Vintage "ASTEROID" game cover art featuring a spaceship approaching an asteroid station with a backdrop of outer space. Text includes the game's title and the tagline "Into An Asteroid Station, Against A Deranged Computer, To Save A Threatened World." The GDW logo is at the bottom.
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Asteroid (1980)

Asteroid

“Asteroid” is a 1980 science fiction board game published by Game Designers’ Workshop (GDW) as part of their 120 series. In the game, one player controls a team of adventurers attempting to destroy a runaway mining asteroid on a collision course with Earth, while the other player controls a mad scientist’s computer-controlled asteroid. The game was designed by Marc Miller and Frank Chadwick, and it takes less than two hours to play.

Why is Asteroid Popular?

Asteroid is a popular game because it offers a simple yet engaging gameplay experience, where players can enjoy a fast-paced, action-packed experience without the need for deep strategy or complex rules. The game has gained a cult following among arcade enthusiasts and has been featured in various pop culture references.

Game Components of Asteroid

The Game Components of Asteroid include:
– A game board representing the asteroid field
– Two spaceship tokens (one for each player)
– A mad scientist token
– A computer token
– A die
– A deck of cards

Game Setup of Asteroid

Place the game board in the center of the table.Shuffle the deck of cards and place them face down next to the game board.Each player chooses a spaceship token and places it on the game board.The mad scientist token is placed on the game board, and the computer token is placed on the mad scientist token.Roll the die to determine who goes first. The player with the higher number goes first, and the other player goes second.

Gameplay Mechanics of Asteroid

The game is played in turns, with each player taking turns moving their spaceship and taking actions. Players can choose to move their spaceship, fire their laser, or use a card from their hand to perform special actions or manipulate the asteroid field. The goal is to destroy the computer-controlled asteroid before it crashes into Earth, while avoiding being destroyed by the asteroid or the mad scientist’s laser.

Game Objective of Asteroid

The Game Objective of Asteroid is to destroy the computer-controlled asteroid before it crashes into Earth, while avoiding being destroyed by the asteroid or the mad scientist’s laser.

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