Space exploration is one of our favorite board game themes, and one of our favorite science topics to study. We have found a handful of favorite space themed games, most recently, SPACE PARK for 2-4 players.
The game is simple to learn, but the strategy is fun to experiment with and master! The design is very appealing and the components are very nice quality.
The premise of the game is galactic exploration. Players travel on rockets to far distant destinations, collecting crystals, earning exploration badges, and controlling the space scout.
The board is set up by randomly placing the 6 destination tiles in a 2×3 grid with the large Starlight Station tile on one side. The three rockets go on their starting destinations and the resources are placed near their locations. Each player gets a Badge and one sun crystal to begin the game.
The goal is to visit destinations to take their actions and earn resources to purchase badges. The player with the most XP (earned by trading crystals for badges) wins the game!
Players can only “visit” a destination with a rocket on it at the beginning of their turn. Once they have chosen and activated one of the three rockets, move the rocket from that station to the next available station.
Each destination earns the player different resources/abilities. Choose
- sun crystals from the Cosmic Canyon,
- sea crystals from the Celestial Seas,
- moon crystals from the Lunar Woods,
- extra badges from Starlight Station,
- the controller & a fast travel pass from the Astral Arcade, or
- trading rights at Outpost 13.
The controller from Astral Arcade gives a player control over the Scout, which they move to a destination of their choice. When anyone (including that player) lands on the destination with the Scout, the player with the controller gets to take a sun crystal or fast travel pass from the supply. When another player lands on Astral Arcade, the controller passes to that player.
Players also get a fast travel pass from the Astral Arcade, which allows a player to move a rocket to the next open destination either to set yourself up for desired resources the next turn or block other players.
Badges are earned only at Outpost 13, when the listed resources are turned in. Players get an immediate or future ability and some XP for end game points.
As soon as the first player reaches 20 XP, the most prestigious intergalactic explorer has been found!
This is a great strategic game that introduces some concepts that are fun to dive deeper into studying like space travel, possible resources on other planets, spacecraft engineering, topography of the moon and other planets, and more! Using a game like this is a fun way to introduce a new topic or introduce some math brain skills practice into a science study. The integration of skills and subjects is a great way to make learning more practical, useful, and memorable!
Thanks to Keymaster Games for sharing with us!
