Mars has recently become a common theme in tabletop games. It’s understandable, the allure of space travel and the closeness of Mars makes it an object of… dare I say… curiosity. Ha! Geddit? Curiosity! Anyway, one of new games that uses the Mars theme to great effect is Terraforming Mars – a strategy game from Stronghold Games and Fryxgames.

In Terraforming Mars, you play as a corporation from the 2400s, tasked with raising the temperature, oxygen level and ocean coverage of Mars to make it habitable. You work together with other players in the terraforming process, but you compete for victory points that are awarded not only for your contribution to the terraforming, but also for advancing human infrastructure throughout the solar system.

Despite only being released last year, Terraforming Mars is already getting its first expansion in June 2017 in the form of TM: Hellas and Elysium. The new expansion comes with a new, double-sided game board representing two new areas of Mars.

Elysium will take the players on a trip to almost the exact opposite side of Mars, where there are vast lowlands for oceans in the north and a dry, mineral-rich south. Hellas, the southern wild, includes Mars’ South Pole and an enormous 7-hex Hellas crater.

Each of these maps consists of completely new sets of Milestones and Awards with relevance for each particular map. Place three tiles in the south to become Polar Explorer, or race to have the most tiles adjacent to water on Elysium. How you play is obviously up to you!

I haven’t had a chance to play Terraforming Mars yet, as I mentioned it’s a pretty new game, but if you’ve played it then let me know. Are you excited to be expanding your terraforming opportunities, or are you happy with the core game for now?

Last Updated: