Stronghold Games Board Game, Black, 2 Expansion

Terraforming Mars is a "Pringles" game; once you've played once, you keep coming back to it. I was first introduced to it by a friend, and soon after bought my own so that I could keep playing. It is very well-balanced and well-made, and provides plenty of fun on an evening which otherwise might have been quite dull. The box comes with a board, 5 player sheets, 5 bags of player cubes (red, yellow, blue, green, and black), 3 bags of metallic cubes for currency, around 200 project cards, and various tiles which indicate forests, cities, oceans, and other structures. All of these are of a decent quality, and so far we have seen no wear and tear to any of them. The board sometimes doesn't lie completely flat, but this doesn't significantly affect gameplay in any way. It is worth bearing in mind that the game takes up a large amount of space, so having a large table or section of floor space clear is a must. It also comes with a much needed instruction booklet; Terraforming Mars has a steep but not long-lasting learning curve which can seem daunting, but is well worth giving a go. After playing only one game, the whole family had gotten a firm grasp of the basic rules, and we're now playing near expertly, able to plan ahead and strategise based on our knowledge of the game. Each game takes between 2 and 4 hours, depending on how long it takes indidivuals to decide on their turn. This doesn't mean the game is boring though; far from it! The gameplay is interesting and even addictive, with none of us noticing how much time has passed while we've been playing. You can also never tell who has won the game until the final scoring happens, leading to some tense moments and unexpected winners. This also contributes to constantly wanting to go back for more, so you can improve on your previous score or try different approaches. Since owning the game, we have also bought 2 expansions; the "Preludes" expansion and the "Colonies" expansion. The Preludes expansion adds a huge amount to the game, and I view it as a necessity as it not only decreases play time (due to providing more resources) but also allows for more focused strategies; the Colonies expansion is also a great addition as it gives players more options within the game. Overall, Terraforming Mars is a brilliant board game which is well worth the money. Due to the plenty of combinations of cards and strategies, the game has endless replayability, and will make sure you never have a dull board games night again!

This game does require a bit of rule reading and YouTube watching on your 1st playthrough. But once you've played 1 game, the rules are really easy going forward. Games typically can go on for a few hours, but it's utterly engrossing, and you're always wanting 1 more turn. Great theme with fantastic board design and engineering aspects. There is so much replayability to this game.

Wanted this for years, finally got around to it, did not disappoint.

For my board game, that persists of 5 family members and have gone through many of the usual German style resource management and zonal strategy game through the years, plus many other genres. This has become our end game. With one or 2 expansion the game has now reached a level where after 100s of games, every game is still unique. Perfect pacing, perfect level balance. The skill gap is perfectly balanced where the better players usually win but anyone in the group can still win and still enjoy games. Every player looks forward to a TM games night and that includes my 57 and 70yr old parents who are fully competent and competitive. It's actually been an amazing tool to keep in regular contact with my brother and his family and my parents, socialise, a few dricks and some classic brotherly British banter. The best board game ever created IMO.

Good quality overall, however printing on the cards isn't perfect. Some cards are printed noticeably lighter/washed out. The two clear cubes also have chipped corners. For the price, it's not bad enough to go through the trouble of returning it, but might be to someone else. Apart from that, the double layered boards are great, as are the cubes compared to the original Terraforming Mars. In terms of gameplay, I really enjoy it solo! There's no player interaction at a higher player count, so won't be suggesting when playing with others at all. It was also a bit of an adjustment after playing the original in terms of how the resources work, but once I got the hang of it, it was fine. Much quicker to set up for a solo game than the original!

I've been playing this for a fair few months and every game is different. It's a little complicated at times, especially near the end but always great fun. So many strategies and it's more like three hours then two but it's never boring. Plays good solo, two players, three and four. People complain about the resource recording cards which are not great as it's easy to knock the markers off. I bought the wooden versions off the internet, not cheap but excellent quality. The Prelude expansion speeds things up at the start and gives you more corporation cards but is a bit overpriced. I bought the expansion which give you two other maps to play on, a double sided board, and this is really worthwhile as your strategies have to change. So to sum up. Great game with lots of replay and once you get into it, it's very addictive in a good way.

Terraforming Mars by Stronghold Games is hands down one of my favorite board games ever. If you’ve ever dreamed of managing resources, colonizing a planet, and pretending to be a space pioneer like Matt Damon in *The Martian*, then this game is your ticket to the Red Planet. First off, let’s talk about what makes this game so great. Imagine you’re a billionaire CEO tasked with turning Mars from a barren wasteland into a thriving paradise. Sounds easy, right? Well, not quite. You’ll need to juggle resources, manage heat and oxygen levels, and develop cities—all while dealing with the fact that you’re on a planet where literally nothing grows (sorry, no potatoes like Matt Damon). But that’s the thrill! The game makes you feel like you’re actually terraforming Mars, and every decision feels crucial. Terraforming Mars has a rich history. Released in 2016, it quickly shot to the top of board game charts, becoming a favorite among strategy gamers worldwide. Why? Because it combines deep strategic planning with an immersive theme. The game is beautifully designed with tons of cards, each representing a project that could help turn Mars into a second Earth. The beauty of it is in the variety—you can go for an aggressive strategy, aiming to choke out your opponents, or play the long game, slowly but surely transforming the planet into a habitable home. The real charm of Terraforming Mars is how it makes you feel like you’re on the cusp of something monumental. Every turn, you’re not just playing a game—you’re building a future for humanity, all while hoping your opponent’s oxygen strategy doesn’t ruin your perfect plan. It’s like being in *The Martian*, but with less potato farming and more brainpower. Terraforming Mars is successful because it’s not just a game; it’s an experience. It’s challenging enough to keep you on your toes but accessible enough that you don’t need a PhD in astrophysics to enjoy it. With its engaging mechanics, endless replayability, and the sheer joy of watching Mars slowly turn green under your careful guidance, it’s no wonder this game has become a modern classic. So if you’re ready to channel your inner space explorer, grab some friends (or go solo), and take a trip to Mars. Just remember, you’re there to terraform, not to grow potatoes. Leave that to Matt Damon.

Excellent game and fun to play but the actual game board itself arrived horribly warped and bent and ive been unable to fully fix it. It's still playable but doesn't sit flat and this is annoying. Overall the game has a lot of replayability so it's good value for money but I think the board should be made of better material. The game also fits nicely on our shelf and doesn't take up too much room. It would be a 5 but due to the board quality I dropped 2 stars.