- BGG rank
- BGG #1,693
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Merchant of Venus
- 1–6 players
- 180 min
- Complexity 2.8/5
- 1988
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,379
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Merchant of Venus (Second Edition)
2012
Rules assistance for Merchant of Venus (Second Edition)
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1–4 players
- 120–240 min
- 14+
- Complexity 3.0/5
For 1 player
Rules assistant for Merchant of Venus (Second Edition)
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Merchant of Venus (Second Edition) is a board game released in 2012 for 1–4 players, 120–240 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Robert A. Kouba and Richard Hamblen and its main mechanics are Roll / Spin and Move, Dice Rolling, and Point to Point Movement.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,934
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Magic Realm
- 1–16 players
- 60–240 min
- Complexity 4.6/5
- 1979
- BGG rank
- BGG #199
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Xia: Legends of a Drift System
- 3–5 players
- 60–180 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2014
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,288
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Empires of the Void II
- 2–5 players
- 90–180 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 2018
- BGG rank
- BGG #5,035
- BGG rating
- 6.2
504
- 2–4 players
- 30–120 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,120
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Akrotiri
- 2 players
- 45 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 2014
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,109
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Onward to Venus
- 2–5 players
- 90–120 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 2014
- BGG rank
- BGG #2,218
- BGG rating
- 7.3
High Frontier
- 2–5 players
- 180 min
- Complexity 4.4/5
- 2010
- BGG rank
- BGG #192
- BGG rating
- 7.8
Star Wars: Outer Rim
- 1–4 players
- 120–180 min
- Complexity 2.6/5
- 2019
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,238
- BGG rating
- 7.2
Gunslinger
- 2–7 players
- 90 min
- Complexity 3.3/5
- 1982
- BGG rank
- BGG #702
- BGG rating
- 8.3
High Frontier 4 All
- 1–5 players
- 30–240 min
- Complexity 4.8/5
- 2020
- BGG rank
- BGG #673
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Runebound (Third Edition)
- 2–4 players
- 120–180 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 2015
About the game
Merchant of Venus uses many elements that come together to form a very interesting game. Players take on the roles of space traders who move their ships through interconnected systems discovering new alien worlds to trade with. As players start to make money delivering commodities in a unique supply-and-demand system, their earnings can be used to purchase better ships and equipment (shields, lasers, engines, etc...) and construct their own spaceports (which speed up trading) and factories (which create better commodities). Variations included in the rulebook allow for interplayer combat. The player who first acquires enough total value ($1000, $2000, $3000, $4000) in cash and port/factory deeds takes the day. For the 2012 edition of Merchant of Venus from Fantasy Flight Games, the company promises that this revision "remains true to its magnificently campy core while updating the map and game components and expanding game play in surprising ways that will cause even the most hardcore fan to celebrate." That said, the player count has been lowered from six (in the Avalon Hill edition) to four, with the four races in the game being Human, Whynom, Qossuth, and Eeepeeep.
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Arclight Games
- Fantasy Flight Games
- Heidelberger Spieleverlag
- Asterion Press
Questions and answers
Merchant of Venus (Second Edition) 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 Merchant of Venus (Second Edition) is 120–240 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 Merchant of Venus (Second Edition) 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.
Merchant of Venus (Second Edition) has a complexity rating of 3.0 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.
Merchant of Venus (Second Edition) belongs to these categories: Economic, Exploration, and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Roll / Spin and Move, Dice Rolling, and Point to Point Movement. 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 Merchant of Venus (Second Edition) are: Robert A. Kouba and Richard Hamblen. 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 Merchant of Venus (Second Edition) 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.