# Mindbug: First Contact

Mindbug: First Contact is a board game for 2 players. It plays in 15–25 minutes and is meant for ages 8 and up. It is rated 6.9 out of 10 by 106 Ludoya reviewers. The cheapest copy in stock is $19.99 (United States).

- **Players:** 2
- **Playing time:** 15–25 minutes
- **Minimum age:** 8+
- **Complexity:** 1.9 out of 5
- **Year published:** 2022
- **Categories:** Fantasy, Fighting, Card Game, Science Fiction
- **Mechanics:** Hand Management, Take That
- **Ludoya rating:** 6.9 out of 10, from 106 reviews
- **Owned by:** 313 Ludoya players
- **Plays logged on Ludoya:** 1,790
- **Unique players:** 540

**Designers:** Christian Kudahl, Skaff Elias, Marvin Hegen, Richard Garfield

**Artists:** Denis Martynets

**Publishers:** Nerdlab Games

## Where to buy in United States

| Shop | Price | Link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cardhaus Games | 19.99 $ | https://www.cardhaus.com/mindbug-first-contact/ |
| Gamers Guild AZ | 21.24 $ | https://gamersguildaz.com/products/mindbug-first-contact |
| Atomic Empire | 21.24 $ | https://www.atomicempire.com/Item/341340 |
| Board Game Bliss | 33.95 $ | https://www.boardgamebliss.com/products/mindbug-first-contact-french-edition |
| eFantasy | 21.99 € | https://www.efantasy.gr/en/products/board-games/220773-board-game-mindbug-first-contact |
| Ludifolie | 15.9 € | https://www.ludifolie.com/15857-mindbug-.html |
| Milan Spiele | 16.5 € | https://www.milan-spiele.de/mindbug-der-erste-kontakt-deutsch-p-34493.html |
| World of Board Games | 199 kr | https://www.worldofboardgames.com/mindbug-first-contact |
| Mono de Juegos | 17.95 € | https://www.monodejuegos.shop/juego-de-mesa/mindbug/ |
| Homoludicus Granollers | 18 € | https://homoludicus-granollers.org/mindbug |
| El Nucli | 18 € | https://www.elnucli.es/products/mindbug |
| Travelling Man | 15.5 £ | https://travellingman.com/products/mindbug-first-contact |
| Zatu Games | 16.25 £ | https://zatu.com/products/mindbug-first-contact |
| Uplay | 21.99 € | https://www.uplay.it/it/gioco-da-tavolo-mindbug--first-contact.html |
| Poromagia | 23.95 € | https://lautapelit.poromagia.com/fi/catalogue/mindbug-english-second-edition_1570659/ |

## Expansions

- [Mindbug: First Contact – New Servants](https://www.ludoya.com/games/mindbug-upgrade-pack)
- [Mindbug: First Contact – Promo Pack 2022](https://www.ludoya.com/games/mindbug-first-contact-promo-pack-2022)
- [Mindbug: Tag Team](https://www.ludoya.com/games/mindbug-tag-team)
- [Mindbug: Beyond – Add-On Pack](https://www.ludoya.com/games/mindbug-beyond-kickstarter-promo-pack)
- [Mindbug: First Contact – Essen Spiel 2022 Promo Cards](https://www.ludoya.com/games/mindbug-first-contact-essen-spiel-2022-promo-cards)
- [Mindbug: Suspicious Gift Promo Card](https://www.ludoya.com/games/mindbug-first-contact-offrande-suspecte-promo-card)
- [Mindbug: First Contact – Jazz Dog Promo Card](https://www.ludoya.com/games/mindbug-first-contact-jazz-dog-promo-card)
- [Mindbug: First Contact – Chuck Promo Card](https://www.ludoya.com/games/mindbug-first-contact-chuck-promo-card)
- [Mindbug: Future Eric Promo Card](https://www.ludoya.com/games/mindbug-first-contact-future-eric-promo-card)
- [Mindbug: Watts Dog Promo Card](https://www.ludoya.com/games/mindbug-first-contact-watts-dog-promo-card)
- [Mindbug: Alien Brain Promo Card](https://www.ludoya.com/games/mindbug-first-contact-alien-brain)
- [Mindbug: Steamforger Promo Card](https://www.ludoya.com/games/mindbug-first-contact-steamforger-promo-card)
- [Mindbug: Battle Beetle Promo Card](https://www.ludoya.com/games/mindbug-battle-beetle-promo-card)
- [Mindbug: Alpacoodle Promo Card](https://www.ludoya.com/games/mindbug-first-contact-alpacoodle-promo-card)
- [Mindbug: Knightmare Promo Card](https://www.ludoya.com/games/mindbug-knightmare-promo-card)
- [Mindbug: First Contact – Kängusaurus Rex](https://www.ludoya.com/games/mindbug-first-contact-kangusaurus-rex)
- [Mindbug: Wolfman Steve Promo Card](https://www.ludoya.com/games/mindbug-first-contact-wolfman-steve-promo-card)
- [Mindbug: Battlefruit – Ivybug Promo Card](https://www.ludoya.com/games/mindbug-saugwurzel-promo-card)
- [Mindbug: The Pack Promo Card](https://www.ludoya.com/games/mindbug-the-pack-promo-card)
- [Mindbug: Add-On Pack 2024-2025](https://www.ludoya.com/games/mindbug-add-on-pack-2024-2025)
- [Mindbug: German Wienner Promo Card](https://www.ludoya.com/games/mindbug-german-wienner-promo-card)
- [Mindbug: First Contact – Kängusaurus Rex Promo Card](https://www.ludoya.com/games/mindbug-first-contact-kangusaurus-rex-promo-card)

## Similar games

- [Mindbug: Beyond Eternity](https://www.ludoya.com/games/mindbug-beyond-eternity)
- [Mindbug: Beyond Evolution](https://www.ludoya.com/games/mindbug-beyond-evolution)
- [Mindbug: Battlefruit Galaxy](https://www.ludoya.com/games/mindbug-battlefruit-galaxy)
- [Mindbug: Battlefruit Kingdom](https://www.ludoya.com/games/mindbug-battlefruit-kingdom)
- [KeyForge: Worlds Collide](https://www.ludoya.com/games/keyforge-worlds-collide)
- [KeyForge: Mass Mutation](https://www.ludoya.com/games/keyforge-mass-mutation)
- [KeyForge: Dark Tidings](https://www.ludoya.com/games/keyforge-dark-tidings)
- [Mindbug: King of Tokyo](https://www.ludoya.com/games/mindbug-x-king-of-tokyo)
- [KeyForge: Age of Ascension](https://www.ludoya.com/games/keyforge-age-of-ascension)
- [Dice Throne: Outcasts](https://www.ludoya.com/games/dice-throne-outcasts)
- [Dice Throne: Season Two – Seraph v. Vampire Lord](https://www.ludoya.com/games/dice-throne-season-two-seraph-v-vampire-lord)
- [Dice Throne: Season One ReRolled – Treant v. Ninja](https://www.ludoya.com/games/dice-throne-season-one-rerolled-treant-v-ninja)

## Rules questions

### Can my opponent spend a Mindbug to steal a creature I just played, and whose Play effects happen?

Yes — when you play a creature the opponent may spend a Mindbug to take control of it instead of letting it enter under your control, and the Play effect happens for whoever ends up controlling the card (the taker) (pages 9, 17).

### When do I draw up to five cards?

You draw up to five cards whenever you play a card or discard a card (page 8).

### What exactly happens in combat — who is defeated on ties or when one creature is weaker, and when does a player lose life?

In combat the weaker creature is defeated; if both creatures have equal power both are defeated; if an attacker is unblocked the defending player loses 1 life (page 10).

### What does Frenzy do — can a creature attack twice, and when do Attack triggers happen?

Frenzy lets a creature that survives its first attack this turn attack a second time, and Attack triggers occur when the creature attacks but before the opponent decides whether to block (pages 12, 17).

### If a creature is Poisonous, does it still get defeated or does it automatically kill the blocker?

Poisonous causes the enemy creature to be defeated in addition to normal combat resolution, and if the poisonous creature’s power is equal or lower both creatures can be defeated (page 14).

### How does Tough work — is the creature exhausted instead of being defeated, and can exhausted creatures still act?

If a Tough creature would be defeated and it is not already exhausted, exhaust it instead of defeating it; exhausted creatures can still attack, block, and use abilities (page 16).

## Links

- [This page](https://www.ludoya.com/games/mindbug)
- [Mindbug: First Contact in the Ludoya app](https://app.ludoya.com/g/mindbug)
- [BoardGameGeek entry](https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/345584)

_Data from Ludoya, updated 2026-09-19. Ratings, ownership and play counts are Ludoya's own._