Space Alert

Game of the Year 2009: Special Prize " New Game Worlds"

Space Alert is a collaborative real-time board game.

The player, as newly trained cadets must accompany their spaceship the " Tontaubenklasse " on a 10-minute exploration mission. The sole task is to defend the ship against any attacker, what you activate shields, multiple weapons and fighting robot (for intruders ), and must provide the required energy available. There are three buttons (A to C) in each of the six cabins of the ship, between which move the player.

The game is divided into two phases:

• The first phase is played in real time, so actually lasts only 10 minutes, during which a CD is playing, heralding the dangers. The risks themselves are determined by cards, so no game is like the other. In these 10 minutes, the players have up to 12 actions to plan and coordinate, so that they take place at the right time. Each player can move in an action or press a button. The actions are laid down covered by each player and may not be changed after a certain date. In order not to let get out of hand discussions, a player is determined as the captain who always holds the final decision.
• In the second phase, the actions are evaluated, the mission quasi again at rest ( by a detailed schedule ) played through. Here only it turns out that the crew survived the flight or not, so have lost or gained the players. For professionals there is the possibility of a points score and play on maximum points.

Although there are only three buttons each in six rooms, only 12 actions have to be planned, and yet can help up to 5 players, Space Alert is one of the most difficult cooperation games. The enormous pressure of time in which the same number of hazards that have different special abilities, must be fought regularly coordinated leads to hectic and loud Abstimmgesprächen. It is therefore recommended as a person " communications officer " to determine the attention mainly of CD listening, otherwise danger warnings are easily ignored.

The game can be easily adjusted to a desired level of difficulty, as there are 4 levels of danger that can be used at will, as can be shortened to schedule actions and the duration from 10 to 7 minutes and from 12 to 7.

Extensions

Since 2011, the German version of the first expansion for Space Alert is commercially available. It is entitled " The final frontier " (English title "The New Frontier "). Hereby the basic game receives new threats that are so powerful that they include all trajectories. The biggest changes are but the new experience system and specializations which provide the game an almost playful dimension role. For example, it is possible to make players to rocket experts pulse gunner, medic or teleporter, all with individual, increased at skills.