
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,779
- BGG rating
- 6.9
Robo Rally
- 2–6 players
- 20–120 min
- Complexity 2.4/5
- 2016

2006
Rules assistance for The Great Space Race
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 3 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
The Great Space Race is a board game released in 2006 for 3–6 players, 120–180 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Craig Zipse and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Action Queue.
From the publisher: The Great Galactic Emperor has decreed the Great Space Race is on! Can you, as representative of your ill-fated species, pilot your starship to victory? You must, for those who fail to win doom their species to total annihilation. Keep your tentacles to the floor and your eyestalks on the finish line as you navigate your way through minefields, asteroids and wormholes, but just don't forget - stay away from the Space Amoeba! The Great Space Race is a board game for 3-6 players. The game consists of the track, ships, counters and 3 separate decks of cards. Players pilot their spaceship around the hex-based track, dodging all sorts of obstacles (mines, black holes, the other players' ships, etc) in an attempt to be the first to complete 3 laps. Movement is handled by simultaneous selection of movement cards, but unlike in RoboRally these cards are much more varied, combining forward movement, sliding movement, and turning into neat moves such as the Barrel Roll, the Dragons Tail, and the Broken Arrow. An average 3-lap game can last 3 hours, but the number of laps can be varied to adjust the game length. Re-implements The Great Space Drag Race
The Great Space Race supports 3–6 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 The Great Space Race is 120–180 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 The Great Space Race 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.
The Great Space Race has a complexity rating of 2.4 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-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.
The Great Space Race belongs to these categories: Racing and Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Action Queue. 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 The Great Space Race are: Craig Zipse. 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 The Great Space Race 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.