Mars Exploration the Board Game

MARS EXPLORATION the Board Game is a 2-4 player game of exploration and discovery. Following in the footsteps of the rovers, plays can gain different technology, public financial support, in an effort to explore the surface of Mars. During this trek across the red planet in a pursuit to make new geological discoveries, plays may also encounter both environmental and funding challenges. It is through the continued drive to explore Mars, that a player will become successful, and win in this fun and exciting game.

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Object of the Game

Each player moves their rover along the game spaces collecting public funds and technology. The object of the game is to collect one from each of the number of Discovery cards. The first player to have acquired one of each color Discovery card and lands exactly on the center space (Mons Olympus), wins the game. The challenge is that to be able to acquire the respective Investigation cards, you must possess the money to “fund” the action, as well as the technology needed to perform it. Acquiring funding and technology cards is done by moving about the game board. But you do come across challenges, such as loss of possible funds, or problems during your explorations as indicated by the Funding and Exploration cards.

How to get Started

Public Support: One player is chosen to be the Treasurer, then distributes each player 100M (10 bills) in game money.

Choosing a Rover: Using these funds a player must purchase a Rover. Using the roll of a 6 sided die, the player with the highest number chooses first, then it goes clock wise around the board. Choose your Rover wisely. While each rover has its own advantage above others, it also has its draw back. Pick up the respective Rover token.

Setting Up the Board

The game board should be set on a flat surface. Financial support currency should be set aside by the player performing as the Treasurer. The Exploration, Investigation, and Funding cards should be shuffled and set on their corresponding places on the game board. Rover tokens should then be placed on their respective starting locations.

Playing the Game

Moving the Rover: Using a 6 sided dice, players take turns moving about the game spaces landing on spots for public funding, discoveries, exploration, and technology.

You can have as many duplicate technology cards as you like, and may sell them at any price to other places if you choose.

Day and Night Cycle: The game starts with 12 day tokens and 12 night tokens on the token board. Each round, after all players have a turn a Sun token is removed from its part on the board, to indicate the passage of time during day. Each time a player takes a turn during a respective round, they will add one solar token to their Rovers battery, to simulate it regenerating power.

Once all 12 sun tokens are removed, night comes into play. Each round a Moon token is then removed showing the passage of time during the night. Each turn a player makes, they must remove a solar token from their rover batteries simulating draining the battery. You no longer have power to perform any moving if you do not have a solar token left. Some rovers have more solar capability then others, but cost more in funds to initially purchase. So choose your rover wisely.

Once day comes back around, you may resupply your solar tokens each turn.

Winning the Game

Upon acquiring one of each color of Investigation cards, and landing exactly on the center space, that player wins the game.