Race for the Galaxy

Designer: Thomas Lehmann
Artist: Martin Hoffmann, Claus Stephan
Published: 2007
Players: 2-4
Playing Time: 30-60 Mins
BGG Rating: 7.7
BGG Ranking: 78
Publisher: Rio Grande Games
Mechanisms: Follow, Hand Management, Multi-Use Cards, Simultaneous Action Selection
Sleeves: TCG 63,5x88mm

Game Description:

In the card game Race for the Galaxy, players build galactic civilizations by playing game cards in front of them that represent worlds or technical and social developments. Some worlds allow players to produce goods, which can be consumed later to gain either card draws or victory points when the appropriate technologies are available to them. These are mainly provided by the developments and worlds that are not able to produce, but the fancier production worlds also give these bonuses.

Quick play overview:

Players try to build up the best galaxy empire by playing cards from their hands into their personal tableau. Played cards will improve further actions and give resources and points.

This game has two major trick up it's sleeves:

• Cards in hands can be PLAYED to build up your empire or they can be discarded to PAY for playing other cards into your tableau
• Players simultaneously select one of the 5 available ACTIONS which all players will then have the chance to perform… with the trick that the player who called the action will get a bonus like drawing a card, playing cards for cheaper etc.

ACTIONS allow you to:

• draw more cards,
• build developments (grant you bonuses for future actions),
• settle planets (grant you MATERIALS)
• spend the MATERIALS from planets to get more cards and or points
• replenish materials on planets

Game ends after a player builds at least 12 developments and/or planets, or when all the point tokens are collected.

Final thoughts:

It's a hard to learn game as there are many icons, but once you learn it, there is tons of fun to be had.

Players have different routes to victory like changing materials to points, building up expensive developments/planets, or conquering planets with military might… There is a strong tactical element to this game, as you won't get the needed cards every game and you will have to pivot or lose.

FINAL SCORE:

Gameplay & How often I want to play it: 7/10

Gameplay is robust. Players have a lot of tough decisions to make each game. Even after 100+ plays, we are still looking to play this game a few times each year.

Art & Graphic Design:

17 years ago this was a nice product but compared to today's competition… there is plenty of space to improve on.

Rules & Complexity:

This is a hard game to learn. Mostly because of all the icons that will show up during the game and because of the amount of choices that a player is facing from turn 1. Once you know the rules, the icons blend in and you will have so many great choices to choose from.

Theme & Mechanism fit:

Building up monuments, conquering other planets and creating the biggest trading empire in the galaxy sounds amazing and the mechanisms do fit the theme.

Fun & Replayability:

Each turn you will face hard decisions to follow your strategy or change it because of the cards that you are currently holding. Should you wait just a bit more for new cards or should you use up the whole hand to play that amazing planet by using your opponents action? Great choices drive replayability way up.