Tabletop Spotlight: Kepler 3042
It’s a race to see who can explore the galaxy in Kepler 3042!
Our friends at Dragon’s Lair Comics & Fantasy know that I have a soft spot for sci-fi games. In Kepler 3042, humanity is finally leaving Earth to explore and colonize systems outside of our own.
The premise of this game is pretty simple – you’re playing as a nation of Earth and all of humanity is rooting for you to explore, colonize and terraform planets. Up to 4 players are having a friendly competition to see who can end up being the most successful faction. That’s right folks – there is no space battles or war fleets with this one; it’s all about humanity peacefully expanding into the stars.
Even though there aren’t any combat rules, there is still lots of strategy to this game. Gameplay basically revolves around players choosing an action, executing that action, moving any ships and advancing your technology. Obviously there is a lot more going on with the rules but we won’t cover all those things. You can read the full rules HERE. I will say that the game is pretty well done and the flow of the turns is engaging – once you get a round or two under your belt every thing should hopefully click.
The components themselves are pretty amazing – the art in the game is fantastic and the game board is beautiful. The art was done by Kwanchai Moriya who also worked on Flip Ships (which we are fans of). Overall, I liked this game as it is a nice change of pace from galactic domination and war-type games. Your exploring and refining your “machine” to explore better and win the race. The mechanics are solid, the game looks good, and it’s pretty easy to pick-up and play. If that sounds like your cup of tea, Kepler 3042 is out and in stores now!
Kepler 3042
The year is 3042, and humanity is ready to explore the stars. Scientists have been studying the nearby celestial bodies for centuries, and they have identified the best candidates for human habitation. At long last, the nations of Earth have the technology to reach the stars. A peaceful competition has begun as they send their starships into the cosmos. In the end, all of humanity will win, but which nation will be remembered as the greatest pioneers?
Kepler-3042 is a game of exploration and colonization. You must carefully manage your resources as you colonize, exploit, and terraform the planets of the Milky Way, developing critical technologies along the way. Each round, you choose which action to perform and which bonuses to activate to further your goals. The nation with the most victory points at the end will be remembered by history as the greatest explorers in the galaxy!
