Cosmic Run

Cosmic run is basically a Yahtzee-like race with dice manipulation and some set collection. You are trying to race to 5 planets before they are destroyed by asteroid. Each planet has a different condition for getting closer to it and each one awards points for moving up the track to the planet. The person with the most points wins.

On your turn you roll 6 dice: 3 white, 2 red and 1 blue. Depending on the number of players, the totals of the red dice tells you if a planet is hit by an asteroid. The blue dice indicates which planet is struck. After you see what planet is struck, you get to assign dice. When assigning dice you must assign at least 1 dice and up to all 6. After assigning your dice you reroll any extra then assign again. This repeats until you have placed all 6 dice. There are three locations you can assign dice: planet tracks, alien cards, and tech tree.

Each planet track requires a certain number of same pipped dice. For example the 3rd planet requires 3 dice of the same pips to move up 1 space on the planet track.

The alien cards all require different dice combinations in order to add them to your “crew”. The alien cards help you manipulate the dice and getting combinations of alien cards gives you points. Additionally each card gives you an ability, like rerolling dice, moving dice, adding or subtracting from dice pips, etc.

Additionally, you can assign any die to the tech tree which give you one time abilities like mining, re-rolling, acquiring alien cards, etc

Lastly there are opportunities to “mine” or get a random token that can give somewhere between 1-3 points each.

Dice rolling, racing, pushing your luck, dice manipulation, these are the main parts of the game.

I like:
-different ways to place dice
-dice manipulation
-race like feel against opponents AND asteroids
-Unlikely you will completely waste a turn
-fast turns
-push your luck is done real well

Meh:
-It’s dice rolling so lots of randomness
-not super deep decisions
-best with 2-3
-interaction only through competition of planets and aliens

I don’t like:
-Random asteroids can radically change how the game goes. Most of the time it’s fine, but could possibly shorten the game radically.
-losing a turn if you lose more points than you have seems really harsh. Like beating a dead horse? We just don’t use this rule and use negative points.

There are nice choices of how to use the dice and with the tech card, there is rarely a completely wasted turn. There isn’t really player interaction but you are trying to beat the players to the planets so there is quite a bit of indirect player interaction. Someone’s progress on the planet track (or threat of losing a planet to an asteroid strike) may cause you to change your strategy from a different planet and force you to try to push your luck so that you get some points before they score. Or you may concede that planet and go after alien cards in hopes of manipulating dice for a different planet later. Turns are fast, but I wouldn’t play with more than 3 players, and it may be best with 2 since it allows for more planning and give you time to react.

I think this game is fun and I like playing it. It’s a great family game, one you can play 2 games of without it overstaying it’s welcome. It is currently out of print and soon will be remade and improved upon but I feel like the flaws aren’t ones that need fixing. This is a game that is lightweight, offers fun choices a race like feel, and is fast. All in all I’m happy to have this game and when the new version comes out, I would recommend picking up a copy.