Terraforming Mars: Venus Next
Official Description:
Terraforming Mars: Venus Next is the second expansion for the Terraforming Mars base game. In this expansion, players are tasked with making Venus habitable in addition to Mars. The game introduces new project cards, corporations, and a sideboard for Venus, where players can build flying cities and make the atmosphere more hospitable.
Players will work together and compete to raise the Venus scale, which is a new global parameter alongside the original three on Mars. The expansion adds new strategies and options, allowing for more diverse gameplay and increased replayability. The Venus board and associated cards integrate seamlessly with the base game, providing additional layers of complexity and decision-making.
Overall, Venus Next expands the scope of Terraforming Mars by introducing new challenges and opportunities. Players must balance their efforts between Mars and Venus, utilizing new cards and corporations to maximize their terraforming potential and score. The expansion is designed to enhance the core experience while maintaining the cooperative and competitive dynamics of the original game.
Venus Next remains a frequent table request because it injects new tactical layers without bogging down the core Terraforming Mars engine. The addition of floating resources, microbe synergies, and the Venus track creates a fresh axis for engine-builders who want more than just the standard three global parameters. The World Government phase is a subtle but effective pacing lever—veterans appreciate how it nudges the game toward a timely finish, even if it doesn’t directly reward players. The expansion’s appeal is in how it broadens the decision space: you’re not just optimizing Mars, but juggling atmospheric progress and new project synergies, all while keeping an eye on the endgame trigger. That’s why it’s still in heavy rotation—there’s always a new angle to explore, and the added complexity feels earned, not tacked on.
From a logistics standpoint, Venus Next is a model of expansion design. The Venus board and milestone/award tiles slot into the base box with no fuss, and the new cards shuffle directly into the main deck—no separate piles or fiddly overlays. Setup is a 15-minute affair, assuming you’ve got a sorted collection, and teardown is just as painless. For a 120-minute session, this is a main event title, not a filler. You’ll want a dedicated table and a group ready to commit for the evening. The physical footprint is manageable, but you’ll need to keep an eye on the extra board and tiles to avoid mid-game clutter.
Teaching Venus Next is a technical exercise—this isn’t a quick teach, and it benefits from a lead who can field questions about the new global parameter and the World Government phase. Once the first round is underway, experienced groups can self-manage, but newer players will need reminders about the Venus track’s role and the timing of the World Government step. The competitive interaction remains indirect, with most friction coming from racing for milestones and awards rather than direct take-that. This keeps the room focused and engaged, but not combative. The expansion’s low cognitive load means you can circulate between tables after the teach, confident that the game will run itself—ideal for multi-table events or larger game nights.
MY score
8
Our Total Plays
19
Last PLayed
06 Dec 25
🚀 High Velocity
Player Count
1-5
Playtime
120 mins
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