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Description
Welcome aboard and congrats on the promotion! Your "new" starship is ready to embark on its first big voyage. Just scrape off some of the rust, and she'll do fine. And that crew? Might look a little green around the edges, but they're your crew now. Make us proud.
The stars are calling...and adventure awaits!
As newly promoted Starship Captains, players are in command of their first starship and hungry to prove themselves in a galaxy full of space pirates, grumpy old androids, ancient artifacts, and interplanetary adventures.
In this 1-4 player Eurostyle game, which mixes action selection and engine building, you'll manage a diverse crew of cadets, ensigns, androids, and officers — each with different special roles and capabilities. By earning medals, you can promote and train your crew for even greater effectiveness. Similarly, you can upgrade your ship with powerful engine building technology for maximum synergy.
What will you do with this enhanced crew and ship? Explore an ever-shifting galaxy full of dangerous pirates and interplanetary missions in order to boost your reputation with three distinct galactic factions for bountiful rewards.
Do you have what it takes to deftly command your crew and become the best captain in the cosmos? We'll see!
—description from the publisher
Year Published
2022
Featured Videos
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 10
This page: 10
Sentiment:
pos 9 ·
mix 1 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–10 of 10
Video njRJm0zwYzI
Allies or Enemies general_discussion at 0:05 sentiment: positive
video_pk 61147 · mention_pk 153682
Click to watch at 0:05 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Terrific production values and faithful Star Trek theming
- Fast, intuitive rules; scales smoothly from 1 to 4 players
- Clear icons and a well-designed card row that communicates bonuses effectively
- High variability in setup and tech cards provides replay value and dynamic strategies
Cons
- Some components feel cheaper (e.g., cardboard ships, faction tokens)
- Interaction is comparatively passive; players may seek more direct competition
- Tokens and artifacts require flipping and mixing, which could be streamlined with bags or trays
Thematic elements
- Starfleet-style exploration and crew management within a space-opera universe, emphasizing discovery, technology, and frontier challenges
- A Trek-inspired galactic voyage featuring crew development, missions, and space exploration across a modular map with faction tracks
- celebratory, Trek-tinged homage with streamlined mechanics that foreground pacing and accessibility
Comparison games
- Star Wars
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Crew management and leveling — Cadets gain levels (Ensign -> Commander) enabling new abilities and, in the Commander tier, a double turn.
- end game bonuses — Completing missions grants Mission points and various bonuses, contributing to end-game totals.
- faction tracks — Three faction tracks provide points and other bonuses; interaction on these tracks is mostly indirect/passive.
- Missions and end-game scoring — Completing missions grants Mission points and various bonuses, contributing to end-game totals.
- Queue/turn-order flow — Crew advances along a queue, and round progression pushes most players' crews forward toward a final window.
- Room activation — On a turn, a player selects a room and moves a crew member of matching color to perform that room's action.
- Ship movement and planet interaction — The Helm allows ship movement; landing on planets yields bonuses and potential missions.
- Solo mode with Captain Shadow — A single-player mode against a bot that refreshes missions and tech cards, sometimes engaging pirates and introducing unique passengers.
- Tech cards and deck variability — Tech cards provide bonuses and actions; different decks create subtle shifts in strategy and flow.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Starship captains will certainly bring people in with its terrific production and its theme and that theme really does shine through
- a lighter game than some might expect however given the publisher and all the stuff on the table but that isn't necessarily a negative
- this Star Trek themed experience the plays in about an hour has some interesting buttons to press and has a solid production
- the pluses far outweigh the few minuses
- Star Trek is more Trek than Wars, which is a fitting framing for this design
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 5QRR3ANR0TY
Allies or Enemies top_22_list at 9:32 sentiment: positive
video_pk 61145 · mention_pk 153665
Click to watch at 9:32 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- fun roster mechanic
- satisfying spatial/track manipulation
Cons
- the roster mechanic may feel fiddly to some players
Thematic elements
- mission-based crew management and action execution
- science fiction ship crew (red/blue/yellow workers) in a Star Trek-inspired setting
- character roster and roster management
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- roster push mechanic — at the end of each round, push crew along a track to form the next roster.
- worker placement — send crew to rooms to perform actions and complete missions.
- worker placement and action activation — send crew to rooms to perform actions and complete missions.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's such a good Gateway game
- the art on the cards looks fantastic
- it's one of those simple flip and write games that you just want to play again and again
- the lazy Susan is genius
- Planet Unknown just knocks our socks off
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video j2vb2MFZBQE
Stonemire Games top_10_list at 4:36 sentiment: positive
video_pk 39765 · mention_pk 120027
Click to watch at 4:36 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Thematically rich with space-tactical flavor
- Discounts can lead to powerful chain actions and create engine-building feel
Cons
- Complex to learn, multiple card interactions require careful tracking
Thematic elements
- Space opera and base-management with crew promotions
- Space exploration and starship management with cadets and crew.
- Thematic and space-adventure oriented
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card-driven engine with discounts on promotions — Certain tech cards when installed provide discounts to promote cadets to higher ranks.
- Crew management and promotions — Promote cadets to ensigns or commanders to unlock more actions.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Skyler: My favorite game featuring ongoing discounts is Flamecraft.
- Dylan: This is my favorite of the West Kingdom trilogy, and managing ongoing discounts is a major key to success in the game.
- Aaron: Space the final frontier. These are the voyages of whatever you name your ship.
- Caitlyn: In Ark Nova, you can claim partner zoos in four of the five continents. And whenever you play an animal into your zoo that matches one of your partner zoos, you get a three credit discount on the animals cost.
- Skyler: This creates a very low conflict environment where everyone helps to improve the town, making it awesome for families.
- Jamie: Lord of the Rings Duel for Middle-earth really got me thinking about the decision space of do I spend money on a card now or wait to get the resource that a card provides so I don't have to pay it in the future.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video pjgLi1W2rSU
Board Stupid top_10_list at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 33100 · mention_pk 98210
Click to watch at 0:00 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
very positive
Pros
- highly modular with lots of variety in crew composition
- engaging action queuing and upgrade tracks
- ample room for emergent storytelling via missions
Cons
- some players may find the sandbox approach less focused
- could benefit from a clearer campaign arc
Thematic elements
- crew composition, mission selection, upgrade loops
- comic sci-fi space opera with ship-wide crew management
- sandbox-ish but mission-driven
Comparison games
- Galaxy Trucker
- Dune: Imperium
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- action drafting with colored crew — players draft and assign crew with different specialties to perform missions.
- Action Queue — turn order and mission flow depend on the chosen action order.
- queue-based action resolution — turn order and mission flow depend on the chosen action order.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- It's subjective if you've not tried pu me4 ranking engine which presents two different options of games out of the list.
- The best racing game of that pure style; Heat pedal to the metal is a standout.
- This is one of those games that's easy to pick up and play but if you manage to get to grips with the action queuing you can get some really satisfying interactions.
- Terraforming Mars is a heavy game with a dense drafting layer but incredibly rewarding.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 4Kh0LlVqdpU
Unknown Channel unboxing_and_impressions at 26:42 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12799 · mention_pk 37343
Click to watch at 26:42 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Gorgeous artwork and minis
- Strong thematic homage with expansion potential
Cons
- Complex setup and a heavy component load
- May be on the heavier side for casual players
Thematic elements
- Space opera homage with crew choices
- Starship crew with Trek-inspired homage
- Thematic with sci-fi flavor
Comparison games
- Endless Winter
- Northgard Uncharted Lands
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Asymmetric player boards — each captain has a distinct board with unique abilities
- deck-building/hand management — cards provide ship actions and crew orders
- dice and tokens — special dice and tokens drive actions
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Spaceballs is comedic gold
- the theme is so strong
- I hate stickers
- this is going to be a very rules intensive game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video c7ViLWCKYWs
Rolling Dice and Taking Names general_discussion at 1:13:30 sentiment: positive
video_pk 7359 · mention_pk 21770
Click to watch at 1:13:30 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- innovative worker-placement-like layer on a deck-builder
- strong theme integration
Cons
- setup can be fiddly for beginners
- rule explanations can be verbose
Thematic elements
- work-placement meets deck-building in a cooperative/competitive mix
- space opera with exploration and fleet action
- thematic, faction-driven with variable goals
Comparison games
- Gauntlet
- Everdell
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Deck building — build a hand to perform actions, fight, and advance
- deck-building — build a hand to perform actions, fight, and advance
- mission and board flow — complete missions to earn points and trigger new opportunities
- Work replacement — draft colored workers to roles and perform missions
- worker placement — draft colored workers to roles and perform missions
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- you're not going to make them do the 45 minute history lesson
- the kickstarter's three two three two three two three
- this is a vast playground for cooperative and competitive play alike
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Bb9B7OB4XYE
Three Minute Board Game game_review at 0:16 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 6997 · mention_pk 20731
Click to watch at 0:16 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Epilogue chart is a standout feature that adds flavor and closure
- Thematic visuals and crew sculpts are appealing
- Tech-card combinations and engine-building create satisfying synergies
- Mini-game racing mechanics on the action tracks feel fun and thematic
- Lightweight, tongue-in-cheek tone that fits a short session
Cons
- Design feels busy and possibly overwhelming for casual players
- Ambiguity about target audience: family-friendly filler vs Euro-style engine-builder
- Depth may be shallower relative to expectations for some players
Thematic elements
- Tongue-in-cheek sci-fi adventure; missions and factions
- Space, galaxy exploration with ships and crews
- Humorous, light-hearted
Comparison games
- Xia: Legends of a Drift System
- Space Cadets
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Action selection / worker placement — Players place crew to take a variety of actions (repair, claim tech, attack pirates, move, complete missions).
- Combat / pirate encounters — Defeat pirate ships to gain rewards and trophies; trophies (e.g., tin can robots) interact with missions.
- Crew management / color system — Crew must be assigned by color; medals can change crew colors to access actions; damaged areas limit options.
- engine building — Collect tech cards to build an engine on a shared tech board, enabling powerful combo interactions.
- Engine-building / technology cards — Collect tech cards to build an engine on a shared tech board, enabling powerful combo interactions.
- Missions and scoring — Take missions on planets and resolve them to gain victory points; red markers and region tracking influence scoring.
- Resource rewards and officer upgrades — Artifacts/robots and medals fuel actions; medals can upgrade crew to officers who grant bonus actions.
- Track-based progression and epilogue — Rewards and events move along tracks; end-of-round crew rotation and an epilogue chart shape late-game scoring.
- worker placement — Players place crew to take a variety of actions (repair, claim tech, attack pirates, move, complete missions).
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- epilogue chart is the best thing about this game
- Combos and special powers to your advantage
- I like the overall look of the game and the crew sculpts
- Starship Captains sets out to deliver a lightweight tongue-in-cheek game where you are exploring space and completing missions
- awkward place as a design too busy to be very casual friendly and a bit too shallow to really sink your teeth into
- it's not casual friendly 30 minute filler or Euro game with tech trees and engine building
- Starship captains roddenberries get it
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 2N9NeT5utww
Rolling Dice and Taking Names general_discussion at 25:05 sentiment: positive
video_pk 5496 · mention_pk 16370
Click to watch at 25:05 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Innovative Ready Room/Queue worker flow that supports strategic planning
- Clear color-coding of workers aiding tactical decisions
- Production quality noted with dual-layer boards
Cons
- Market/tech card load can feel cluttered and potentially stale without expansion
- Learning curve for new players due to multiple interacting systems
Thematic elements
- space exploration, piracy, mission-driven play
- Outer space, starship exploration
- campaign-like, mission-driven
Comparison games
- Star Realms
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- deck-building — Cards in deck provide resources, attack, and positional advantages; some cards require matching colors.
- market drafting — Acquire ships, tech, and artifacts to improve your fleet and capabilities.
- mission/away mission system — Missions require color-matched workers; rewards and pirate encounters drive progression.
- worker placement — Cadets, Androids, and Ensigns are assigned to actions via a Ready Room/Queue system.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I really liked this game
- bottom line I really liked this game
- the market of cards has three types of cards
- it's a puzzle based on the cards that you have
- this is a light game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Tct99zQG_PU
Board Game Spotlight general_discussion at 33:22 sentiment: positive
video_pk 4730 · mention_pk 13793
Click to watch at 33:22 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- neat theme
- accessible to new players
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- captaining a starship; crew-based missions
- space exploration
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- worker placement — use different crew to perform actions; multiple action options
- worker replacement / action selection — use different crew to perform actions; multiple action options
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- we have 50 000 people there all these brand new games and you know what it really does come down to is relationships and friendships
- Twilight Inscription is a thing
- don't even try to win
- meeting new people and getting outside your little bubble of friends
- these memories you make with people stick with you forever
- the fact that we can connect through games and through technology and then when you do see each other in real life it's a trip
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video XQt6JdOLtEs
Board Game Coffee general_discussion at 16:21 sentiment: positive
video_pk 4618 · mention_pk 13515
Click to watch at 16:21 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- cool track mechanism for moving crew
- planet missions and color-matching bonuses add strategy
Cons
- complexity may derail first-time players
- learning curve could be steep in a busy con setting
Thematic elements
- aboard a starship with a crew managing missions and repairs
- spacefaring civilization with a ship tableau
- tableau-building and crew management with sci-fi tropes
Comparison games
- Starship Captains (nonexistent alternative title)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- crew placement on a ship tableau — players assign crew to different positions to perform actions
- planet exploration — sending colored crew to planets yields color-matched bonuses
- resource/track-based bonuses — points and bonuses are advanced via tracks and cards earned in missions
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the matrix mechanic changes how you buy and when you fight—adds tension
- it's cool that you must exit the matrix to buy and upgrade—adds tension
- the Goooddies minis look great on the table
- hourglass mechanic in kite game is a tension-builder
- the art and components feel premium in Gutenberg
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–10 of 10