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Race For The Galaxy

by Rio Grande Games
4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (76 customer reviews)

List Price: $34.99
Price: $25.76 & FREE Shipping. Details
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  • For 2-4 players
  • Takes about 60 minutes to play
  • Popular Eurogame
  • Check out all the great expansions to Race for the Galaxy
  • Score the most points and win

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Frequently Bought Together

Race For The Galaxy + Race For The Galaxy: Gathering Storm + Race For The Galaxy: Rebel Vs. Imperium
Price for all three: $61.04

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WARNING:
CHOKING HAZARD -- Small parts. Not for children under 3 yrs.

Product Details

  • Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 7.5 x 2.8 inches ; 1.4 pounds
  • Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
  • Origin: Germany
  • ASIN: B000YLAOEW
  • Item model number: RGG301
  • Our recommended age: 12 years and up
  • Manufacturer recommended age: 13 - 17 years
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,706 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (76 customer reviews)
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Product Description

From the Manufacturer

In Race for the Galaxy from Rio Grande Games, players build galactic civilizations using game cards that represent worlds or technical and social developments. Each round consists of one or more of five possible phases. In each round, each player secretly and simultaneously chooses one of seven different action cards and then reveals it. Only the selected phases occur. For these phases, every player performs the phaseâ€s action, while the selecting player(s) also get a bonus for that phase. For example, if at least one player chooses the Develop action, then the Develop phase will occur, otherwise it is skipped. In it, each player may simultaneously select a development from his hand of cards to build. After revealing the cards, each player adds his development to his tableau of cards on the table and then discards cards from his hand equal to its cost. Each player who chose Develop discards one card fewer as his bonus. Explore allows a player to draw cards and select which of them to add to his hand. Settle allows a player to place a world in his tableau. Some worlds produce goods, represented by face down cards, when Produce is selected. These goods can be discarded for victory points or sold to add cards to the playerâ€s hand by selecting Consume. With cards, players can settle new worlds and build more developments, gaining both victory points and card powers that provide advantages in certain phases. The player who best manages his cards, phase and bonus selections, and card powers to build the greatest space empire, wins. The winner is the player with the most victory points.

Product Description

In Race for the Galaxy from Rio Grande Games, players build galactic civilizations using game cards that represent worlds or technical and social developments. Each round consists of one or more of five possible phases. In each round, each player secretly and simultaneously chooses one of seven different action cards and then reveals it. Only the selected phases occur. For these phases, every player performs the phases action, while the selecting player(s) also get a bonus for that phase. For example, if at least one player chooses the Develop action, then the Develop phase will occur; otherwise it is skipped. In it, each player may simultaneously select a development from his hand of cards to build. After revealing the cards, each player adds his development to his tableau of cards on the table and then discards cards from his hand equal to its cost. Each player who chose Develop discards one card fewer as his bonus. Explore allows a player to draw cards and select which of them to add to his hand. Settle allows a player to place a world in his tableau. Some worlds produce goods, represented by face down cards, when Produce is selected. These goods can be discarded for victory points or sold to add cards to the players hand by selecting Consume. With cards, players can settle new worlds and build more developments, gaining both victory points and card powers that provide advantages in certain phases. The player who best manages his cards, phase and bonus selections, and card powers to build the greatest space empire, wins. The winner is the player with the most victory points.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews
50 of 52 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A spectacular game December 22, 2007
Format:Toy
Durability: 4.0 out of 5 stars    Educational: 2.0 out of 5 stars    Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   
The sensation of the 2007 Essen convention, this is a card game for two to five players with tremendous replayability. If you're familiar with San Juan, the game is similar: you have a deck of cards that can either be played on a tableau or used as currency. Each card has a cost (that can be modified by existing cards on the tableau) and grants certain powers and scores. The idea is to play cards that build your powers that can then be translated into victory points. But, unlike San Juan, every player has a different starting point; there is an additional level of complexity and strategy from the variety of cards available. Like San Juan, there are many different ways to win. The space theme is nicely done, and expansions are expected. Scales nicely: it's as fun with two players as with four, though strategies are slightly different.

I think the symbols on the cards are intuitive, but I've seen inexperienced gamers complain about the number of symbols. The symbols are color-coded and would be unreadable to the color-blind.

Less than a few months after its release, RftG's rating already in the top forty all time on the Board Game Geek website, which is unheard of.
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45 of 48 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars STELLAR GAME IN STYLE OF SAN JUAN February 15, 2008
Format:Toy
Durability: 4.0 out of 5 stars    Educational: 2.0 out of 5 stars    Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   
RACE FOR THE GALAXY is a card game of resource management that bears strong similarities to SAN JUAN (it was in fact the rival development to translate PUERTO RICO into a card game). There are roles that each player takes, cards representing assets that are paid for by discarding from the hand, and the game is over when one player has 12 assets, or when all victory points are assigned. RACE FOR THE GALAXY has some advanced features that make it more fun to play, and the artwork for the science fiction theme is fantastic.

One major departure from the "PUERTO RICO"/"SAN JUAN" mechanics is that all players choose roles simultaneously. Each player has a hand of role cards for "explorer" (to draw cards), "developer" (playing new technology), "settler" (playing new worlds), "consumer" (equivalent to trader or captain), and "producer" (same as always). The explore phase has two versions, one giving a deeper draw and one keeping more cards. The consume phase has an alternate version, the trader, which allows only the trader to draw cards for a good while everyone else can only consume (equivalent to shipping).

All players choose roles simultaneously and then show their role. If more than one player chooses the same role, each "chooser" gets the benefit but there is only one phase for that role. Another interesting complication is that worlds and developments may have symbols for each phase which affect the player's actions. There may be, for instance, an additional card draw during the phase, or a cost break on certain kinds of cards. These effects stack, so the total effect can be quite powerful.

Settling worlds also has a lot of complexities.
... Read more ›
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24 of 25 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Playing the Race Cards September 12, 2008
By J. Rich
Format:Toy
Durability: 4.0 out of 5 stars    Educational: 3.0 out of 5 stars    Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   
This game is incredibly fun. I've played Puerto Rico, San Juan, and many other similar games, and this is by far my favorite.
Here's why:
- Super fun (and in some ways more interesting) with just 2 players. There aren't many great 2-player strategy games out there, especially ones that scale nicely to 3 or 4.
- Excellent replayability. Many different strategies and combinations.
- Once you get the hang of it (the learning curve can be steep for some you can play a game in 30 minutes.
- You do have indirect interactions with other players (anticipating what actions they will select, and which ones will help them most), but you don't attack them.

One last comment. If you plan to play this game lots, I'd recommend card sleeves --- the cards are pretty durable, but any card is going to start showing wear and tear after many repeated shuffles.

Enjoy!
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29 of 33 people found the following review helpful
Format:Toy
Durability: 3.0 out of 5 stars    Educational: 3.0 out of 5 stars    Fun: 3.0 out of 5 stars   
Race for the Galaxy is Rio Grande's card game where players eke out a space civilization by exploring, conquering, settling and developing technologies.

Players simultaneously select a role card. The roles are respectively: Explore, Develop, Settle, Consume and Produce. The role cards are revealed and resolved in role card order. If you play a role card, you get the bonus for playing it. If you didn't play a role card (i.e. your opponent played it), you get to use the role's general effect. For example: if you play "Explore", you draw 3 cards and may keep 2; otherwise you draw 2 cards and may keep 1.

Players play planet cards during the Settle phase and technologies during the Develop phase. Once a player has played 12 cards (called a tableux) the game will end. Players score points for their planets, developments and for consuming goods. The player with the highest score wins.

With experienced players, this game can play quickly (around 30 minutes or less). However, the iconography of the cards is counterintuitve and thus the learning curve is surprisingly steep. This is a minor consideration if you are a hardcore gamer. But it should be noted: Race for the Galaxy makes a poor gateway game for your non-gaming friends and family.

My biggest gripe with Race for the Galaxy is that there is virtually no player interaction. There is no conflict. No auctions, no bidding mechanics, no way to screw over your opponents who have a lead. This is effectively a four player solitaire game with interstellar chrome.

Race for the Galaxy hits our gaming table with some regularity. It's a quick game and thus is a decent filler. But if you want an interstellar game with player interaction you will need to look elsewhere.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome game!
This game is pretty awesome. I tend to play it with co-workers at lunch (a quick game for 4-6 people lasts around 35-40 minutes if everyone knows what they are doing), and it's... Read more
Published 10 days ago by Leotabear
5.0 out of 5 stars i love it most people dont want to play it
I love playing this game but getting anyone to play it with me is impossible I need to find new friends I guess
Published 22 days ago by Bret Ay
4.0 out of 5 stars A great quick game
This is a great strategy card game. It's quick to learn and quick to play. We finish a game in under 30 minutes. It plays OK with two players but would play better with 3 or more.
Published 28 days ago by rayleigh
5.0 out of 5 stars Intense strategy!
Be aware, this game has a pretty steep learning curve. Once you get used to it, though, this is a great example of Rio Grande's strategy games and easily stands as a peer with... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Sphynx
3.0 out of 5 stars So much to do... is that a good thing?
In short, here's my review.

The game quality, the game is originality is a 5/5. I think it deserves all the hype/reputation it has garnered. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Eddie
3.0 out of 5 stars Race to Play 7 Wonders Instead
Out of the seven new board/card games that I've played recently this is the one that I'd be the least likely to play again soon or especially to attempt to teach someone else. Read more
Published 2 months ago by AJ
4.0 out of 5 stars Fun game but...
This is a great game. I loved it when I played it the first time and immediately went to buy it. Unfortunately, I did not realize how hard it would be to get others to like it. Read more
Published 2 months ago by sadpony
5.0 out of 5 stars In my top 5 games
I have a decent size game collection (probably around 20-25 games now) and this one is easily in the top 5, maybe even #1. The mechanics of this game work great. Read more
Published 3 months ago by JJNix
5.0 out of 5 stars Initially a steep learning curve, but worth learning ~
I feel that the fact that this game is less popular than, say, Dominion is that there is a much tougher learning curve to get started. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Christopher Barrett
4.0 out of 5 stars Great Game; Poorly written rulebook
I really enjoy this game. It's most fun with three or four players, but the two player version is also fun. My wife and I play it regularly. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Matthew J. Carroll
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