iOS Game - Galaxy Trucker (2014) [/]
May 10 2021
Galaxy Trucker is an iOS adaptation of the Galaxy Trucker board game. I haven't played the board game but the iOS version is very board game-like.
The objective of each game is to get cargo from A to B while competing with other players.
First you start configuring your ship. You have a ship outline. Module cards are set out on the table and everybody is picking modules simultaneously so you have to be quick. Get weapons, engines, shields, batteries, crew quarters and cargo modules. Each square module side has zero or one of three types of connectors and module connectors have to match up. Once someone finishes everyone else has 90 seconds to complete their ship.
Then you go on your run. Ships start out on a track with the first player to have finished building being the first ship on the track.
There are eight random events during the run. Could be a hazard, like a pirate attack or asteroid field. Could be an opportunity, like planets with cargo to pick up or an abandoned ship to explore. The first player gets first choice on the event. Some events only one player can do it and some events have multiple options and players choose in order. Doing an event takes time which can move your ship back.
Events with bad effects can do damage to your ship. You might be able to defend with a well placed laser (lasers fire straight) or with a shield (which protects two sides). Otherwise a module gets destroyed and if modules become disconnected from the core they become disabled.
Events seem to be fairly even between good and bad so even with bad luck you probably only lose three or four modules, which can pretty much wreck your ship.
In the finish you get money for cargo you deliver with bonuses for coming in first, second, etc. Subtract if you have destroyed modules to get a profit or loss.
I started the campaign which adds an area to explore. As you visit each planet you can talk to people and get cargo jobs and I suppose there is a plot to finish.
It's a polished app though I think I'd rather play the board game because then I can change the rules. I hate the ship build phase because of the time pressure so I'd change that to turn based (pick a tile and use it or put it back in the pool). Otherwise it's an entertaining game.
The objective of each game is to get cargo from A to B while competing with other players.
First you start configuring your ship. You have a ship outline. Module cards are set out on the table and everybody is picking modules simultaneously so you have to be quick. Get weapons, engines, shields, batteries, crew quarters and cargo modules. Each square module side has zero or one of three types of connectors and module connectors have to match up. Once someone finishes everyone else has 90 seconds to complete their ship.
Then you go on your run. Ships start out on a track with the first player to have finished building being the first ship on the track.
There are eight random events during the run. Could be a hazard, like a pirate attack or asteroid field. Could be an opportunity, like planets with cargo to pick up or an abandoned ship to explore. The first player gets first choice on the event. Some events only one player can do it and some events have multiple options and players choose in order. Doing an event takes time which can move your ship back.
Events with bad effects can do damage to your ship. You might be able to defend with a well placed laser (lasers fire straight) or with a shield (which protects two sides). Otherwise a module gets destroyed and if modules become disconnected from the core they become disabled.
Events seem to be fairly even between good and bad so even with bad luck you probably only lose three or four modules, which can pretty much wreck your ship.
In the finish you get money for cargo you deliver with bonuses for coming in first, second, etc. Subtract if you have destroyed modules to get a profit or loss.
I started the campaign which adds an area to explore. As you visit each planet you can talk to people and get cargo jobs and I suppose there is a plot to finish.
It's a polished app though I think I'd rather play the board game because then I can change the rules. I hate the ship build phase because of the time pressure so I'd change that to turn based (pick a tile and use it or put it back in the pool). Otherwise it's an entertaining game.