# Planet Unknown ## General Info - **Year Published**: 2022 - **BGG Rating**: 7.8 - **BGG Rank**: #167 - **Players**: 1-6 (Best with: 4) - **Duration**: 60-80 min - **Weight**: 2.25 / 5 - **Designers**: Adam Rehberg, Ryan Lambert - **Artists**: Yoma - **Publishers**: Adam's Apple Games, LLC, Boardgame Mall, CrowD Games, Engames, Fox in the Box, Geekach LLC - **Categories**: City Building, Industry / Manufacturing, Puzzle, Science Fiction, Space Exploration, Territory Building - **Mechanics**: End Game Bonuses, Events, Grid Coverage, Grid Movement, Hidden Victory Points, Map Addition ## Verdict If you love a good spatial puzzle with polyomino tiles and simultaneous play, Planet Unknown is your next stop! Perfect for those seeking a strategic challenge with a touch of space race.Engaging spatial puzzleClever simultaneous playReimagined polyomino mechanicHigh replayabilityHigh-quality componentsMight have some language dependenceIndirect interactionInitial rules can be dauntingHIGHLY RECOMMENDED ## Description In a not-so-distant future, Earth's resources are depleted, and humanity must find a new home. The good news is that our space rovers have found some promising planets for colonization! In Planet Unknown, 1 to 6 players compete to develop the most habitable planet, transforming a barren space rock into an intergalactic paradise. Each round, you'll grab a polyomino-shaped tile, representing a development module with two infrastructure types, and strategically place it on your planet. Every tile is crucial for efficiently covering your territory and boosting your planet's 'engine.' After placing the tile, you activate two actions related to the infrastructure types it provides. But beware! Some placements might attract 'meteors,' making development harder for everyone and potentially preventing scoring in certain rows and columns. What makes Planet Unknown super innovative is how it handles the polyomino mechanic: a central rotating board, like a cosmic 'Lazy Susan,' allows everyone to play simultaneously, yet with a strategic layer of turns. It's a spatial puzzle that blends planning, optimization, and a touch of indirect interaction, perfect for those who enjoy a building and management challenge. ## How to Play Game Objective: Conquering the Unknown Planet! Hey there, planet pioneer! Ready for the greatest adventure of your life? In **Unknown Planet**, Earth is in dire straits, devoid of resources, and humanity is counting on you to terraform a new home. Your objective is simple, yet challenging: be the player with the **highest victory score**! How? By efficiently developing your planet, advancing on **resource tracks**, collecting precious **lifepod capsules**, removing those pesky **meteorites**, and, of course, outperforming neighboring planets. It's a space race for survival, and only the best strategist will lead humanity into the future! Setup: Arrange the Space Station and Start Terraforming! Let's set up the table for your interplanetary journey! Place the **Space Station** in the center of the table. It's the heart of the game! Fill the **Space Station** with **Polyomino Tiles**. Each section, called a **Depot**, should have two stacks of 12 tiles, all with the same shape and orientation. Arrange the tiles in an inner ring (small tiles) and an outer ring (large tiles). Each player receives a **Planet Board**, a **Corporation Board**, two **Depot Indicators** of their color, and five **Resource Markers** (one of each color: black, blue, green, red, and white). Organize everything neatly in your player area. Decide whether you want to play with the symmetrical sides (easier for the first game) or asymmetrical sides (more complex and fun!) of your **Planet** and **Corporation Boards**. Position the **Lifepod Capsules** and **Vehicles** on your boards as indicated. Place your **Depot Indicator** around the **Space Station**, equally spaced and directly in front of a depot area. Select the **Civ Cards**: take a number of cards equal to the number of players, plus one for each classification (1, 2, 3, and 4). For example, in a 4-player game, there will be 5 cards of each classification. Organize them into separate face-down stacks by classification. The other cards go back into the box. Keep the **Meteorites** and **Biomass Areas** within everyone's reach. Shuffle and deal the **Objective Cards**. They have two sides, and you will use the "Neighbor" side for 3-6 players (one card between each player) or "Private" for 2 players (three cards between them). The last player to terraform a planet (or choose randomly) receives the **Station Commander Marker**. Congratulations, you're in charge this round! The Game Turn: Building Your New Home Each round, life on **Unknown Planet** unfolds as follows: Station Commander Rotates the Space Station: The player with the **Station Commander Marker** decides whether or not to rotate the **Space Station**. They can rotate it as much as they want, until any **Depot** is directly in front of them (or in front of their **Depot Indicator**). Tip: In two-player games, the station automatically rotates one depot clockwise each round, without the commander's choice. Tile Selection and Placement (Simultaneous!): As soon as the **Space Station** stops, all players, at the same time, take one of the two **Polyomino Tiles** from the **Depot** corresponding to their **Depot Indicator**. Then, all players place their acquired tile on the grid of their **Planet Board**, following the **Tile Placement Rules**: Perimeter First: The first tile must touch the perimeter of the planet grid. Tile Adjacency: Subsequent tiles must be adjacent (horizontally or vertically, never diagonally) to another already placed tile. Single Layer: You cannot place a tile on top of another tile! Grid Alignment: Tiles must be aligned with the grid squares. Destroy: If you place a tile over a **Lifepod Capsule** or **Vehicle**, they are destroyed and removed from the game. Each tile has two sections, each with a **Resource** and its corresponding **Terrain**. If the tile has a meteorite symbol, place a **Meteorite** on it immediately. Squares with meteorites do not score rows/columns at the end of the game! Advancing on Resource Tracks: After placing your tile, advance your **Resource Markers** on your **Corporation Board** once for each resource present on the tile. Regardless of the tile's size, each resource counts as one advancement. Immediate Benefits: Whenever a marker advances, you claim the benefit below it (if any). Synergy Boosts: If you claim a **Synergy Boost**, you can advance *any* other marker once, claiming its benefit. Specific Milestones: Civ Milestone: Take all **Civ Cards** of the corresponding classification, choose one for yourself (if two players reach it, the Commander chooses first), and return the remaining ones face down. Vehicle Milestone: Place a **Vehicle** from your board on the last tile you placed. If the tile has a meteorite, you can place the vehicle over it to collect it! Vehicle movement allows you to collect meteorites and lifepod capsules. TECH Milestone: Unlock a powerful technology that can be used every round for the rest of the game! Biomass Milestone: Gain a **Biomass Area** and immediately place it on your planet, following the placement rules. They help complete rows and columns. Water Resource: To advance the water marker, the water terrain on the tile must be placed directly over the **planetary ice**. Energy Resource: Has no track of its own! When placing a tile with energy, you advance *another* resource of your choice: the other resource on the tile or a terrain resource orthogonally adjacent to the energy terrain you just placed. Top of the Track: If a marker reaches the top, you earn maximum medals at the end, but do not benefit from additional placements of that resource (except vehicles, which continue to provide movement!). Passing the Commander Marker: After everyone has advanced their markers, the **Station Commander Marker** passes to the next player clockwise, and a new round begins! End of Game and Scoring: Who is the Best Planet Pioneer? The game ends when one of the following conditions is met: No Tiles to Place: A player cannot legally place either of the two tiles from their **Depot** on their planet. Note: If this happens, all players finish the round normally. The player who could not place the tile still chooses one and advances their markers for the resources on it, but does not place it on the planet. The meteorite symbol is ignored in this case. Empty Depot: Both tile stacks of a **Depot** are completely emptied. The game ends at the end of the round in which this occurred. Event Deck (Optional Module): The last card of an **Event Deck** is revealed. Before scoring, ensure all players have placed any stored **Biomass Areas**, executed any end-game corporate technologies, and advanced markers due to **End-Game Civ Cards**. Remove uncollected vehicles and lifepod capsules from the planet. The final score is the sum of your **Medals** from various categories: Planet: Score medals for **EACH COMPLETE ROW AND COLUMN** of your planet, provided they do not have a **Meteorite** or empty grid space. Each row and column scores 1, 2, or 3 VP, according to the medal next to or above it. Resource Tracks: Score the highest value medal that each **Resource Marker** has surpassed or currently covers on its track. Lifepod Capsules and Meteorites: One medal for each **Lifepod Capsule** collected in your scoring area. One medal for every three **Meteorites** collected (rounding down). Note: **Civ Cards** can enhance these ratios! Civ Cards: Score medals for your **Civ Cards** labeled "End Game". Private Objectives (if using the module): Score medals if you completed your private objectives. Neighbor Objectives: Score medals if your planet is the winner when compared to your neighbor's planet. In case of a tie, the player with the fewest uncovered grid squares wins. If there is still a tie, the player with the fewest **Meteorites** remaining on their planet wins. Tips for Winning: Strategies for Planetary Success! To dominate **Unknown Planet** and secure victory, keep an eye on these tips: Plan Tile Placement Wisely: Every tile you place is crucial. Think not only about the resources it gives you but also how it fits to complete rows and columns. Remember that **Meteorites** block row and column scoring, so try to avoid them or plan to collect them with your **Vehicles**. Adjacency is your friend for expanding your territory! Manage Your Resource Tracks and Milestones: Pay attention to the benefits of each **resource track** and, especially, the **milestones**. Unlocking a **Technology** at the right moment can change the game, and collecting **Civ Cards** can give you powerful advantages. Don't ignore **Synergy Boosts**, as they allow you to advance another marker, creating valuable combos. Balancing advancement on different tracks is key to maximizing your end-game points. Adapt to Objectives and Neighbors: The **Objective Cards** (whether private or neighbor) are an important guide for your strategy. Keep an eye on your neighbors' objectives to try to outperform them, and don't forget your own secret objectives to secure extra points. Sometimes, focusing on a specific objective can be more lucrative than trying to do a little bit of everything. Good luck, planet pioneer! May your tiles fit perfectly and your resources flow to victory! ## FAQ ### How many players can play Planet Unknown? Planet Unknown is a super versatile game that can be played by 1 to 6 people. This means it works great for a relaxing solo session or a full table of friends! ### What is the average game duration? A game of Planet Unknown typically lasts between 60 and 80 minutes. It's a great length for a game that offers significant strategic depth without overstaying its welcome. ### What is the game's complexity level? It's considered a medium-weight game (2.25/5 on BGG). The rules are accessible, but the strategic depth and tile placement decisions offer a satisfying challenge for players who already have some board game experience. ### What are polyominoes and how do they work? Polyominoes are the varied-shaped tiles (like Tetris pieces) that you place on your planet board. Each one has two infrastructure types, and the challenge is to fit them in the best way to cover your planet and activate their actions, optimizing your resources and points. ### Is there player interaction? Interaction is primarily indirect. While each player builds their own planet, the choice of tiles on the central rotating board (the 'Lazy Susan') affects what's available to others. Additionally, 'meteors' can impact all players simultaneously, creating moments of shared tension. ### Are the components high quality? Yes! Planet Unknown is known for its high-quality components, including sturdy tiles, well-illustrated boards, and, in some editions, even Game Trayz organizers for easy setup and storage. ### Who is Planet Unknown for? It's perfect for fans of puzzle, optimization, and engine-building games, especially those who appreciate the polyomino mechanic. 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