Terraforming Mars: Dice Game | Rahdo's Prototype Thoughts 

Thanks Rahdo, this is the Terraforming Mars experience that I want to add to my collection. I have the digital edition of the original, but this is what I'm looking to hit the table with and play with friends.

This looks much better than Ares Edition. That one didn't click with us. I really enjoy Terraforming Mars. I'm not sure this is a must for me but I like the randomness of the die and how you can manipulate them to what you want. Thank for the final thoughts.

Such a clear description. Thank you soooo much. A lot of people will benefit.

This game is a must-buy for me, can't wait for it to be released!

Looking forward for Terraforming Mars Duel review :)

Glad to hear this. I had backed it a few hours ago on a whim. Can't wait to get it!

Thanks for the runthrough, Rahdo. It confirmed what I thought, based on my preferences: I hate this game - by rolling the dice you are never guaranteed to be able to do what you want. Also, I don’t like how they stripped too much away from the cards - and all you can do is accumulate more dice, which you cannot plan your icons with. Also, I don’t like the use this action to guarantee that one die and waste your other action, which you could have been doing something more useful with. Yes, I have my issues with the original Terraforming Mars, too, which I won’t go into here. Therefore, Ares Expedition seems to be in my sweet-spot - and the most balanced. If I were to get any of them, that’s the one which I would get.

Through the Ages checks in at a weight of 4.43 / 5 which makes it the heaviest game I enjoy (and feel that I understand at a basic level)

I’m only excited for a Roll and Write for this series

It's a great game. Dice Tower is wrong. I actually will be using it as a gateway game.

This was helpful, thanks

Great runthrough and final thoughts. I think this light version will be great for my family.

Hey! On Mars by Vital Lacerda has 'Complexity' rating of 4.66/5. Still, thanks for a great overview of the game.

We struggled with co-op TM:AE, hoping the new expansions help. This might be the one that we find easier

Really helpful review.

Thanks for the final thoughts Rahdo! Based on your comments, do you feel like this game proposes a different experience than the the original, other than the shorter playing time? Are the fact that it's dice based and less restrictive enough to make the experience (especially solo) feel different enough compared to the original? Watching the playthrough, I felt like the puzzle/race was quite similar to the original version, and I'm a bit worried that the only thing going for this game (for me) is the much shorter play time. But of course it's hard to know without actually playing the game.

I like heavy games. But solo sometimes lighter is better and looks like it's less of a table hog (far too many games take to much space).

1:34 Actually, Mage Knight: Ultimate Edition comes in at 4.63… So there are games which come in over 4…

Sounds amazing!

How does this compare to Roll for the Galaxy?

"Nothing ever beats a four" me looking at my collection made almost entirely of games above 4 👀

I'm assuming this will be available for purchase at my FLGS in a while without having to back it on KS?

Freudian slip? You said Dice Tower weight and not BGG. Considering how much Tom hates the BGG weight rating I'm not sure he would be pleased ; )

What are your thoughts on the take that elements of the game? I know you are not a fan of them (like myself), so I want to hear what you and Jen thought of making your opponents lose dice.

I hope that next step they do is to revisit original Terraforming Mars, improve art, add smoe new stuff etc...

Having played TM:AE a week or so ago, it is heavier than the BGG thinks: Get enough purple continuous effects out and with the lower money production, each turn can become an AP nightmare. Instead of two actions you can do a whole bunch, even though everyone can do them simultaneously.

You said this would be the 2nd game you would use to introduce players to modern board games. What would be the 1st?

Am I the only one who wants something thematically different at this point? Not just moving from a board game to a mostly card-based game, now to a dice game… but how about terraforming someplace else? Venus, maybe? I find that to be a fascinating setting that is seriously discussed as a possibility-and quite different from Mars. I was very disappointed when the Venus expansion came out, and it was a shallow side show.

Which do you think is better for solo play? Dice or Ares?

Given it's lightness, what age group you expect?

goof. 3'40'' "... oxygene level 17%..." is beyond the scale found in the game ;-)

you coined it "next step game"

Hope this is shorter for the game time but still has the complexity.

There are plenty of games over 4.

1:16 But, in my opinion, it is one of the worst “weight” systems ever - because it is just a number - and it doesn’t tell you whether the “heaviness” of a game is due to “complexity” of rules or “depth” of gameplay. The Mogul scale is an improvement on the BGG system, at least.

Kickstarter’s shipping to the US is $15, half the cost of this light game. No thanks.

I am disappointed with the step back on the art. Ares was wonderful and now, back to square one.

not a single comment about the take that? It's the one thing you hated the most about the big TM.