Terraforming Mars
At a glance
Rules overview
English version of our rules overview, translated from the Chinese original (cunlema). The Chinese page is the source of record.
Game Overview
In the 22nd century, with Earth's population overburdened and resources depleted, the World Government launches the Terraforming Mars project. Players take on the roles of megacorporations, advancing the transformation of Mars by purchasing and playing various project cards—raising temperature, increasing oxygen levels, and creating oceans—while simultaneously growing their economies. The corporation that contributes most to the terraforming effort (achieving the highest TR rating) and accumulates the most prestige points (VP) at the end of the game emerges victorious.
Core Mechanisms: Card-driven gameplay, resource management, engine building, tile placement, and global parameter advancement.
1. Game Components
| Component | Quantity/Description |
|---|---|
| Game Board | 1 piece (includes temperature, oxygen levels, oceans, terraforming rating track, and a map of the Martian surface) |
| Player Boards | 5 pieces (track resource holdings and production capacity) |
| Company Cards | 17 cards (including 2 corporate expansion cards from the Corporate Era expansion) |
| Project Cards | 208 cards (including cards from the Corporate Era expansion) |
| Reference Cards | 8 cards |
| Player Tokens | 200 transparent cubes (5 colors, 40 of each color) |
| Resource Cubes | 200 opaque cubes (copper = 1, silver = 5, gold = 10) |
| Game Board Markers | 3 white square markers (temperature, oxygen levels, and generation markers) |
| Ocean Tiles | 9 tiles |
| Greening/City Tiles | 60 tiles |
| Special Tiles | 11 tiles |
| First Player Marker | 1 marker |
2. Setup
2.1 Board Preparation
- Place the game board in the center of the table.
- Position the nine ocean tiles in their designated spots.
- Set the temperature marker at -30°C and the oxygen level marker at 0%.
- Put the generation marker on "1" on the terraforming rating track.
2.2 Resource Preparation
- Keep resource cubes and any remaining tiles within easy reach of all players.
2.3 Project Deck
- Ensure that both the project deck and company cards do not contain any corporate era cards (marked with a red-and-white icon in the lower-left corner).
- Shuffle the project cards and place them next to the game board, leaving space for the discard pile.
2.4 Player Preparation
- The player who recently won Terraforming Mars receives the first-player token.
- Players choose their colors, take their corresponding player tokens, and collect their player boards.
- Standard Game: Each player places one marker on "1" on each of the six production tracks.
- Each player also places one marker at the starting position (20) on the terraforming rating track.
2.5 Company Card Distribution
- New Players: Use the beginner company cards (with a colorless back), receive 42 million prestige points (M€), and draw ten project cards as their starting hand.
- Experienced Players: Shuffle ten standard company cards (excluding two corporate era companies) and deal two cards to each player.
2.6 Project Card Purchases
- Each player (except new players) receives ten project cards.
- Players decide which cards to keep (each costing 3 M€), discarding the rest face-down.
- Return discarded company cards to the box.
2.7 Initial Conditions
- Reveal the chosen company cards in player order, granting initial resources and production capacity.
- Pay 3 M€ for each retained project card.
- Note: Resources will be quite limited during the first few generations, so careful economic planning is essential.
2.8 Starting the Game
- During the first generation, skip both the player order phase and the research phase (already completed during setup).
- The first-player immediately moves to the Action Phase.
3. Gameplay
3.1 Generational Structure
The game is played in generations, with each generation consisting of four phases:
- Player Order Phase
- Research Phase
- Action Phase
- Production Phase
3.2 Player Order Phase
- The first-player marker moves one space clockwise.
- The generation marker advances one step on the terraforming rating track.
- The first generation skips this phase.
3.3 Research Phase
- Each player draws four cards and decides which ones to purchase (each costing 3 prestige points).
- Players may buy anywhere from 0 to 4 cards; any remaining cards are discarded face-down.
- There is no hand limit.
- The first generation skips this phase.
3.4 Action Phase
Players take turns performing one or two actions, or choosing to pass. Actions proceed clockwise until all players have passed.
Available Actions:
- A) Play cards from your hand
- B) Use standard projects
- C) Claim milestones
- D) Fund awards
- E) Use blue card abilities
- F) Convert eight plant resources into a greenery tile (increasing oxygen by 1 level)
- G) Convert eight heat resources into a temperature boost of 1 level
Passing Rule: Choosing not to perform any action means passing, and no further actions can be taken during that generation.
3.5 Production Phase
All players act simultaneously:
1. Energy-to-Heat Conversion: All remaining energy resources are converted into heat resources.
2. Income Generation: Earn M€ based on the terraforming rating (TR) plus M€ production capacity.
3. Resource Acquisition: Obtain corresponding resources according to the production capacity shown on your board.
4. Reset Action Cards: Remove usage markers from blue action cards.
Note: M€ income = TR + M€ production capacity (production capacity can be negative, with a minimum of -5).
4. Global Parameters
Temperature, oxygen levels, and oceans are the three major global parameters. Each time a global parameter is upgraded by one level, the Terraforming Rating (TR) also increases by one level.
| Parameter | Starting Value | Target Value | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temperature | -30°C | +8°C | Increases by 2°C each step, for a total of 19 steps |
| Oxygen Levels | 0% | 14% | Increases by 1% each step, for a total of 14 steps |
| Oceans | 9 tiles to be placed | All tiles placed | Placing each ocean tile raises TR by 1 level |
Bonus Steps: When a parameter reaches a specific threshold, additional rewards are granted (e.g., raising temperature when oxygen levels reach 8%).
After Meeting Thresholds: Players can still play cards that would increase this parameter, but the effect is ignored and does not raise TR.
End-of-Game Condition: The game ends after the current generation concludes (following the Production Phase) once all three parameters have reached their targets.
5. Resource System
5.1 Six Standard Resources
| Resource | Use | Special Rules |
|---|---|---|
| Million Euros (M€) | Pay for cards, standard projects, milestones, and awards | The only resource that can be negative (minimum -5) |
| Steel | Pay for cards with the Building tag | Each steel tile is worth 2 M€ |
| Titanium Alloy | Pay for cards with the Space tag | Each titanium alloy tile is worth 3 M€ |
| Plants | Convert into Greenery tiles | 8 plants = 1 greenery tile (increases oxygen levels) |
| Energy | Used by various cards | All energy turns into heat at the end of each generation |
| Heat | Converts into temperature boosts | 8 heat units = 1 level of temperature increase |
5.2 Resource Cube Specifications
- Copper cubes = 1
- Silver cubes = 5
- Gold cubes = 10
5.3 Non-Standard Resources
Some cards can generate special resources (such as animals or microorganisms). These resources are placed on the card that produces them, and their functions are defined by the card itself.
5.4 Capacity System
- Capacity is not limited to 10; multiple markers can be stacked.
- Example: If capacity increases from 19 to 22, place 2 markers on "10" and 1 marker on "2".
- M€ capacity is the only type of capacity that can go negative (minimum -5).
- Total income = TR + M€ capacity, and it will never be negative.
6. Tiles & Board
6.1 Ocean Tiles
- Can only be placed in the blue reserved areas on the board
- When placed, they increase TR by 1 level
- They do not belong to any player
- Each adjacent ocean tile grants the next placer a 2 M€ placement bonus
6.2 Greening Tiles
- Try to place them adjacent to your other tiles whenever possible
- If no suitable spot is available, they can be placed anywhere on the board
- The placing player's marker indicates ownership
- When placed, they increase oxygen levels by 1 (and TR by 1)
- At the end of the game: each greening tile is worth 1 VP, and also provides 1 VP for each adjacent city
6.3 City Tiles
- Cannot be placed next to other city tiles (except Noctis City, which must go in the reserved area)
- The placing player's marker indicates ownership
- At the end of the game: each city tile is worth 1 VP × the number of adjacent greening tiles (regardless of whose greening tiles they are)
6.4 Special Tiles
- Placed using specific cards; rules and restrictions are written on the card itself
- The placing player's marker indicates ownership
6.5 Placement Bonuses
When placing a tile, you may receive bonuses printed on the board (resources or drawing cards). If placed next to an ocean tile, you gain an additional 2 M€ for each adjacent ocean tile.
7. Card System
7.1 Card Types
| Type | Frame Color | Placement Method | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Event Card | Red | Played face-down into the personal event pile | Tags are only active when played |
| Automatic Card | Green | Stacked face-up, with only the top row visible | No subsequent effects; tags remain active |
| Active Card | Blue | Placed face-up, with the top panel visible | Has ongoing effects or available actions |
7.2 Card Structure
- Tag: A classification marker that can interact with other cards or player panels (e.g., building tags can be paid using steel)
- Cost: The number in the upper-left corner, to be paid when playing from hand
- Requirements: Conditions that must be met to play the card (parameter levels, specific tags, production capacity, etc.)
- Effect/Action: Ongoing effects or actions within the blue border (actions can be used once per generation)
- Immediate Effect: Executed immediately upon playing
- VP Icon: Used for end-of-game scoring
7.3 Steps for Playing a Card
- Check Requirements: Ensure the card's requirements are met and its effect can be executed
- Pay Costs: Use M€, steel, or titanium alloy (when carrying building/space tags)
- Execute Immediate Effects: Choose the order as desired
- Place the Card: Put it in the appropriate area according to its type
7.4 Special Rules
- Red-bordered icons: Can affect any player, including yourself
- Red-bordered resources: Can remove resources from any player (partially or fully)
- If a card has an asterisk (*), it is an exception to the rules—read the explanation in parentheses
7.5 Company Cards
- At the start of the game, each player selects one company card
- Company cards provide starting resources, production capacity, and special abilities
- Some companies have a fixed first action
8. Standard Projects
Standard projects are printed on the game board and can be used by all players; they may be activated multiple times per generation.
| Project | Cost | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Sell Patent | No fixed cost | Discard a number of cards from your hand and gain an equivalent amount of M€ |
| Power Plant | 11 M€ | Increase energy production by 1 |
| Asteroid | 14 M€ | Increase temperature by 1 (TR+1) |
| Aquifer | 18 M€ | Place 1 ocean tile (TR+1, gain placement bonus) |
| Greening | 23 M€ | Place 1 greening tile (increase oxygen by 1, TR+1, gain placement bonus) |
| City | 25 M€ | Place 1 city tile (gain placement bonus, increase M€ production by 1) |
(4 later sections are omitted here; see the Chinese page for the rest.)
Rules Q&A
Questions below are real questions players asked cunlema about this game; answers are ours, translated into English.
How are points calculated at the end of the game?
Triggering the End: When oxygen reaches 14%, temperature rises to +8°C, and there are 9 ocean tiles—all criteria are met—at the end of that generation, each player still has one last chance to convert plants into greenery, after which scoring takes place.
Total Score Composition:
- TR (Terraforming Rating, i.e., base score)
- Awards: 5 points for first place, 2 points for second place (no second-place award in a 2-player game)
- Milestones: 5 points for each milestone achieved
- Board Tiles: 1 point per green tile; each city earns 1 point for every adjacent green tile, regardless of ownership
- VPs on Cards
The player with the highest total score wins; in case of a tie, the player with the most M€ wins.
Solo Mode: A fixed 14 generations, requiring all three parameters to be met within those 14 rounds; milestones and awards are not used (nor are mechanisms like "points from rival research institutes" or "5 points per unfulfilled objective").
Terraforming Mars: Basic Rules plus Board Introduction?
Terraforming Mars: Basic Rules and Board Overview
First, let me clarify: the official English name of this game is Terraforming Mars, often translated as "Remaking Mars" or "Colonizing Mars," with identical core mechanics and rules. The following content is compiled based on the "Basic Rules (English Original)."
I. Game Objective (GAME OVERVIEW)
In this game, you control a corporation, purchasing and playing cards that describe various projects. These projects often directly or indirectly contribute to terraforming Mars, or they may represent different types of commercial enterprises.
Winning Condition: The player with the most prestige points (VP) at the end of the game wins. Prestige points come from:
- Your Terraforming Rating (TR)
- Tiles on your board
- Awards won and milestones claimed
- VP listed on the cards you play
> Source: "GAME OVERVIEW"
II. End-of-Game Conditions
The game enters the final scoring phase once all of the following global parameters have been met in the same generation:
- Oxygen level: 14%
- Temperature: +8°C
- Oceans: All nine ocean tiles have been placed
At this point, the Martian surface becomes habitable, and the game ends.
> Sources: "GAME OVERVIEW," "Final Scoring"
III. Board Overview (GAME BOARD)
The central game board features the following key areas:
1. Terraforming Rating (TR) Track: All players start at 20. This serves as your base income and score source; each time you modify the environment—raising temperature, oxygen levels, or placing oceans—you gain 1 TR point.
2. Generation Track: The generation marker starts at 1 and moves upward along the TR track, determining the number of rounds.
3. Oxygen Scale: A global parameter starting at 0% (Earth's oxygen level is 21% for comparison).
4. Ocean Tile Storage Area: Nine ocean tiles are initially stacked here, to be placed on the board during gameplay.
5. Temperature Scale: A global parameter (average equatorial temperature), starting at -30°C.
6. Bonus Steps: If you raise any parameter to a specific threshold, you'll receive corresponding bonus rewards.
… (condensed here; full text on the cunleme Chinese page)
What does placing a greenery tile add, and how many points of terraforming do you gain?
Conclusion: Placing a greenery tile will increase the oxygen level by 1, thereby also raising your Terraforming Rating (TR) by 1 point. At the same time, you claim the placement reward on that tile and place one of your player markers on it.
Specific Actions and Associated Benefits:
- Oxygen +1 level, which in turn boosts your global parameter TR +1 (each oxygen level increase corresponds to a certain TR boost).
- When placing, resolve any placement rewards for that area (if applicable).
- If the tile is adjacent to an ocean, you also receive the standard ocean adjacency bonus according to the general tile rules.
- End-of-game scoring: The greenery tile itself awards 1 prestige point; additionally, each greenery tile grants 1 prestige point to every adjacent city, regardless of whose tile it belongs to.
- Placement Rules: Whenever possible, place the greenery tile adjacent to one of your existing tiles; only if no such adjacent space is available—or if all adjacent spaces are occupied—may you place it on any other available space.
Conditions and Exceptions:
- If oxygen has already reached its maximum and cannot be further increased, then you will not gain this additional TR point—the rule explicitly states, "If oxygen cannot be raised, TR will not increase either."
- When oxygen reaches 8%, an additional bonus step on the tile is triggered (the rule mentions a bonus here, but the current text does not elaborate on its specific details or numerical values; no further clarification can be found in the rulebook).
This information is provided for reference only; in case of any discrepancies, please refer to the official rulebook and consult experienced players.
What are the microbiology-related cards?
The base deck contains more than one card with the "Microbe" tag, including at least:
Weathering Layer Devourer (033), Greenhouse Gas–Producing Bacteria (034), Ants (035), Archaea (042), Tardigrades (049), Virus (050), Virus Enhancement (074), Worms (130), Decomposers (131), Symbiotic Fungi (133), Extreme Cold Fungi (134), Insects (148), Creative Microbes (155), Nitrite-Reducing Bacteria (157), Industrial Microbes (158).
Among these, Industrial Microbe (158) costs 12, carries the "Microbe·Building" tag, and increases both electricity production and steel production by 1 level each.
Would you like a pictorial introduction?
Introduction to Terraforming Mars
I. Game Overview
> In Terraforming Mars, you control a corporation, and you buy and play cards describing different projects. The projects often directly or indirectly contribute to the terraforming process, but can also consist of business enterprises of different kinds.
In Terraforming Mars, you control a corporation, purchasing and playing cards that describe various projects—these projects either directly or indirectly advance the terraforming process, or may represent different types of commercial ventures. The game revolves around the central theme of Terraforming Mars: raising temperature, oxygen levels, and ocean coverage to make Mars habitable for humans.
> In order to win, you have to accumulate a good terraform rating (TR) and many victory points (VPs).
To win, you must accumulate both a high terraforming rating (TR) and numerous victory points (VPs).
II. Game Theme and Background
The game draws inspiration from Kim Stanley Robinson's "Red Mars" trilogy:
> FryxGames thanks:... We want to acknowledge Kim Stanley Robinson for great inspiration to this game in his Red Mars trilogy.
Players take on the roles of major corporations, participating in this grand competition to transform Mars by playing project cards, placing tiles, and vying for milestones and awards.
III. Core Mechanisms — Three Global Parameters
There are three key global parameters on the game board; once all three are met, the game ends:
- Temperature: Starting at -30°C, aiming for +8°C
- Oxygen: Starting at 0%, aiming for 14%
- Oceans: A total of 9 ocean tiles must be placed
> Your TR is increased each time you raise a global parameter (temperature, oxygen or ocean). Your TR determines your basic income, as well as your basic score. As the terraforming process proceeds, more projects become feasible.
Each time you improve one of these global parameters, your TR increases by 1—TR simultaneously determines your base income and base score. As the transformation progresses, additional projects become available.
IV. Gameplay — Generational Structure
… (condensed here; full text on the cunleme Chinese page)
Colonizing Mars with illustrated board introduction?
Here is the original text from the rulebook introducing the game board (The Map), with the bracketed content translated into Chinese and official image citations retained:
The Map
> The game board has an accurate map of the Tharsis region of Mars, including Valles Marineris and 3 of the 4 great volcanos. Only the region around Olympus Mons is missing. The areas reserved for Ocean tiles are low in elevation so water will naturally flow there. The plant bonuses around the equator simulate that the higher average temperature will make it easier for life to thrive there. Mountain ridges have steel and titanium bonuses, while other interesting sites may have a card draw bonus, like the Viking site where the first man-made lander touched down.
Original text:
> The game board has an accurate map of the Tharsis region of Mars, including Valles Marineris and 3 of the 4 great volcanos. Only the region around Olympus Mons is missing. The areas reserved for Ocean tiles are low in elevation so water will naturally flow there. The plant bonuses around the equator simulate that the higher average temperature will make it easier for life to thrive there. Mountain ridges have steel and titanium bonuses, while other interesting sites may have a card draw bonus, like the Viking site where the first man-made lander touched down.
Map image:
(Note: This image is taken from the "The Map" section of the basic rulebook and serves as the official illustration of the Terraforming Mars game board.)
This content is provided for reference only; in case of any discrepancies, please refer to the rulebook and advice from experienced players.
When the deck is exhausted and no end-of-game objective has been achieved, do you still draw cards?
Regarding "whether to draw cards after the deck is exhausted," let's start with the conclusion:
The rulebook does not specify any provisions for what to do when the project card deck runs out—it neither states that the discard pile should be shuffled back into a new deck, nor does it say that the game ends once the deck is empty. Therefore, this situation falls outside the scope of the rulebook and cannot be inferred arbitrarily.
The only relevant information explicitly stated in the rulebook is as follows:
1. The game ends only when global parameters are met, regardless of the deck.
The game concludes when all three global parameters are satisfied: oxygen at 14%, temperature at +8°C, and nine ocean tiles. Once these conditions are met, the game ends at the end of the current generation (after the production phase), followed by the end-of-game scoring. In other words, whether or not the deck has been exhausted does not, by itself, cause the game to end.
2. The standard procedure for "still drawing cards"
- During each generation's research phase, every player draws four cards and decides which ones to purchase (each costing 3 M€, with the option to buy anywhere from 0 to 4). Cards that are not purchased are placed face-down in the discard pile next to the deck. There is no upper limit on the number of cards in your hand.
- In the first generation, the research phase is skipped because the starting hand has already been drawn during setup.
- Effects on cards that say "draw 1 card" mean drawing directly into your hand without paying any cost.
3. The existence of the discard pile
During setup, the project cards are shuffled and placed next to the board, with space reserved for the discard pile. However, the rulebook only specifies two locations for decks, without addressing how to replenish or reset the deck once it is depleted.
… (condensed here; full text on the cunleme Chinese page)
What effect does the project explore in public?
Conclusion: In the base rules and basic card materials of Terraforming Mars, no card or effect named "Project Discussion" was found.
I searched the base rulebook, the basic FAQ, and the card lists from the base expansion (197 cards), but none of them contained a card with the name "Project Discussion." Similarly, no corresponding card was found using synonymous English keywords such as "Discussion" or "project-related terms."
Possible scenarios for your verification:
- This card might be a Chinese colloquial translation that differs from the official translation in the database. Cards in the base set with meanings close to "discussion," "meeting," or "negotiation"—such as "Business Contacts," "Sponsors," and "Business Network"—do exist, but their names and effects are all different, so they cannot be considered "Project Discussion."
- Alternatively, it may belong to one of the expansions (e.g., Venus, Colonies, Turmoil, CEO, etc.), which fall outside the scope of these basic rules and thus were not included.
If you can provide the card's original English name or card number, I can help confirm which expansion it belongs to and what its specific effect is. If you're certain you saw this card in the base set, please share its English name, and I'll double-check.
This information is for reference only; in case of any discrepancies, please refer to the official rulebook and consult experienced players.
How is scoring calculated in Terraforming Mars from the end of the game?
Add up the terraforming rating, the points on the cards, the tiles, and the milestones and rewards; the player with the highest total score wins.
What benefits does placing a greenery tile provide?
Increase the oxygen level and convert it into points; the exact reward will also be affected by adjacent bonuses and relevant card effects.
Rules, cards and Q&A (Chinese)
The rules, card data and player questions for this game are written in Chinese. Open the Chinese page to read them.
Where to find full rules
Full rules and card lookup are available in the cunlema app at cunlema.cn — pick this game and ask about any rule, card or turn you are unsure about.