- BGG rank
- BGG #2,647
- BGG rating
- 6.5
Space Cadets
- 3–6 players
- 60–120 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 2012
- BGG rank
- BGG #10,043
- BGG rating
- 6.6
Mars Operation
2020
Rules assistance for Mars Operation
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–6 players
- 10–15 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.0/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Mars Operation
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Mars Operation is a board game released in 2020 for 1–6 players, 10–15 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by An-Ping Liu and its main mechanics are Pattern Building.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,739
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Cosmic Factory
- 2–6 players
- 20–30 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,708
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Point Galaxy
- 1–5 players
- 15–30 min
- Complexity 1.9/5
- 2025
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,881
- BGG rating
- 6.1
Swish
- 2–6 players
- 10 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 2011
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,637
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Grow Sky
- 1–4 players
- 45–90 min
- Complexity 2.5/5
- 2024
- BGG rank
- BGG #325
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Galaxy Trucker
- 2–4 players
- 60 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2007
- BGG rank
- BGG #168
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Planet Unknown
- 1–6 players
- 60–80 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2022
- BGG rank
- BGG #649
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Bullet♥︎
- 1–4 players
- 10–20 min
- Complexity 2.2/5
- 2021
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,054
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Fit to Print
- 1–6 players
- 15–30 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2023
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,553
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Bullet★
- 1–4 players
- 15 min
- Complexity 2.1/5
- 2022
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,590
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Ubongo
- 1–4 players
- 25 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 2003
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,004
- BGG rating
- 6.8
Factory Fun
- 2–5 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.5/5
- 2006
About the game
The great moment of terraforming Mars has arrived, and the spaceship must be equipped with all the necessary resources to complete the mission: CREW, WATER, FOOD, ENERGY and OXYGEN. The space of the spaceship is limited, and each mission is calculated to the millimeter. Will you be the fastest engineer organizing all the necessary resources? Mars, here we go! The round begins by rolling the 5 colored dice and placing them on the corresponding resource card. The numbers on the dice indicate the number of items required for each resource. You must equip the ship with the right amount of elements, no more and no less. Players must turn, flip and cover their 6 cards until they get the exact combination of elements that mark the dice. The first to do so, wins a Mars token (10 points). The rest of the players earn a star (5 points) if they fulfilled at least the requirement of 3 dice. The player with the most points after 4 missions to Mars wins. -description from publisher Ha llegado el gran momento de terraformar Marte y hay que equipar la nave con todos los recursos necesarios para cumplir la misión: TRIPULACIÓN, AGUA, COMIDA, ENERGÍA y OXÍGENO. El espacio de la nave es limitado y cada misión está calculada al milímetro. ¿Serás el ingeniero más rápido organizando todos los recursos? Marte, ¡allá vamos! La ronda comienza lanzando los 5 dados de colores y colocándolos sobre la carta del recurso correspondiente. Los números de los dados indican la cantidad de elementos necesarios de cada recurso. Hay que equipar la nave con los elementos justos, ni más ni menos. Los jugadores deben girar, voltear y cubrir sus 6 cartas hasta conseguir la combinación exacta de elementos que marcan los dados. El primero en conseguirlo, gana una ficha de Marte (10 puntos). El resto de jugadores gana una estrella (5 puntos) si cumplieron al menos con el requerimiento de 3 dados. Gana el jugador que obtiene más puntos tras 4 misiones a Marte.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- FoxMind
- Brain Picnic
- Zacatrus
Questions and answers
Mars Operation supports 1–6 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 Mars Operation is 10–15 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 Mars Operation for ages 8 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.
Mars Operation has a complexity rating of 1.0 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a 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.
Mars Operation belongs to these categories: Card Game, Dice, and Puzzle. Its main mechanics are Pattern Building. 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 Mars Operation are: An-Ping Liu. 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 Mars Operation 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.