Name: Race for the Galaxy
Publisher: Rio Grande Games
Designer: Tom Lehmann
Players: 2-4
Ages: 12+
Playing Time: 30-60 Minutes
Download Rules
My husband and I were first given Race for the Galaxy by someone who no longer wanted it. They played it once and decided that it just wasn’t their flavor. That being said, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure! Race for the Galaxy has turned out to be quite the hit in our household. As a couple, we have played it more than any other game we own. I love it because it is such a unique blend of creativity, strategic planning, and subtle competition.
Race for the Galaxy balances the pressures of economics with the challenge of building a flourishing civilization--a galactic empire that surpasses all others in the universe. The deck consists of two kinds of cards: developments that may be researched, and worlds to settle and conquer. The catch is, these cards are also used as money to fund these activities, which creates the interesting dynamic of economic opportunity cost.
What I love about this game is its creativity aspect. Each player builds his or her own civilization, and no two are the same. Each card has its own distinct way of contributing to the galactic society and contains its own unique artistic illustration. This makes it very visually appealing as well as strategically challenging. My husband is constantly thinking through new strategies to try and different card combinations to test. For as much as we’ve played it (hundreds of times), it never seems to grow old.
I also like the competition aspect, as I am a fierce competitor. Soon after meeting, my husband and I challenged each other to a game of Risk, and he was quite taken aback by my thirst for competition and world domination. Race for the Galaxy is more mild in competition, because each player is building his or her own empire. Although a player’s decisions do affect the other players, the effect is indirect. This turns out to be a real strength for the game, in my opinion, because it creates an enjoyable environment during play, leaving fewer hard feelings and less frustration.
Nearly everyone who has played the game at our house has greatly enjoyed it and desired to play it again and again. I am selective about who I teach it to, however, because it takes nearly as long to explain the game as it does to play it (nearly an hour). For the person with the short attention span or lack of interest in detail-oriented thinking, this would not be a good fit. For those lovers of strategy who like to give their games careful thought, however, this is a great find, and I highly recommend it. Enjoy your galactic endeavors!
