| Game Type: Card Game
Author: Scott Schwartz and Aaron Toman
Publisher: Iron Bear Studios
Medium: 74 Card deck and rules
Price: $14.95
Reviewer: Logan L. Masterson There's nothing wrong with a good game of cards once in a while, and while this particular game doesn't represent the typical card game, it certainly is good.
Mission: I.S.S. is a game in which two to four players attempt to win the new space race by completing the International Space Station. Players choose one of the four major participants in the I.S.S. program—The United States, The European Union, Japan, or The former Soviet Union. The rules sheet, incidentally, lists the web addresses for several major I.S.S. participants for those wishing to learn more about the station and those involved in its construction.
Each player starts out with a booster, such as a space shuttle (the card depicts the Endeavor) or rocket, and five modules, including habitats, escape craft, and observation decks. The station hub rests in the middle of the play area, and everyone tries to get their payloads launched and in place, but they require funding and fuel to make it to orbit. This being a cooperative effort, players may trade money or fuel with one another. Each module requires a certain amount of money to produce and a certain amount of fuel to launch, based on intricacy and weight, respectively.
There are also four Action Cards, which add some spice to the mix. They are: Booster Failure, which naturally keeps a craft from reaching the station; Political Influence, which allows you to force another player to load your module instead of their own; Module Failure, which returns a module already in place to the player's deck; and Launch Delay, which (you guessed it!) delays a launch.
If it sounds simple, that's only because it is. It is also challenging and fun, especially for those interested in space and it's exploration.
The cards are nicely made, with 3-D renderings in bright color one every one. They're square, though, which makes good sense for a game laid out this way, but they're somewhat difficult to shuffle. Experienced players of CCG's should have no trouble, of course.
This game is fun-- it's full of tricks, but simple enough for youngsters. It's well made and well thought out, with enough permutations to keep experienced players interested. I recommend it highly. Ratings
Playability: 
Game Mechanics:
Presentation: Logan L. Masterson, 1/19/2003 | |
