One of the classics

Race for the Galaxy 🌌 is a highly regarded game - so much so that it is currently Number 83 on BoardGameGeek’s top list. 😮 If you play the game you quickly realize why it is so beloved. Satisfying tableau-building with snappy turns and a quick overall playtime. 😊 In spite of the box size it is basically just cards (and some point chits), but the rules make it all pretty exciting!

First of all, the action selection is very clever. 🧐 There are 5 possible phases in a round, but not all of them happen every time. 👉As the round begins, players all choose an action card in secret - these determine the phases you will play. Everyone can take part in these phases, but if you chose one you get an additional bonus. The 2-player variant lets players choose 2 action cards each round. ✌️

While this is already a pretty fun idea, I think what takes Race for the Galaxy to the next level are the multi-use cards. Mainly you want to play them to your tableau to get points and ongoing discounts and bonuses, but cards are also the currency you use to pay for other cards. It is always a real dilemma what to discard and what to keep for playing, which is the core of the fun. 😉 Additionally, produced Goods are also just cards that you put on colonies as “markers”.  

There are two main card types: ♦️ Developments that give you all kind of benefits, and 🔴 Colonies that can produce Goods which are an important source of points and additional card draw. There are a bunch of subtypes for these with different colors and icons - which brings me to the iconography. This seems to be the most common complaint, as people tend to have trouble learning all the symbols. I actually think you can pretty quickly understand everything, especially with the handy player aids. I’d even say it’s implemented very skillfully!

The game has that usual fun engine-building arc, as you get stronger and stronger with each card. The end is triggered when you have your 12th card, so games are quick and leave you wanting to just play again. 😁 

There are also multiple expansions out there, which we’ll cover in more detail so stay tuned for more! 🙃