1988 · Science Fiction

Merchant of Venus

Players act as space traders moving ships across a fixed map of interconnected systems to discover alien worlds and trade commodities. Movement uses a roll-and-move base modified by ship engine upgrades that allow skipping spaces; arriving at cities and spaceports enables buying and selling governed by a dynamic supply-and-demand system and by the species present at each world. Earnings buy new ships, ship upgrades (engines, shields, weapons), and infrastructure such as factories and spaceports that increase production or trading efficiency. The first player to reach a preset total value in cash and port/factory deeds wins. Variants add combat and solo options.

groupPlayers

1–6 best 4

schedulePlaying time

180 min

cakeAge

12+

psychologyComplexity

2.8 / 5