Board Game Review: Race for the Galaxy

REVIEW by Sandra
Race for the Galaxy

The basics of the game
You are the supreme ruler of a planet. Like any good ruler (think Alexander the Great or Senator Palpatine aka the Emperor), you seek to expand your power by conquering more planets.

How to win the game:
Get the most victory points.

Review of the game
Uncle Ho got this game a a gift (Thanks Joseph!). We both heard great reviews about this game and are eager to test it out. This is a 2-4 player game. We got 2 other customers to join in the fun.

I opened up the box, filled with 150 playing cards, 4 reference card (made from stronger material) and an instruction manual. Since none us had played this game before, we refer to the instruction manual, which is not the best written manual out there. We fumbled a little in the beginning but we finally figured out how to play.

On with the game:
We each have a planet card (gives bonuses), 6 action cards and 4 random cards. The 6 action cards are:
Explore: Each player gets to draw a card
Develop: Place a development card (Give bonuses)
Settle: Place a world card
Consume: Discard good on world card for victory points (Objective of the game)
$ Trade: Sell good to draw cards
Produce: Place a good on your world

Each player chooses an action. You reveal the actions at the same time. Only the actions that are chosen will be acted upon. All actions can be performed by everyone, not only by the person who chose it. However, only the person who chose the action will get the bonues that comes with the action.

For example, in our first round, we all chose Explore, except Uncle Ho who chose Settle. So everyone, including Uncle Ho, got to Explore (draw 1 card). We all got bonuses except Uncle Ho. Once that's done, we all got to Settle (place a world card). Only Uncle Ho got the bonus.

In the 2nd round, we got smarter and started guessing what action cards the other players will play so that we will not play the same actions. That's when the fun begins.

The objective of the game is to get as many victory points as possible either through selling goods or through the development cards. You have to plan ahead, explore till you have enough cards, settle and develop, then produce and finally consume/trade the good off for victory points.

It was a quick game, around 1 hour, but definitely could be shorten once you get used to the game mechanics. I like the game. It's fast-paced, not overly complicated and it involves everyone in the game every round.

Should I get it?
This is a game for the non hard-core board gamers. Not to say it that does not appeal to the hard-core gamers, but that it appeals to everyone. Girls, in general, do not like the many rules that comes with some of the board games or miniature games. Race for the Galaxy is simple, but yet not an easy game to beat.

If you want a game to play with casual board gamers (ie. girlfriends, friends who are girls, other friends/family who have never touch a card/board game in their life), this is the game for you.

Where can I get it?
Store:
Come to Two Headed Dragon, your local friendly game store, located at 5017 Yonge St. on the 2nd floor.

Telephone:
Call Two Headed Dragon at 416 221 5004 and order it. We will send the game to you with free shipping (within Ontario).

Expansion:
Interested in getting the expansions to this game? You can also get them from Two Headed Dragon.
Race for the Galaxy: Gathering of Storm
Race for the Galaxy: Rebel vs Imperium

One little recommendation:
I suggest buying card sleeves for the cards to avoid the normal wear-and-tear that comes from playing and shuffling. It's a small investment of 2 packs of penny sleeves, or pay a bit more for the better quality sleeves.