Game Review: Tinyforming Mars

Terraforming Mars is a BGG Top 10 game for good reason. It is thematic and engaging as you build an engine for raising the temperature, oxygen, and water levels of the Red Planet enough to support human life and propel your organization to the highest Terraforming Rating amongst your competitors. But if you don’t want to spend $60, have 2 hours to set it up and play, or have a full table to display all of the components, what can you do?

Enter TINYforming Mars, a free to download print-and-play game for 1-2 players from designer er Michael Bevilacqua published first in 2019 on boardgamegeek.com. I will include links at the end of the review. The base game can be printed front and back on 9 cards plus a double-card sized game board. The graphic designer, Cheryl Leon, includes optional game backs if you want to print all 18 cards separately. TINYforming Mars started as a Work In Progress thread on the BGG Game Design forum and is not associated with Fryxgames or Stronghold Games. Instead, it is an homage to the leaderboard game that packs the theme, engine building, and resource management of its inspiration into a small package.

This one takes a little bit of work before you can play, but it is worth it. First, download the Print & Play files (again, links below) and either print them yourself or send them to your favorite print-on-demand service. I sent mine to Fed Ex Office and had them print the game components on cardstock and the rules on regular paper. The card layout includes guidelines for cutting. I used a paper cutter, but scissors work. I sleeved all of the cards in clear sleeves, using Mayday’s Tiny Epic Kingdoms 88×125 mm sleeves for the game boards. The rules fold into a nifty booklet the same size as the game boards. I had some extra colored cubes to use as pieces. The files section for TINYforming Mars includes printable game pieces that you can print as well. Some people have attached them to foamcore or even 3D printed their own pieces. I put them all in an extra expansion box that was the perfect color and size (Cytosis: Virus) and used extra card backs to decorate the box.

Each of the game cards has a different terraforming project printed on either half of the front of the card, facing in opposite directions. Most projects include a way to raise the heat, add some water to the planet, or plant some greenery. The rest are utility cards that enhance your game, like by helping you build a city on the planet or gain extra credits. The first player player draws a card and decides which half faces them and which faces their opponent. The second player repeats that process, then the first player does it one last time. Each player now has 3 terraforming projects facing them with the credit costs and prerequisites displayed. Each player takes turns completing one of their projects or one of 5 standard projects until they run out of resources.

Resources are represented by available tags on the project cards, permanent production from a city, or tokens earned from prior projects. Each player starts with 5 credits and can earn more each round, though the game keeps it tight with a max of 5 credits. As a matter of fact tight is a great word to use to describe the gameplay. Credits and resources are limited, so finding a way to maximize your choices each turn is key. After 2 of the 3 terraforming parameters is completed or 12 rounds, whichever comes first, each player gets 1 point for each greenery cube surrounding their cities, 1 extra point for each greenery cube or water cube touching ONLY their cities, and 1 point for each heat cube in their personal supply. Rules are included for solo play where you get to choose all 3 card halves, but you have to complete all 3 terraforming parameters in 12 rounds.

If you master this, you can easily expand the game with additional printable files found on the BGG files site. Corporations give you a unique power and starting condition that you can leverage to get ahead of your opponent, while they are trying to do the same to you. Race to reach Milestones and fund Awards if it becomes clear that you are doing something better than your opponent. There is even a bonus map included in one of the expansions. And course, all of these are free to download.

I don’t usually print my own games, so putting this together was a fun endeavor. If you want the theme of Terraforming Mars and tight gameplay with a small footprint and an unbeatable price, then check out TINYforming Mars at these links below.

Main Info Page on BGG:

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/282493/tinyforming-mars

Latest Version of the game (1.04):

https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/182520/tinyforming-mars-base-game-v104

Rules Booklet:

https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/182637/tinyforming-mars-base-game-rules-booklet-v104

Expansions:

https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/182521/tinyforming-mars-expansions-4-files-v104

Mayday double-poker sleeves:

https://www.gamelyngames.com/sleeves/tiny-epic-card-sleeves

Project Shrinko: Tiny versions of big BIG games

https://boardgamegeek.com/geeklist/256760/project-shrinko-tiny-versions-big-big-games