Game Info
Year
2020
Collection
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Expansions & Family
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Description
In Terraforming Mars: Prelude, you get to choose from Prelude cards that jumpstart the terraforming process, or boost your corporation engine. There are also 5 new corporations, and 7 project cards that thematically fit the early stages of terraforming.
Terraforming Mars: Prelude is the third expansion to the smash-hit game, Terraforming Mars, and can be combined with any other expansion variant.
Terraforming Mars Family
(6 games)
Part of the Terraforming Mars family — see Terraforming Mars for the combined view.
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All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 8
This page: 8
Sentiment:
pos 6 ·
mix 0 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–8 of 8
Video 0y_tPAKindM
Rolling Dice & Taking Names Top List at 4:44 sentiment: positive
video_pk 93511 · mention_pk 253140
Click to watch at 4:44 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- still popular
- inexpensive expansion
- adds five new corporations and seven new project cards
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
- Terraforming Mars
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- personally I love the Arkham Horror card game I've played a lot of strategy games and I've played a lot of narrative games this is one game that really merges those two well together so I'm glad to see that this game is still as popular as what it is
- I think it's one of those games you really need to experience
- I highly recommend it if you haven't checked it out because right now it may be my favorite game of 2018
- every deck that you buy is unique nobody else has it this makes each deck feel different and unique from anybody else that you're going to play against it also helps eliminate that need for chasing cards and deck building as you just take the deck out of the box and start playing right there
- I'm just amazed at how fast this game is taken off people are excited about it they've put in their pre-order for it now they're just waiting to see if they like it
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 3x64eDNOb-A
Rolling Dice & Taking Names Top List at 6:53 sentiment: positive
video_pk 93507 · mention_pk 253109
Click to watch at 6:53 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- It's an expansion for a very popular game that continues to sell well years after its release.
- People love the base game and likely purchase expansions for it.
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Terraforming a planet.
- Mars colonization
Comparison games
- Terraforming Mars
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- my leadoff question to the segment is going to be answered right now because coming in at number 10 and dropping eight spaces is the key for charkh on Dec
- this is a game that I got to saw preview at dice tower con and there was a lot of buzz around it so if you're interested go pre-order it now because it's supposed to be out this month
- this is a game that appeared in the top 10 list last month and it was so popular that I thought I need to try this game so I went out and bought myself a copy hath not had a chance to play it yet but I can't wait to try it out because I've heard so many good things about it and it's in the top 10 for this tube two consecutive months
- my wife made me a homemade copy of Azul using ticket to ride trains so we could feel like we're a part of the board gaming hotness
- must be an extremely popular game and I'm sure with it being the Halloween but a lot of people are getting into Lovecraftian games
- I've had a chance to play this game and this is one of my favorite of that style game
- well Brian miniature Market will be sending your friend Jake a copy of that game and I've played this game and it really is one of the best comic based board games I've played in a while
- I love the designer I highly recommend checking it out
- this card game that took the community by storm earlier this year is as hot as ever it's an easy game to learn easy game to play it's one of those that you can just get out and play any time I can totally understand why this game is so hot I guess eventually everybody's gonna have a copy of this thing
- this game is crazy after all these years and all these expansions everything associated that game is just super hot people love this game and my local game store I see it play it all the time all my local friends have a copy of this game and I'm sure they probably got this expansion too so if you have a copy of terraforming Mars you need to add this to your collection
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 3szP8OKMJD0
Allies or Enemies Top 10 List at 6:27 sentiment: positive
video_pk 87815 · mention_pk 230161
Click to watch at 6:27 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Genius approach to speed up the early game
- Adds new tech bonuses and spice that change early planning
- Widely regarded as essential for Terraforming Mars
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- terraforming and engine-building acceleration
- Mars, rapid escalated start
- accelerated ramp-up with prelude cards
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card Drafting — new tech-style cards provide early bonuses and strategies
- Engine Building — prelude accelerates your engine setup for faster play
- engine-building — prelude accelerates your engine setup for faster play
- Resource Management — efficiently leveraging early bonuses to fuel later actions
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's genius
- start you hit the ground running and the game's immediately interesting and immediately fun
- this is the perfect expansion
- it's the ultimate sandbox work rep placement game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video xgSfM6ORNrQ
Board Game Critique Review at 0:36 sentiment: positive
video_pk 82490 · mention_pk 207227
Click to watch at 0:36 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Significantly speeds up the early game, removing boring first generations
- Introduces cohesive early-game strategy from turn one
- 35 Prelude cards cover a wide range of early-game goals
- Restructures solo mode for a more kinetic experience
Cons
- Adds complexity to deck-building decisions at game start (though claimed minimal)
- Some players may feel base game without Prelude is less streamlined
Thematic elements
- rapid acceleration of engine-building and resource generation
- Mars terraforming context; early terraforming operations
- directive reconfiguration of opening turns
Comparison games
- Terraforming Mars
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Immediate production and resource boosts — Starting boosts to production, terraforming rating, and sometimes board placement effects
- New corporations with starter synergies — Five new corporations that shape early-game strategy
- Prelude card drafting — Deal four Prelude cards at the start, pick two to influence your opening economy
- Smaller but impactful early-game bottleneck fixes — Preludes specifically target early bottlenecks (e.g., Bofuels, Molehole, Great Aquifer, Supply Drop)
- Solo-mode restructuring — TR63 variants and a new standard project to support solo play
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- This is the expansion that solves the biggest pacing problem I've ever encountered in a board game.
- Prelude eliminates Terraforming Mars' sluggish opening.
- Valhalla transforms warrior death from punishing setback to strategic opportunity.
- There’s no single dominant path. Invest heavily in dreadnots purchased with Solari, IXIN tech purchased with Spice, or traditional influence track pursuit.
- The Globe Trotters bonus card awards 15 points to whoever completes the most destination tickets, incentivizing midgame risks rather than playing it safe.
- Intrigue is pure deck building. It adds 26 kingdom cards.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video rfjyLoiaMio
Meeple University Rules Teach at 2:00
video_pk 70753 · mention_pk 221505
Click to watch at 2:00 · YouTube ↗
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
- Prelude expansion adds quicker starts with extra resources
- Mars
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Prelude card draw — draw four Prelude cards and choose two for free, played before the first generation
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- since its release terraforming Mars has spawned several expansions and variants
- The Prelude expansion provides a quicker and more variable start to the game by giving players moderately powerful extra resource cards on top of their corporation benefits
- Prelude components have this icon in the starting card draw you additionally draw four Prelude cards and choose two for free
- Venus components show this icon
- Venus board with its new Global parameter and special City locations
- Hostile venusian surface means there is no map
- you'll play with two more Colony tiles than there are players in the game or you'll use five in a two-player game
- there are six parties one of the six parties will be ruling initially
- the dominant party becomes the ruling party
- the first delegate in a party becomes its leader and that position can be usurped by another player with strictly more delegates
- turmoil adds project cards with turmoil specific prerequisites
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video UNHEWgi1j6M
Meeple University Review at 8:59
video_pk 69985 · mention_pk 236949
Click to watch at 8:59 · YouTube ↗
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
Comparison games
- Terraforming Mars
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Prelude concept — Mentioned as a parallel expansion concept within Terraforming Mars discussions.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I want to see the wingspan Antarctica expansion
- the Asia pack is designed to be a standalone box you can just get it and play it
- it's Standalone or expansion
- six or seven player compatibility and that's what comes in here so it's called flock mode
- you've got the two groups that are playing simultaneously
- the duet board
- there are no new mechanisms on these birds so if you've played the original that we've seen
- the egg is in a different color
- it adds a small amount of variety without changing anything
- it doesn't feel uh tremendously different to original wingspan
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video RP6JHCDqo8o
Rolls in the Family Top 10 List at 3:47 sentiment: positive
video_pk 34531 · mention_pk 102824
Click to watch at 3:47 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- creates a dramatic early game moment and direction
- great for teaching new players with clear direction
Cons
- slight tilt toward specific strategies
- not adding complexity beyond Prelude cards
Thematic elements
- early engine-building push
- Mars terraforming prelude phase
- boosts with quick-start strategy
Comparison games
- Terraforming Mars (base game)
- Terraforming Mars: Prelude 2 (anticipated)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Engine Building — accelerates early terraforming with tailored starts.
- engine_building — accelerates early terraforming with tailored starts.
- prelude_cards — start the game with powerful asymmetrical choices.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- the Builder's the one that like gives you double turns
- opens up that delivery phase ... there’s a network of cities
- Prelude cards that give you good stuff
- pivotal moments in Twilight Imperium games
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Dxek97u707I
The Board Gaming Doctor Discussion at 3:24 sentiment: positive
video_pk 33274 · mention_pk 98793
Click to watch at 3:24 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Adds speed and variability to the base game
- Enhances replay value
Cons
- Optional expansion; may add complexity
Thematic elements
- Corporate strategy; acceleration of terraforming
- Early-stage terraforming of Mars
- Strategic, optimization-driven
Comparison games
- Evolution
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card-based engine acceleration — Prelude cards accelerate terraforming and corporate setup
- Engine Building — Prelude cards accelerate terraforming and corporate setup
- variable starting powers — New corporations and projects change early-game dynamics
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- The objective is to score points by forming colored areas of at least five adjacent cards while adhering to specific grouping rules for each value.
- Butterflies on certain cards earn points if adjacent to a card of their color.
- Evolution has over 4,000 ways to evolve their species.
- Presents players with tactical choices to outmaneuver opponents and secure Victory.
- Prelude cards that accelerate the terraforming process or enhance players' corporations at the game's outset.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Showing 1–8 of 8