In Mission: Red Planet, players take on the role of leaders of Victorian-era mining corporations competing to colonize Mars. The red planet holds valuable resources such as celerium, sylvanite, and ice, and your goal is to control key Martian zones by launching ships, deploying astronauts, and strategically outmaneuvering rival corporations.
Each round, players simultaneously select a character card that determines their actions. These actions include sending astronauts to ships, moving them to Martian zones, sabotaging opponents, or drawing event cards. Once a ship is full, it launches to a designated zone on the Martian board.
Upon landing, control of each zone is determined by the majority of astronauts present. The game features three production phases where zones generate resource tokens, and players with majority control collect these valuable resources. Additionally, players have secret mission cards which provide extra points if their objectives are completed by the end of the game.
Scoring at the end of the game combines points from controlled zones, collected resources, and completed secret missions. The player with the most points wins.
Strategic Highlights:
High player interaction through area control — anticipating opponents’ moves is key.
Simultaneous action selection adds tension and requires careful planning.
Secret missions provide long-term strategy while reacting to dynamic board states.
The game’s steampunk aesthetic and Martian theme create a rich, immersive experience.
Considerations:
Best played with 3–5 players; two-player games may feel less competitive.
Randomness in resource production can sometimes disrupt strategies.
Moderate learning curve due to multiple phases, zones, and character actions.
