- BGG rating
- 7.2
ORBIT: Nebular Expansion
- 2–4 players
- 30–60 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2025
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,068
- BGG rating
- 7.4
ORBIT
2025
Rules assistance for ORBIT
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 30–60 min
- 10+
- Complexity 1.9/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for ORBIT
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
ORBIT is a board game released in 2025 for 2–4 players, 30–60 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Reiner Knizia and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Race, and Point to Point Movement.
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About the game
Come one, come all to the Silo System, the beating heart of our galaxy, for the race of the decade! We've recruited the best tourists in all the cosmos: travel-hardened explorers who will compete in the ultimate contest. These pilots must race to visit all the planets in the Silo System, surfing upon orbital paths, teleporting between hyper jump portals, and beaming through hyperspace. Enjoy your dream vacation on one of our luxurious planets or lavish space stations as you witness the ultimate interstellar marathon. All the eyes of the galaxy will be watching this decennial event celebrating the unification of our systems under Silo Supremacy. ORBIT (Orbital Race Between Interstellar Tourists) is a 24th century tactical space race with simple turns, yet challenging possibilities. Players compete to visit all planets of the system, then return to their starting planet first. On your turn, you play a card, activate its actions in any order, then draw back up to your hand size. Cards allow you to do a combination of things: move your ship, collect energy for bonus movement, advance planets along their orbit, or even reverse the orbital direction of a planet. Players can enjoy a randomized set-up across two unique game boards. The game also includes a few variants: two-player dual ship mode, four-player partnership mode, and a stationary planet. —description from the publisher
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Bitewing Games
Questions and answers
ORBIT supports 2–4 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 ORBIT is 30–60 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 ORBIT for ages 10 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.
ORBIT has a complexity rating of 1.9 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.
ORBIT belongs to these categories: Racing and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Race, 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 ORBIT are: Reiner Knizia. 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 ORBIT 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.