
- BGG rank
- BGG #10,917
- BGG rating
- 6.4
7 Summits
- 2–5 players
- 30–45 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2021

2018
Rules assistance for Before the Earth Explodes
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

For 2 players
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Before the Earth Explodes is a board game released in 2018 for 2 players, 20 minutes per game, and ages 13 and up. It was designed by Daryl Andrews and Adrian Adamescu and its main mechanics are Race, Income, and Variable Set-up.
Resources are dwindling. Overpopulation is destroying the planet. Time is running out. Elite factions are exploring the cosmos for a new home, new technology, new allies, or the resources needed to repair the plight of their damaged homeworld. With nothing left to lose and on the brink of madness, these warring Earthlings, equipped with deep-space warships with expansive cargo holds, will do whatever it takes to claim the glory for saving humanity...before the Earth explodes! In Before The Earth Explodes, two players face off with the use of simultaneous action selection, clever tactics, and intuition to be the first player to advance to the top of the technology track, colonize seven new planets, destroy the opposing faction, or meet one of the ship victory conditions.
Before the Earth Explodes supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Before the Earth Explodes is 20 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Before the Earth Explodes for ages 13 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Before the Earth Explodes has a complexity rating of 2.1 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Before the Earth Explodes belongs to these categories: Card Game and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Race, Income, and Variable Set-up. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Before the Earth Explodes are: Daryl Andrews and Adrian Adamescu. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Before the Earth Explodes as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.