- BGG rank
- BGG #16,287
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Good Little Martian
2017
Rules assistance for Good Little Martian
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–2 players
- 20–30 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.0/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Good Little Martian
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Good Little Martian is a board game released in 2017 for 1–2 players, 20–30 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Matthew Dunstan and Brett J. Gilbert and its main mechanics are Hand Management and Cooperative Game.
About the game
Good Little Martian is a cooperative survival game for 2 players (although it can also be played solo), aged 12+ that takes about 30 minutes. It is available as a free print-and-play download from the Good Little Games website. The game strands one player on Mars while the other player must take the reins at Mission Control back on Earth. The aim of the game is to keep the Martian player alive while the rescue ship travels from Earth. If the Martian loses all of their Food, Energy or Shelter before the ship lands, the mission is a failure! The game uses 27 cards, plus 5 small tokens and a regular six-sided dice. Each player has a different deck of 12 multi-use cards; the other three cards track the Martian’s crucial resources and the ship’s progress to Mars. The Martian’s resources are dwindling; their equipment unpredictable and malfunctioning. Mission Control can send instructions to help, but must also devote enough effort to keep the rescue ship on course and on time. Solar storms are a constant threat and the clock is ticking! Will the Martian survive?
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- (Web published)
- Good Little Games
Questions and answers
Good Little Martian supports 1–2 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Good Little Martian is 20–30 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 Good Little Martian for ages 12 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.
Good Little Martian has a complexity rating of 2.0 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.
Good Little Martian belongs to these categories: Card Game, Print & Play, and Space Exploration. Its main mechanics are Hand Management and Cooperative Game. 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 Good Little Martian are: Matthew Dunstan and Brett J. Gilbert. 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 Good Little Martian 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.