Race for the Galaxy

2007 · Card Game

Race for the Galaxy

Players build a galactic civilization by playing cards that represent worlds and technological or social developments. Each round, everyone secretly and simultaneously selects one action phase; only the chosen phases occur but every player participates in those phases, with selecting players receiving bonuses. Actions include exploring to draw cards, developing or settling to add cards to a tableau, producing goods on worlds, trading goods for cards, and consuming goods for victory-point chips. Cards placed in the tableau grant powers, produce goods, and provide end-game victory points. Play ends when a player has twelve tableau cards or the VP chip pool is exhausted; highest total VPs wins.

Players
2–4 best 2
Playing time
30–60 min
Age
12+
Complexity
3 / 5
7.6 on Ludoyafrom $18.81Science FictionEconomicHand ManagementMarketEnd Game Bonuses

On Ludoya's tables

Full stats in Ludoya
3,569
Plays logged
968
Players
20m 1s
Average play
293
In collections
49
On wishlists

7.6/10

from 163 Ludoya reviews

  • Mestremuten7.0

    Rating: 4/5 Production value: 2/4 Is the game in my collection/Love to have?: 1/1

    Played it 21 times

  • Garfield2.0

    After reading the rules and some playtesting not want to keep it. Rules are not very good, lack of examples with pictures. Too many icons that you have too look up during game. And it's a multiplayer solitaire that is driven by random cards.

    No plays logged

  • SrCornelius6.5

    Local-(311)

    Played it 8 times

Read the reviews and rate it

Rules questions

Answered from the rulebook by Ludoya's rules assistant.

If I don’t choose a phase, do I still get to do it?

Yes. Every phase chosen by at least one player is performed by everyone; only the player who chose it gets its bonus. A phase is performed only once, even if several players chose it (p. 3).

What’s the difference between the two Explore bonuses?

Explore: +5 lets you draw five extra cards to choose from, but you still keep only one. Explore: +1,+1 lets you draw one extra card and keep one extra, so you keep two (p. 3).

When I pay to build something, can I discard any cards from my hand?

Yes. Each discarded game card pays for one point of a development’s cost or a non-military world’s cost; discard them face down. The Develop bonus reduces the development payment by one card, while the Settle bonus gives you a card after placing a world (pp. 4–5).

Can I pay for a military world, or do I have to conquer it?

Normally, a military world must be conquered by having Military equal to or greater than its defense; you then place it without paying. A Contact Specialist can instead let you pay to place certain military worlds, but Military strength does not reduce that payment (p. 5).

Can I sell a good whenever I want during Consume?

No. You can sell one good only if you chose Consume: Trade, and you must sell it before using your consume powers. Trade is part of the Consume phase, not a separate phase (p. 6).

Do I have to use my consume powers, and can I save a good for a different power?

Consume powers must be used if possible, and each good can be used for only one power. You choose the order of powers, but once you invoke a power, you must resolve it fully when its rules require it; you can’t interrupt it to use another power (p. 6).

Official score sheet

Race for the Galaxy score sheet

Every scoring category, from the Ludoya kit. On your phone the totals add up by themselves.

Opens Ludoya's rules assistant, which reads this game's rulebook.

Score sheets and play helpers

  • Full Game Kit
  • Score Sheet
  • Race for the Galaxy + expansions
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Game facts (players, playing time, age, credits) from BoardGameGeek.