Planet Rush (2016) Board Game

Planet Rush is a science fiction board game released in 2016 by designer Clark Miller and published by Victory Point Games. The game is designed for 3 to 5 players, with a runtime of about 45 minutes. In Planet Rush, players take on the roles of rival corporations competing to terraform planets and exploit their resources for profit.

Game Components of Planet Rush

8 structure mats

Bonus counters

Faction mats and corresponding colored markers

Faction Negotiation cards

Resource cards

Rocket Ship and Launch Pad counter

Scoring markers

How To Setup Planet Rush

To set up Planet Rush, place the 8 structure mats in the middle of the play area with the “under construction” side face up. Shuffle the bonus counters and place one face up on each segment of each structure. Each player chooses a faction mat and receives the corresponding colored markers, placing one marker to the side as a scoring marker. Players also receive their faction’s Negotiation card. The resource cards are shuffled, and each player is dealt 4 cards. The remaining cards form the Resource deck. The active player is chosen and given the Rocket Ship and Launch Pad counter.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Area Majority / Influence: Players compete to have the most markers on completed structures.

Auction/Bidding: Players bid on segments of structures using resource cards.

Hand Management: Players manage their resource cards to participate in bids.

Set Collection: Players collect bonus counters and markers based on their contributions.

Objective: The player who constructs the most segments and has the most markers on completed structures wins, ultimately claiming ownership of the planet Zenobia.

Player Experience

In Planet Rush, players take control of one of five corporate factions working together to colonize the planet Zenobia. Each turn consists of two phases: the build phase and the resource phase. During the build phase, the active player can either draw a resource card or place the Rocket Ship on a structure segment, initiating a bidding process. Other players bid using their resource cards, and the active player must approve bids that exactly match the required resources. After bidding, the resource phase involves dealing new resource cards to each player and passing the Rocket Ship to the next player.

Pros

Fun and Simple: The game is easy to learn and plays in about 35-45 minutes.

Engaging Mechanics: The combination of bidding, hand management, and area control keeps players engaged.

Strategy: Players need to make strategic decisions on when to bid and which segments to build.

Cons

Luck of the Draw: The game involves some luck with the resource cards drawn.

Limited Depth: Some players may find the game mechanics too straightforward or lacking in complexity.

Personal Thoughts on Planet Rush

Planet Rush is ideal for players who enjoy euro games with a focus on negotiation, bidding, and hand management. It is a great choice for those looking for a game that is fun, relatively quick to play, and involves strategic decision-making without being overly complex. However, players seeking games with deeper strategic layers or more thematic immersion might find Planet Rush a bit light. Overall, it’s a good addition to any board game collection for those who appreciate simple yet engaging gameplay.

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