- BGG rank
- BGG #3,294
- BGG rating
- 7.5
How to Save a World
2025
Rules assistance for How to Save a World
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–4 players
- 60–90 min
- 14+
- Complexity 3.1/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for How to Save a World
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
How to Save a World is a board game released in 2025 for 1–4 players, 60–90 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Yuval Grinspun and its main mechanics are Solo / Solitaire Game, Deck, Bag, and Pool Building, and Worker Placement.
About the game
As one of the leading scientific researchers in the galaxy, you're in high demand. You've spent the last two years on Alarria, a small terrestrial planet several light-years from Earth. You've been studying the diverse indigenous fauna, and your field research has already yielded some incredible results. However, your days as a simple scientific researcher are about to end. An asteroid roughly the size of a small country has been picked up on radar hurtling towards Alarria — a planet killer. Your research work has been put on hold as the greatest minds on the planet have been recruited to develop plans. Time is running out as each second brings the asteroid closer to Alarria. Where will you focus your efforts? Which plan has the best chance to succeed? There's no time to waste. If something isn't done soon, the planet itself might cease to exist. Three distinct plans have been set into motion, each with a razor thin chance of succeeding: A powerful laser is tracking the asteroid's approach and will fire as soon as it comes within range in hopes of reducing it to a mere pebble. An energy shield might be just enough to deflect the approaching asteroid, altering its course and saving Alarria. In a final desperate attempt to preserve some of the unique species of the planet, an evacuation plan has been ordered. The nearby forest moon, Fortuna, has been tested and can support life, and thankfully it's out of the blast zone. You just need to move as many of the species as possible before impact. How to Save a World is a worker-placement game with hand-building and resource management. Each turn, you assign workers to perform critical tasks or spend action cards to help advance your goals. At the end of each round, the projects will be assessed and the asteroid will move ever closer. Can you make the right decisions to avert disaster in this competitive science-fiction game? —description from publisher
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- Lucrum Games
- Frosted Games
- Burnt Island Games
- Night Ferry Studio
Questions and answers
How to Save a World supports 1–4 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 How to Save a World is 60–90 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 How to Save a World for ages 14 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.
How to Save a World has a complexity rating of 3.1 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-weight 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.
How to Save a World belongs to these categories: Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Solo / Solitaire Game, Deck, Bag, and Pool Building, and Worker Placement. 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 How to Save a World are: Yuval Grinspun. 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 How to Save a World 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.