Best space exploration board games
The best space exploration board games are Terraforming Mars, Race for the Galaxy and Gaia Project — the top-rated of 136 space exploration board games in the MeeplePick database, led by Terraforming Mars (2016) at 8.4/10 on BoardGameGeek.
🎲 Narrow space exploration games by players, time & complexityOpen finder →/pic3536616.jpg)
EconomicTerraforming Mars (2016)1–5 players · 120 min · ★ 8.4
Complexity
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Card GameRace for the Galaxy (2007)2–4 players · 30–60 min · ★ 7.8
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EconomicGaia Project (2017)1–4 players · 60–150 min · ★ 8.5
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BluffingBattlestar Galactica The Board Game (2008)3–6 players · 120–180 min · ★ 7.7
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Card GameThe Crew The Quest for Planet Nine (2019)2–5 players · 20 min · ★ 8.0
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CivilizationRoll for the Galaxy (2014)2–5 players · 45 min · ★ 7.7
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BluffingCosmic Encounter (2008)3–5 players · 60–120 min · ★ 7.5
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CivilizationTwilight Imperium Third Edition (2005)3–6 players · 180–240 min · ★ 7.8
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Real-timeGalaxy Trucker (2007)2–4 players · 60 min · ★ 7.4
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City BuildingOn Mars (2020)1–4 players · 90–150 min · ★ 8.3
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CivilizationEclipse Second Dawn for the Galaxy (2020)2–6 players · 60–200 min · ★ 8.8
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DiceTiny Epic Galaxies (2015)1–5 players · 30–45 min · ★ 7.4
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ElectronicSpace Alert (2008)1–5 players · 30 min · ★ 7.4
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AdventureXia Legends of a Drift System (2014)3–5 players · 60–180 min · ★ 7.9
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DiceSpace Base (2018)2–5 players · 60 min · ★ 7.6
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AdventureFirefly The Game (2013)1–4 players · 120–240 min · ★ 7.4
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DicePulsar 2849 (2017)2–4 players · 60–90 min · ★ 7.7
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AdventureStar Wars Outer Rim (2019)1–4 players · 120–180 min · ★ 7.7
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CivilizationStarCraft The Board Game (2007)2–6 players · 180–240 min · ★ 7.3
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Card GameEminent Domain (2011)2–4 players · 45 min · ★ 7.0
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DiceQuantum (2013)2–4 players · 60 min · ★ 7.3
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Science FictionBeyond the Sun (2020)2–4 players · 60–120 min · ★ 8.0
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BluffingSpace Empires 4X (2011)1–4 players · 180 min · ★ 7.7
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MathLeaving Earth (2015)1–5 players · 60–180 min · ★ 7.8
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FightingStar Trek Fleet Captains (2011)2–4 players · 90–120 min · ★ 7.5
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Card GameCore Worlds (2011)2–5 players · 60–120 min · ★ 7.2
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Science FictionNew Frontiers (2018)2–5 players · 45–75 min · ★ 7.6
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EconomicMerchant of Venus (Second Edition) (2012)1–4 players · 120–240 min · ★ 7.2
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Movies / TV / Radio themeStar Trek Frontiers (2016)1–4 players · 60–240 min · ★ 7.9
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ExplorationThe Starfarers of Catan (1999)3–4 players · 120 min · ★ 6.8
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EconomicSpaceCorp 2025-2300AD (2018)1–4 players · 60–240 min · ★ 7.7
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Science FictionMission Red Planet (2005)3–5 players · 60 min · ★ 6.9
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Card GameStarship Catan (2001)2 players · 60 min · ★ 6.8
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CivilizationEmpires of the Void II (2018)2–5 players · 90–180 min · ★ 7.5
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Card GameJump Drive (2017)2–4 players · 10–30 min · ★ 7.0
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DiceCircadians First Light (2019)1–4 players · 60–90 min · ★ 7.7
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EconomicMerchant of Venus (1988)1–6 players · 180 min · ★ 7.1
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CivilizationHigh Frontier 4 All (2020)1–5 players · 30–240 min · ★ 8.7
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CivilizationAd Astra (2009)3–5 players · 60 min · ★ 6.9
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Action / DexterityAscending Empires (2011)2–4 players · 75 min · ★ 7.2
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AdventureRelic (2013)2–4 players · 180 min · ★ 6.8
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DiceSpace Cadets Dice Duel (2013)4–8 players · 30 min · ★ 6.8
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EconomicHigh Frontier (2010)2–5 players · 180 min · ★ 7.4
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CivilizationHigh Frontier (Third Edition) (2017)1–5 players · 120–240 min · ★ 8.3
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Action / DexteritySpace Cadets (2012)3–6 players · 60–120 min · ★ 6.6
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DiceThe Artemis Project (2019)1–5 players · 60–75 min · ★ 7.3
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CivilizationExodus Proxima Centauri (2012)2–6 players · 180 min · ★ 7.2
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AdventureFirst Martians Adventures on the Red Planet (2017)1–4 players · 60–90 min · ★ 6.5
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Movies / TV / Radio themeThe Expanse Board Game (2017)2–4 players · 60 min · ★ 7.2
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BluffingImpulse (2013)2–6 players · 30–60 min · ★ 6.8
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Card GameAlien Artifacts (2017)2–5 players · 60 min · ★ 6.7
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EconomicKepler-3042 (2016)1–4 players · 60–120 min · ★ 7.4
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Card GameMaster of Orion The Board Game (2016)2–4 players · 40–60 min · ★ 7.0
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ExplorationCatan Starfarers (2019)3–4 players · 120 min · ★ 7.7
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AnimalsWild Space (2020)1–5 players · 15–40 min · ★ 7.5
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Comic Book / StripOnward to Venus (2014)2–5 players · 90–120 min · ★ 6.9
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AdventureSpace Cadets Away Missions (2015)1–6 players · 60–120 min · ★ 7.4
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Science FictionPlanetarium (2017)1–4 players · 45 min · ★ 7.0
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Card GameSpace Explorers (2017)2–4 players · 20–40 min · ★ 7.1
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AdventureX-ODUS Rise of the Corruption (2020)1–4 players · 90–150 min · ★ 8.1
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Frequently asked
- What is the best space exploration board game?
- Terraforming Mars (2016) is the highest-rated space exploration board game on BoardGameGeek, at 8.4/10 from 68,412 ratings. Race for the Galaxy and Gaia Project round out the top three.
- How many space exploration board games are there?
- MeeplePick lists 136 space exploration board games, ranked here by BoardGameGeek community rating.