Empty Space Explorers
‘A game of adventurers’
In a galaxy far away lives Peter Collins with his family. He has 2 daughters. One of them is an experienced space explorer, and the other is called Daisianne. They love the Seafarers expansion of Catan, especially the discovery of ocean tiles. This is how they came up with the idea to explore the hidden universe and creat the game Empty Space Explorers!
The game was developed in Hertfordshire, near Hitchin in England. The game is created for bonding with the whole family in a fun way.
p.s. Peter has said that his 2 daughters will keep any profits they make (another reason to buy the game)!
The atmosphere & design
‘Red Commander, we are one hop away from the red Exoplanet, but our systems cannot tell us exactly what is ahead. Mission Control, confirms that we need to land now if we want to be the first to set foot on a planet outside our solar system.’
This text on the backside of the packaging gives you the feeling that you’re a commander of a spaceship and ready to explore the galaxy!
The packaging is made out of thin cardboard, has a basic design but includes all info you need to know about the game. I never knew that one tiny box could contain 4 rocket ships, 4 probes, and- … a galaxy!
Moons, planets, nebulas, and even galaxies are shown on the cards. Names I’ve never heard before, and until today I cannot pronounce. Try saying Cassiopeia A or Large Megallenic Cloud, 3 times in quick succession.
*all pictures are copyrighted by NASA.
Every card has a frame on it- that corresponds with the probe and rocket ship of one of the following colors:
- Red
- Blue
- Green
- Yellow
These, you will need later in the game to explore new planets!
The probes and rocket ships look great, and who doesn’t like to fly his ship and say: ‘to infinity and beyond.’
Altogether the design is simple, easy and the pictures look great!
3, 2, 1, liftoff!
‘The aim of the game is to travel the universe with your spacecraft to find a habitable Exoplanet and colonize it. To do this, pick up cards to firstly build your space probe. Your space probe will unveil the universe and you can explore it to discover an Exoplanet. Finally, send a rocket to colonize your Exoplanet to win the game’.
Sounds easy, right? Don’t forget you need to zig-zag around black holes- and other space explorers. Moreover, the universe could change along the way!
When you play Empty Space Explorers for the first time, I recommend playing with the set-up shown in the rules. There are hundreds of different ways to set-up the game. If you like a challenge, visit their site, or create your own universe to explore!
The rules are easy to understand and can be learned in 5 minutes.
But if you’re from another planet and can’t (or don’t want to) read the rules, they have an instruction- and TableTop simulation video on their website.
Every turn, each player has two options:
Research
When researching you may:
- Buy a space probe (or rocket ship later on);
- Take a sneak peek in the universe;
- Change the universe;
- Play black holes (my favorite);
Researching is a tactical move and requires you to think ahead. On your next turn, do you want to go full speed ahead, save for a rocket ship or block other players with a black hole?
Travel
When traveling, you need to discover the wonders of the universe and then fly through them with your rocket ship. Be aware of black holes, these destroy anything that lands on them. If this happens, you need to buy a new probe or rocket ship!
If you’re lucky, you could draw a ‘wild card’. These cards have all 4 colors, and you decide which color you want to use as you play it.
How Ferry Nice is this game?
‘One small step for my probe, one big leap for mankind’ is what I thought when I explored my first Exoplanet. We’ve crossed the galaxy, got destroyed by a black hole, and flew through new nebulas to get there. But in the end, it was worth it!
Empty Space Explorers is a family-friendly game, which will be played numerous times, but every time will be different!
As you progress through the game, you will need to think ahead, have memory skills, and don’t forget to enjoy the universe along the way.
Players: 2-4
Playing time: 25/45 minutes
Complexity rating: 3/5
Fun factor: 3,5/5
Overall score: 4/5
If you’d like to know more about Empty Space Explorers, fly to their website, Instagram or Facebook.
Do you want me to stop on your planet and test or review your game? Contact me at ferry@ferrynicegames.nl