Quick Takes: 
2-5 players 
20 minutes 
Ages 10+ 
Level 1 (easy to learn, easy to play, and FUN!)
Astronauts wanted! Join the search for the fabled ninth planet! This fast, fun trick-taking card game has 50 different missions. Try them in order, or jump around (but be warned - the missions get harder as you go along).
In a twist on classic trick-taking games (like Hearts or Spades), this one is cooperative. It is at once relatively simple to grasp and quite complex to think through. The player who gets randomly dealt the Black 4 card becomes the Commander for the mission. Each player then takes secret objective cards. The players must fulfill their own secret objective, and because this is space, you live or die together. Everyone must fulfill their objectives for the group to win the mission. Sounds easy, right?
However, communication is limited between players, so this is quite difficult. During each mission, each player is allowed to "communicate" one card to the other players, and there are very narrow ways you can communicate the card. It's all about your timing of which card to communicate, how to communicate to maximize the information you give players, and players' ability to work as a team. This takes some getting used to - in the Board's Edge household, the first few missions felt like we were a random collection of astronauts bumping into each other in zero space rather than a functioning crew. That makes it all the more satisfying when the game starts clicking, and you all silently unlock the puzzle in the right order at the last minute.
A note on the player count: if you play with two, you need a dummy player. We enjoy this game at four players.
Love trick-taking games? You might also like The Fox in the Forest.
- Easy setup - you can start playing without spending a lot of time reading the rule book
- Fast play - great for a game night nightcap or warm-up
- Classic with a twist - similar to card games you know and love, like Hearts or Spades, but with a cooperative new twist
- Kennerspiel des Jahres Winner - 2020
- As d'Or - Jeu de l'Annee Expert Winner - 2021
- Golden Geek Best Cooperative Game Winner - 2019
- Meeples Choice Award - 2019
- and many more!