2020 · Space Exploration
The Search for Planet X
Players act as astronomers using a companion app to search for a hypothetical distant planet by collecting observational data and making logical deductions. Each round the app advances the year and provides scans and conferences; players record object locations on personal deduction sheets and use discovered information to formulate and publish theories for points. As identified objects reduce the set of possible positions, players may call an official search through the app; the game ends when a player correctly locates the planet, and remaining scoring opportunities are resolved.
- Players
- 1–4 best 2
- Playing time
- 60–75 min
- Age
- 13+
- Complexity
- 2.4 / 5
About the game
Photos from Ludoya tables
All photos in Ludoya
Where to buy it
Shop prices and second-hand copies, checked every day.
On Ludoya's tables
Full stats in Ludoya- 991
- Plays logged
- 727
- Players
- 1h 1m
- Average play
- 239
- In collections
- 49
- On wishlists
8.0/10
from 96 Ludoya reviews
Garfield10.0 #46 Great game with an app. I really like the theme. [c] Theme: ★★★★☆ <!-- size 7]Very good --> Gameplay: ★★★☆☆ <!-- size 7]Deduction --> Interaction: ★★☆☆☆ <!-- size 7]Who publish what --> Artwork: ★★★★☆ <!-- size 7]Very nice --> Luck: ★★☆☆☆ <!-- size 7]Very little --> Strategy: ★★★★☆ <!-- size 7]Deduct --> Components: ★★★★☆ <!-- size 7]Very good --> Play duration: ★★★★★ <!-- size 7]Perfect --> Easy to teach: ★★☆☆☆ <!-- size 7]Takes a little bit long (45min) --> Rules quality: ★★★★★ <!-- size 7]Perfect --> Setup time: ★★★★☆ <!-- size 7]Very fast --> No downtime: ★★★★☆ <!-- size 7]Very little --> Replay value: ★★★★☆ <!-- size 7]Different difficulties, randomness --> [/c]
No plays logged
- Base -
Played it 4 times
Javo8.0 Fantástico juego de deducción con un tema que le va perfecto. Con varios niveles de dificultad y con modo solitario. Funciona como un reloj. Lo único negativo es el uso de App, por problemas de compatiblidad en el futuro. No obstante, la app va genial y facilita mucho el juego.
No plays logged
Rules questions
Answered from the rulebook by Ludoya's rules assistant.
If a survey or target shows a sector as “empty”, does that mean it’s Planet X?
No — an empty result can mean the sector is truly empty or that it contains Planet X; both surveys and targets treat the Planet X sector as appearing empty (page 9).
When I take the Locate Planet X action what exactly must I specify to succeed?
You must select the sector you think contains Planet X and also identify the objects located in the two adjacent sectors; you only succeed if both the sector and the two adjacent objects are correct (page 10).
How many times can I use the Target action and what does it reveal?
You have two target tokens and must spend one each time you target a sector; after both are used you can no longer target, and a target reveals either the object in that sector or that the sector appears empty (page 9).
Can I research the same topic twice or do research actions back-to-back?
No — each research topic gives one private logic rule and there’s no reason to select the same topic again, and you are not allowed to take Research twice in a row (page 10).
When do conferences and theory/peer‑review phases occur during play?
After you advance your pawn you rotate the earth board clockwise toward the pawn farthest back, pausing when the arrow reaches any conference or theory icon to resolve that phase (conferences revealed only the first time an icon is reached); theory submission happens when the board hits a theory icon and peer review occurs when theories reach the inner space (pages 13–15).
What happens if a theory is judged correct or incorrect in peer review?
If a theory is correct the object in that sector becomes confirmed and correct theory tokens remain for end‑game scoring; if a theory is incorrect it is removed and the submitting player advances their pawn one sector as a penalty (page 15), and once a sector’s object is confirmed no new theories may be placed there (page 14).
Score sheet by Ludoya
The Search for Planet X score sheet
Every scoring category, from the Ludoya kit. On your phone the totals add up by themselves.
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Free, on web, Android and iOS
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Game facts (players, playing time, age, credits) from BoardGameGeek.