As one of the most popular board games of all time, Terraforming Mars is something special, and fans can rest assured in knowing that the digital alternative plays well. Furthermore, newcomers to Terraforming Mars can pick up the digital version at a much lower price compared to a physical copy while also avoiding pesky game setups, streamlining the experience.In Terraforming Mars, players take on the role of ‘benevolent’ corporations or government agents seeking to build a presence on the titular planet and make it habitable. This is done by initiating projects to raise the oxygen levels, and the temperature, as well as establish oceans. During the game, players will receive projects in the form of cards and will have to use them strategically.Players must strike a fine balance between initiating these projects and managing their six respective resources: Mega credits, steel, titanium, plants, energy, and heat. They must compete to acquire the most amount of victory points (or Terraform rating) by playing projects, owning real estate, and competing for milestones and awards. Finally, the player with the highest Terraform rating (TR) will be declared the supreme corporation of Mars!
Play To A Corporation's Strengths
Players choose a corporation at the beginning of a game. Every corporation will usually have a particular strength or unique ability that revolves around a particular resource. While some corporations make it easier to acquire resources like steel or titanium, others make it cheaper to build cities or to acquire new cards.
Depending on the advantage, new players should focus on utilizing their corporation’s abilities to get ahead in the game. Some corporations are simpler to use than others, therefore, new players should select a corporation with an ability that can be easily understood.
Don’t Waste Credits
As players receive new cards each round and will need to decide whether to pay credits to keep them, money can go out the window very quickly. Do not waste money on keeping cards that cannot be used for several turns. Remember that it costs money to add cards to a hand and also to play them.
The state of the game will likely change several times throughout the rounds, meaning that a presently appealing card could be rendered useless in about five turns (or generations). Players should keep cards they think they can execute within a few turns and discard ones that are too expensive or that cannot be played in the foreseeable future.
Generate More Income
At the start, it’s important to get a good income going. This can be done by taking on fewer cards in the beginning to save money and by playing projects that help improve a player’s income. It is also important to not change the game plan too often, as doing so can disrupt the flow of income and affect the player’s ability to score well later.
By getting a good economy and credit production rolling, players will find that they can execute more projects as the game goes on.
Milestones!
In Terraforming Mars, points matter and the easiest way to get bonus points are through milestones. Players can claim milestones by paying eight credits and placing their marker over the desired milestones. Each one is worth five points and only a maximum of three of the five milestones can be claimed. It’s possible (but very difficult) to acquire 15 points just like that.
It’s a race to the finish as other parties will be eyeing those milestones. Players should check their corporation's abilities as some companies can lend themselves to a specific milestone such as having the most cities on Mars.
Architect Of Victory
Smart placement of city and green tiles can also score players a lot of points. Each greenery tile is worth a single point, whilst each city tile scores one point for every greenery tile adjacent to it regardless of the owner. Layouts should always be taken into consideration but if executed properly, this pathway is a solid strategy for acquiring more points.
However, as cities and greenery tiles aren’t cheap, this relies on the player’s ability to improve their economy and management of resources. It should also be mentioned that building next to ocean tiles provides additional credits.
Don’t Ignore Standard Projects
Players have the option to carry out standard projects that are available to everyone on their turns. Although these actions tend to be more expensive compared to project cards, they can offer greater flexibility when trying to create tiles on the map to increase the income and score (TR) rating.
By doing this, players can trigger played project cards to get their bonuses or to help them get closer to achieving a specific milestone. Players who have too many cards can sell their patents to gain more credits. This is also a great option to consider when someone finds that they can’t do much on their turn.
Pay Attention To Turn Order
It’s important during a game to pay attention to who will be the next starting player. If players go first in the next round (or generation), there are ways to do more than four consecutive actions.
These ‘double actions’ are a fantastic way to claim milestones and the terraforming bonuses that appear on the oxygen and temperature tracks. This tactic is extremely beneficial in 2-player games where a successful execution can put one party ahead of the competition. Likewise, players who are aware of opponents going first can anticipate their actions and attempt to counter these double plays.
Terraforming Mars is available on PC.