Space Base is a dice-rolling, engine-building game.

Let’s review this without saying ‘Machi Koro‘ or ‘Valeria: Card Kingdoms‘.

Players assume the roles of Commodores of a small fleet of ships. Ships begin docked at their stations and are then deployed to sectors as new ships are commissioned under your command. Use cargo vessels to engage in trade and commerce; mining vessels to build reoccurring base income, and carriers to spread your influence. Establish new colonies for a new Commodore in a sector to gain even more influence. Gain enough influence and you can be promoted to Admiral!

This is my first impressions of the game followed by my final summary.

Space Base Review

Nice and bright, pretty colours and nice mechanisms.

It’s a decent game with 3 rows of cards to buy that are different enough to feel OK. I mean, they’re all pretty similar but different enough that you can find one for your strategy. But there will be a lot there that doesn’t fit it.

The cards are an odd shape, like a stick of gum size. I actually prefer Machi Koro’s mini cards that these. It makes sense as a wide card will extend the width of the game but still, weird.

So obviously this is similar o the games I mentioned earlier. They’re both engine buildings games with cards that activate on the roll of 2 dice on either your or your opponent’s turn.

Machi Koro is not for me. I find it quite dull and fairly mean with people able to steal money.

Valeria is better. It has that fantasy theme and the flexibility of activating individual dice values. Also, the artwork is great as are the components for the resources. You also don’t just buy cards for your tableau but you also fight monsters which is cool.

Still, Space Base is fun.

Jesta ThaRogue