With an arsenal of Terraforming Mars expansions at your facet, conquering the Crimson Planet is extra thrilling than ever. Whether or not you’re settling deep area colonies or constructing the Luna Metropolis, the added maps and sport mechanics of the expansions deliver further layers of depth and chaos to the unique board sport. However which expansions are the most important sport changers? And which enlargement is the most effective one to purchase first? On this information, you’ll discover a full breakdown of the sport’s add-ons listed within the advised buying order.

How Many Terraforming Mars Expansions Are There?

There are presently 5 official expansions for Terraforming Mars. Nevertheless, Stronghold Video games is engaged on three extra, which can first be obtainable by way of Kickstarter. There are additionally a number of further add-ons that develop the world of Terraforming Mars past the boundaries of the long-lasting board sport. However earlier than we get to these, let’s check out the principle expansions. 

For those who’ve performed Terraforming Mars with none of its expansions, you’ve most likely observed that the early generations will be fairly sluggish. The playing cards within the Prelude field jumpstart your company’s manufacturing and terraform ranking proper out the gate, which places you in the course of the engine-building motion when the sport begins. For that reason alone, it’s simply the most effective Terraforming Mars enlargement to purchase first. The Prelude enlargement additionally provides 5 new companies to the combo, making certain additional gameplay variance.

The Hellas & Elysium enlargement provides two new sport boards that discover the far facet of Mars. Ocean areas shift positions, placement bonuses change, and playing cards like Noctis Metropolis lose their placement restrictions. As well as, every board provides new milestones and awards that change your technique considerably. On the Hellas map, the temperature rises rapidly. On the Elysium map, the sport’s costly playing cards are extra impactful than ever.

With the Colonies enlargement, the attain of your company extends to the distant expanses of the outer photo voltaic system. A randomized choice of the brand new colony tiles positioned throughout setup represents locations the place gamers can both construct a colony or ship their commerce fleet for sources. For those who commerce on the moons and planets the place your opponents have a colony, they’ll profit out of your actions. The Colonies enlargement additionally added 49 new mission playing cards and 5 new companies, so there are much more methods to win. 

For those who’ve already bought all three of the expansions listed above however need additional mechanics and gameplay variance for Terraforming Mars, you’ll be able to go together with both Turmoil or Venus Subsequent. Turmoil is probably the most complicated enlargement obtainable for the sport, designed particularly for skilled gamers. It consists of the brand new committee board, on which you’ll add your delegates to political events to affect which celebration will probably be in energy throughout the subsequent era. The ruling celebration then passes insurance policies that alter the sport surroundings. Alongside the committee board, a sequence of worldwide occasions may even happen every era, which add appreciable chaos to the sport by proscribing sources, reducing temperature, and even destroying cities.

The Venus Subsequent enlargement provides a brand new international parameter, the Venus monitor, which will increase your terraform ranking in a similar way to the temperature and oxygen scales. Nevertheless, the Venus monitor doesn’t should be maxed out for the sport to finish, which implies it’ll typically be ignored solely, relying on which companies are in play. For that reason, Venus Subsequent is the bottom precedence enlargement on this listing. Nevertheless, it provides 5 new companies, 49 new mission playing cards, and some further milestones and awards, all of that are positively good to have. 

Increasing the Terraforming Mars Universe

The world of Terraforming Mars consists of greater than the unique board sport and its expansions. For those who can’t get sufficient of this improbable universe, listed here are a number of additional methods to amplify your Terraforming Mars expertise.

It’s simple to mistake Ares Expedition for one of many unique sport’s expansions. Nevertheless, it’s a standalone sport that simplifies most of the core mechanics of the unique. Consequently, it performs at a considerably sooner tempo. Whereas the oxygen and temperature parameters tied to the completion of the sport stay the identical because the predecessor sport, tile placement is not vital as a result of oceans are locked in place and easily should be flipped. The sport additionally has three expansions of its personal, Discovery, Foundations and Disaster.

Terraforming Mars: The Cube Sport is one other standalone sport that reimplements most of the mechanics of the unique. Cube randomize useful resource manufacturing, and solely two of the three international parameters are wanted to finish the sport. It’s a good selection for youthful gamers who benefit from the theme of Terraforming Mars.

The Terraforming Mars books are neat novelties that present in depth backstory for the occasions of the board sport. There are three entries within the sequence, which begins with In The Shadow Of Deimos. The story continues in Edge Of Disaster and is accomplished within the ultimate novel, Shores Of A New Horizon. The occasions of the books carefully contain the Terraforming Committee and its affect on the taming of the Crimson Planet, which implies they’ll take advantage of sense to players who’ve already performed the Turmoil enlargement. 

Terraforming Mars Puzzles

Along with the video games and books, there are additionally Terraforming Mars puzzles obtainable for true collectors and lovers. The Prelude and Colonies puzzles concentrate on the important thing artwork from the expansions after which they’re named, whereas the companies puzzle contains a enjoyable show of all of the company and board sport tile and card icons.