their Mars-makeover wins the game. It's a bit of teamwork, a bit of competition, and a whole load of intergalactic fun!