
- BGG rank
- BGG #194
- BGG rating
- 7.6
Terraforming Mars: Ares Expedition
- 1–4 players
- 45–60 min
- Complexity 2.9/5
- 2021

2025
Rules assistance for ULTRAMASSIVE
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
ULTRAMASSIVE is a board game released in 2025 for 1–4 players, 60–120 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Alex Greenberg and Jacob Phillips and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Tech Trees / Tech Tracks.
Far beyond the Milky Way Galaxy, in the uncharted depths of space, a black hole looms just outside a vibrant galactic cluster. This black hole is enormous, by all standards of the universe, and entirely ungovernable. But its daunting size and power is not unmatched. Other black holes tear through the expanse, fulfilling their one purpose: consume. Like this looming mass, their consumption leads to growth, and growth leads to power. As they expand, they will inevitably confront one another and adopt strategies for overtaking their unruly adversaries. Ultimately, one black hole will emerge as the most powerful, and more importantly, largest: the "king" of the universe. Or, as the infinitesimally small creatures on Earth call it, ULTRAMASSIVE. In ULTRAMASSIVE, you play as one of these black holes. Your goal is to become the largest class of black hole known to man: Ultramassive. To do so, you must consume a myriad of other celestial bodies, each with a certain amount of Solar Mass (victory points), which is added to your point total. Absorbing enough Solar Mass causes your black hole to expand, changing the landscape of your board and accelerating your growth. Like the black holes in our universe, yours is unique. Amass and exchange your resources for Anomalies which augment how your black hole acquires and consumes matter. Each Anomaly improves your abilities in different ways depending on your chosen trajectory to victory. Bolster your strategy with potent Anomaly combinations to counteract and out-pace your opponents. Modeled after skill-trees common in digital RPGs, the Anomalies provide a multitude of approaches to engine building, especially for those drawn to experimentation. Adding to the tools at your disposal, each black hole is equipped with several wormholes which act as bridges across the vast orbit of your black hole. Wield your wormholes with tact to maximize every opportunity. Opportunist or long-term plotter, speed orbiter or matter behemoth; decide how you will out-consume your opponents to ultimately become the largest entity in existence and claim your title as ULTRAMASSIVE. —description from the designer
ULTRAMASSIVE 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 ULTRAMASSIVE is 60–120 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 ULTRAMASSIVE 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.
ULTRAMASSIVE has a complexity rating of 2.2 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.
ULTRAMASSIVE belongs to these categories: Science Fiction. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Simultaneous Action Selection, and Tech Trees / Tech Tracks. 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 ULTRAMASSIVE are: Alex Greenberg and Jacob Phillips. 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 ULTRAMASSIVE 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.