Boardgame night is the best night of the week for me and my friends. We usually spend hours on hours playing our favorite games, but we are always looking for new experiences. Lately, we have been interested in exploring science fiction movies and books, so what best way to move forward with that that by looking at the best space-themed board games out there. We have tried some in the past, but they have never made it onto our staples. I hope you find this list useful and try one of these games for yourself!
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Star Wars: Rebellion
If you have never played Fantasy Flight games you are in for a treat. Be wary, though, as they usually involve a lot of pieces and extended lists of rules that are not for the faint of heart. If you are looking for an epic asymmetric adventure, look no further. One player will embody the Rebel Alliance and will fight against the Empire, controlled by the other player. It can accommodate up to 4 players, 2 for each side. Bare in mind that it is a long game… It can take up to 5 hours to finish, especially if it is your first time with a game of the sort.
Star Wars: Imperial Assault
Instead of being an epic game that involves the whole galaxy, these are missions in which one team plays as the rebels against one player who manages all of the Imperial forces. This is more closely related to RPGs, as the characters advance and gain abilities throughout the story, that can take as many sessions as you want and your wallet can accommodate. Stay clear of this one if you do not have a serious group of friends that want to take this story to the end.
Cosmic Encounter
My friends and I absolutely loved this one. Its rules are simple enough to learn relatively quickly while still maintaining the Fantasy Flight flare. It is basically a chess-like game, where everyone stands for themselves and tries to gain control of the galaxy by using a particular alien race with specific abilities. The expansions give it endless replayability potential, as different players can embody different races and get a different experience. We cannot recommend it enough!
Galaxy Trucker
This is a chaotic game in which you and your friends construct your ship and try and survive the ruthless galaxy. You can take up shipping jobs and make money but evil forces will try and take you down every step of the way. Be careful, as the game may end any second, leaving you penniless and stranded in deep space. Failure is not only an option but part of the fun. We absolutely recommend it as a quick pastime or a step towards a bigger game for the night.
Twilight Imperium (4th Edition)
This one is a mammoth, boys. If you have never heard of it, Twilight Imperium is Fantasy Flight Games’ flagship. This game is a like a mix of Star Wars: Rebellion and Cosmic Encounter. Each player will get to play a specific alien race and will battle it out, or negotiate their way, to controlling the galaxy. It is one the most complex games there are, with endless victory conditions and rules. If you do not like to strategize and think your moves carefully, then this game may not be for you. But if you are up to the challenge, you are in for the most thrilling 10 hours of your week.
Terraforming Mars
This is a Euro-style engine builder game where every player gets to aid in the terraforming of Mars by making it habitable for mankind. Bring water, lower the surface heat, extract minerals, everything while trying to build your own economic empire and crush the other players’ hopes of owning the whole planet. This game is really fun, so if you like small pieces and builder type games, this one is great.
Race for the Galaxy
This is a hand management card game where players build their own galactic civilization based on the cards they play. These cards represent worlds or different scientific developments. The main goal is to build a stronger, more powerful race than the rest of the players. It is a great game to play with a set of players over and over again to see how each one’s strategies develop before moving forward to games with a bigger scope.
Space Cadets
This game is an exhilarating experience in which 3 to 6 players race against the game to accomplish the mission. Everyone has a specific task, designated by their position, and everything depends on them completing it to a T. The players must work together to survive. Very fun and lighthearted -although you are trying to save your necks from dying horrible deaths in outer space- it is still a very complete and engaging experience.
Space Alert
This one is interesting. Each mission can be played in just 10 minutes. You and your friends team up as the ship’s crew against the galaxy’s dangers and difficulties. The game includes a specific soundtrack for each mission, that times it and tells the story and events that go on around the crew, acting as a sort of disembodied game master. The game is tough, not going to lie, but it is very interesting if you are looking for a challenge, even if you are already familiar with complex games.
Tiny Epic Galaxies
This game is part of the Tiny Epic series, that you may already know. If you do, this is the same basic concept. In this game, each player controls a galactic empire that wants to take control of the galaxy. To do this, they need to acquire planets and increase their army strength. It is very fast-paced and perfect as a finishing or warming up game.
Did you know all of these titles? Have you tried them? Tell us all about your experience in the comments below!