Tabletop Talks Week 6

To boldly go where no blog has gone before! A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away...Tabletop Talks Week 6!

This week, Tabletop Simulator Blog is exploring one of our favorite genres ever, science-fiction. We will be bringing you deep space exploration, high stakes interstellar quests, and more aliens than we can count! So get ready for your next sci-fi obsession with this week’s four up-and-coming board games!

1. Planet Unknown

Develop your planet and preserve humanity

Planet Unknown from Adam’s Apple Games plans to boldly go where no tabletop game has gone before! In this deeply strategic and rewardingly asymmetric board game, players take on the role of one of several interstellar cooperations as they race to terraform planets across the cosmos. To preserve the future of humanity while also outperforming your opponents, each player must utilize polyomino tiles, manage resources, build engines, and withstand meteor strikes to create the strongest interstellar society. And with players assigned both asymmetric planets to develop and asymmetric corporations to control, Planet Unknown is an infinitely replayable game that will have you setting off into the depths of space again and again! 

Planet Unknown was inspired by the deep and strategic asymmetry of games such as Starcraft and a desire to make an accessible and rewarding sci-fi engine builder. They succeeded and created a memorable, brilliantly constructed, and thought-provoking take on the terraforming tabletop experience. With such a complete game waiting ahead of you, there is only one thing left to say: Godspeed Planeteer!

Despite a brief delay due to the pandemic, the team at Adam’s Apple Games ran a successful Kickstarter last year and are now taking final pre-orders before their official launch! Until then, be sure to check out their official website or their TTS mod!

2. Rascals

One last job

Rascals is a Science Fiction RPG that was created with a unique goal, to replicate tension, the adventure, and the stakes of a big budget action film in a fun tabletop format. And this creation from Caradoc Games does just that! In this 2-5 player RPG, you are Rascals, a squad of ex-special forces, spies and crooks. You were some of the few who managed to get out, make a new life. But something has changed all that. Now, for one last job, the old crew is back together and ready to strike out across abandoned space stations, bustling future-scapes, and broken worlds in order to stop an abominable plot from unfolding. Rascals uses a combination of cards, poker chips, and traditional RPG mechanics to create an unforgettable journey across a fully realized sci-fi reality!

Inspired by the pacing of action blockbusters as well as an appreciation for science-fiction, Rascals’ gameplay is defined by its speed and stakes. In order to make it through you must think quick and act quicker as you move your way across this game’s universe. Your characters will be pushed. You will have to escape from one tough situation into another, driven by the need to find space, gain information, and prepare to take on their final objective. All of this makes for a light, fun, yet endlessly exciting gaming experience sure to pull you back for one last job!

Like many games, Rascals moved to Tabletop Simulator during the pandemic and never looked back!  Following the success of their Kickstarter campaign, Rascals is planning to hit print within the next few months! You can also pick up physical and digital copies of the zine on the Caradoc Games website.

3. Alien Petshop

Compete to run the cutest and most dangerous pet shop around!

With their high stakes action and interstellar plot lines, sci-fi games can be a little inaccessible, and maybe even a little daunting. So, we thought we would bring you a great example of a quick, fun, and family-friendly sci-fi table topper, with the added bonus of running an adorable (and mildly dangerous) alien pet emporium. Alien Petshop is a light engine builder from Ogre Crossing Games. In it, players take on the role of an alien pet shop owner as they use dice, resource management, and worker placement mechanics to gather as many alien pet species as possible before your opponents do the same. With Alien Petshop’s easy-to-learn but surprisingly deep strategy, we can guarantee that you will spend many days building and rebuilding your pet shop into the best the galaxy has to offer!

Alien Petshop was created out of a love for museums, aquariums, science fiction, and (understandably) adorable creatures. This appreciation shines through in this board game’s great attention to detail and artwork. The different alien species are especially cute! In all, this is a well-crafted love letter to science fiction...and also the only board game where your employees can be eaten by giant carnivorous plants!

The team at Ogre Crossing Games has used Tabletop Simulator as an efficient and earth-friendly alternative to in-person playtesting during the pandemic.

4. UFO Wave

The tactical card game of alien supremacy

Just admit it...you are a little curious about UFOs. I mean, who isn’t at least a little interested in Area 51, Roswell, or all the sightings over the past decades. The good news is that there is a tabletop game that combines a love of UFOs with strategic and rewarding resource gathering mechanics. UFO Wave takes this interest in Unidentified Flying Objects and turns it into a board game that is tactical enough for repeated play, but simple enough to jump right in! Players take on the role of an alien species visiting Earth, using resource gathering mechanics to perform activities more efficiently than your opponents and utilize your advanced powers and craft...all while doing your best to avoid interfering groups of humans! And regardless of whether or not you are a believer, UFO Wave’s smart design and attention to detail will have you ready to go UFO hunting the next chance you get!

UFO Wave was born out of a wholehearted interest in the subject of UFOs that can be seen in its well-designed mechanics and fun, yet engaging story. This, combined with fun, yet expertly themed artwork, make UFO Wave a unique tabletop experience and an all-around love letter to the field of UFO-ology!

The team behind UFO Wave used Tabletop Simulator to work around the complications of the Covid pandemic and are planning to launch a Kickstarter later this year.

Let us know how you like our Sci-Fi game picks in the comments!

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