Indie Game Studios

A Quicker Way to Make Mars Habitable

by Reid Conley

Welcome to Terraforming Mars: Ares Expedition, the latest addition to the Terraforming Mars series. Ares Expedition is a standalone, shortened version of the smash-hit Terraforming Mars for 1-4 players. This version combines what you love from the original version with a new action selection mechanism that leads to new and interesting decisions. With more than 200 beautifully illustrated cards, there are many strategies and engines to play around with. Not to mention, it’s easier to bring to the table than its predecessor due to much faster playtime and streamlined rules.

The new elements of Ares Expedition compared to Terraforming Mars are centered around the phase cards. Each player has five phase cards corresponding to the five possible phases that allow you to build project cards, produce resources, take actions, and collect more project cards. Every round, each player will choose one phase card in secret, and only those phases will take place for that round. Every player gets to take the indicated action for each phase selected, but players who choose that phase will gain additional bonuses. You’ll want to piggyback off the phases chosen by the other players and still make sure you are doing the actions you need to do.

This change in the game’s flow makes a significant difference in how the game feels without taking away from the parts of Terraforming Mars you love if you are already a fan. Successful players will pay attention to what their opponents are doing and predict what they will try to do next. There’s no worse feeling than being caught unprepared and unable to perform a selected action for the round, so keep your eyes peeled.

If you find yourself alone on game night, you can try out the solo mode. In this mode, you are attempting to terraform mars on your own within a time limit fully. You’ll select a phase card to play each round and draw one randomly from a dummy hand to determine which phases are in play. In this way, you have some idea of what phases will be available each round, but usually, you won’t have perfect information. Use your engine building and deduction skills to come out on top and terraform the planet in time. You only get to count your points if all the parameters are met, and this is not an easy task on your own.

Similarly, there is a two-player co-op mode in which you and a partner need to make the planet hospitable with an even tighter time limit and a point goal. You’ll need to use clever play and communication to achieve victory. See if you and a friend are efficient enough to win, and then try again and see if you can score even higher!

Ares Expedition is a great way to experience the fun of Terraforming Mars in a fraction of the time. If you’ve never played Terraforming Mars before, this is an excellent introduction to the rewarding engine building of one of the most popular games ever. Alternatively, if the original game was a bit too long or a bit too complicated for your liking, this is the perfect way to experience it in a way that’s quick and comfortable. Ares Expedition is going to bring Terraforming Mars to a whole new audience.

Nitrogen-Rich Asteroid

25

Herbivores

13

Lightning Harvest

1

I-III

Raise your TR 2 steps. Raise the temperature 1 step. Gain 2 plants. If you have have 3 or more gain 4 additional plants. 91 ,

Requires 5 ocean tiles to be flipped. 33 *=1 VP per 2 animals on this card. \small{ Effect: When you raise oxygen, flip an ocean tile, or raise the temperature, add 1 animal to this card.}

IV

During the production phase, this produces 1 MC per you have, including this.

156

1

Invention Contest

Draw three cards. Keep one of them and discard the other two.

83

25

Conserved Biome

III

*=1 VP per 2 forest VPs you have. Action: Add a microbe to ANOTHER* card or add an animal to ANOTHER* card.

18

13

Surface Mines

20

Mass Converter

I-II

When you play a , you pay 2 MC less for it. When you play a , you pay 3 MC less for it.

IV

192 2

Requires 4 . During the production phase, this produces 3 heat. When you play a , you pay 3 MC less for it.

159

• Engine Building • Simultaneous Action Selection • Terraforming Mars with amuch shorter play time • Dual layered player boards • 2 storage trays • Includes solo and 2-player coop mode