
- BGG rank
- BGG #18,200
- BGG rating
- 6.3
ERA
- 2–4 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2025

Rules assistance for Nova Cry: Dark Suns
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Nova Cry: Dark Suns is an expansion for Nova Cry released in 2016 for 2–6 players, 60 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Steve Easton and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Auction / Bidding.
Dark Suns, expansion of the sci-fi card game Nova Cry, presents 30 new cards including 2 ships, 2 new captains, 1 new crew member type, new alien crew members, and action cards Nova Cry is an explosive sci-fi adventure for 2-6 players. Loaded with customizable options, each player chooses 1 ship, 1 captain, 3 crew members and 1 personal weapon as they set out into the danger-filled spaces of Gallator Seven. Will you explore creature-infested planets? Race an opponent to an undiscovered planet? Challenge another captain to a duel? Blast your opponent’s ship to smithereens? It’s all up to as you carve out a strategic path to victory in this remarkable world of heroes, villains, and awe-inspiring spaceships. The first player to score 15 victory points or be the last undestroyed ship wins. Players score points by reaching planets, winning duels, and performing actions using their available crew members (skilled in Exploration, Alien Technology, Medicine, Psychology, Repair, and Ship Upgrades). Players also collect Intel points to initiate ship battles and character duels, and will have to choose from 1 of 4 strategies during their turn to plan their victory!
Nova Cry: Dark Suns supports 2–6 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 Nova Cry: Dark Suns is 60 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 Nova Cry: Dark Suns 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.
Nova Cry: Dark Suns belongs to these categories: Card Game, Science Fiction, and Expansion for Base-game. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Hand Management, and Auction / Bidding. 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 Nova Cry: Dark Suns are: Steve Easton. 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 Nova Cry: Dark Suns as an expansion for Nova Cry. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need Nova Cry to use it. Check that your edition of Nova Cry is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.