In the 2400s, mankind begins to terraform the planet Mars. Giant corporations, sponsored by the World Government on Earth, initiate huge projects to raise the temperature, the oxygen level, and the ocean coverage until the environment is habitable. In Terraforming Mars, you play one of those corporations and work together in the terraforming process, but compete for getting victory points that are awarded not only for your contribution to the terraforming, but also for advancing human infrastructure throughout the solar system, and doing other commendable things.

The players acquire unique project cards (from over two hundred different ones) by buying them to their hand. The projects (cards) can represent anything from introducing plant life or animals, hurling asteroids at the surface, building cities, to mining the moons of Jupiter and establishing greenhouse gas industries to heat up the atmosphere. The cards can give you immediate bonuses, as well as increasing your production of different resources. Many cards also have requirements and they become playable when the temperature, oxygen, or ocean coverage increases enough. Buying cards is costly, so there is a balance between buying cards (3 megacredits per card) and actually playing them (which can cost anything between 0 to 41 megacredits, depending on the project). Standard Projects are always available to complement your cards.

Your basic income, as well as your basic score, is based on your Terraform Rating (starting at 20), which increases every time you raise one of the three global parameters (which are temperature, oxygen, and ocean coverage). However, your income is complemented with your production, and you also get VPs from many other sources.

Each player keeps track of their production and resources on their player boards, and the game uses six types of resources: MegaCredits, Steel, Titanium, Plants, Energy, and Heat. On the game board, you compete for the best places for your city tiles, ocean tiles, and greenery tiles. You also compete for different Milestones and Awards worth many VPs. Each round is called a generation (guess why) and consists of the following phases:

1) Player order shifts clockwise.
2) Research phase: All players buy cards from four privately drawn.
3) Action phase: Players take turns doing 1-2 actions from these options: Playing a card, claiming a Milestone, funding an Award, using a Standard project, converting plant into greenery tiles (and raising oxygen), converting heat into a temperature raise, and using the action of a card in play. The turn continues around the table (sometimes several laps) until all players have passed.
4) Production phase: Players get resources according to their terraform rating and production parameters.

When the three global parameters (temperature, oxygen, ocean) have all reached their goal, the terraforming is complete, and the game ends after that generation. Count your Terraform Rating and other VPs to determine the winning corporation!

AWARDS & HONORS
2020 Årets Spel Best Adult Game Winner
2019 Vuoden Peli Strategy Game of the Year Winner
2018 MinD-Spielepreis Complex Game Winner
2018 MinD-Spielepreis Complex Game Nominee
2018 Japan Boardgame Prize Voters' Selection Winner
2018 Guldbrikken Best Expert Game Winner
2018 As d'Or - Jeu de l'Année Expert Winner
2018 As d'Or - Jeu de l'Année Expert Nominee
2017 Tric Trac Nominee
2017 Tric Trac d'Argent
2017 Spiel der Spiele Hit für Experten Recommended
2017 Lys Passioné Winner
2017 Lys Passioné Finalist
2017 Kennerspiel des Jahres Nominee
2017 JUG Adult Game of the Year Finalist
2017 Juego del Año Recommended
2017 Jogo do Ano Nominee
2017 International Gamers Award - General Strategy: Multi-player Nominee
2017 Hra roku Recommended
2017 Gra Roku Game of the Year Winner
2017 Gra Roku Advanced Game of the Year Winner
2017 Gra Roku Advanced Game of the Year Nominee
2017 Gouden Ludo Best Expert Game Nominee
2017 Goblin Magnifico Nominee
2017 Diana Jones Award for Excellence in Gaming Nominee
2017 Deutscher Spiele Preis Best Family/Adult Game Winner
2017 Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Board Game Nominee
2016 Swiss Gamers Award Nominee
2016 Meeples' Choice Winner
2016 Meeples' Choice Nominee
2016 Jocul Anului în România Advanced Winner
2016 Jocul Anului în România Advanced Finalist
2016 Golden Geek Board Game of the Year Nominee
2016 Golden Geek Best Strategy Board Game Nominee
2016 Golden Geek Best Solo Board Game Nominee
2016 Cardboard Republic Architect Laurel Winner
2016 Cardboard Republic Architect Laurel Nominee
2016 Board Game Quest Awards Game of the Year Winner
2016 Board Game Quest Awards Game of the Year Nominee
2016 Board Game Quest Awards Best Strategy/Euro Game Nominee