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89% positive over last 12 months
Cosmic Encounter 42nd Anniversary Edition Board Game - Classic Strategy Game of Intergalactic Conquest for Kids and Adults, Ages 14+, 3-5 Players, 1-2 Hour Playtime, Made by Fantasy Flight Games
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Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges
Learn more about free returns.- Go to your orders and start the return
- Select the return method
- Ship it!
Return this item for free
Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges
Learn more about free returns.- Go to your orders and start the return
- Select the return method
- Ship it!
Return this item for free
Free returns are available for the shipping address you chose. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges
Learn more about free returns.- Go to your orders and start the return
- Select the return method
- Ship it!
Purchase options and add-ons
- DIPLOMACY AND STRATEGY: Enter the world of Cosmic Encounter, where diplomacy, strategy, and alliances are key to galactic conquest.
- INTERSTELLAR COMPETITION: Lead your alien species in a quest to colonize foreign planets, but remember, every planet is ruled by someone, and you must use diplomacy or war to expand your empire.
- EVER-CHANGING GAMEPLAY: With a new species joining the classic alien lineup, each game offers a unique experience, ensuring no two games are alike.
- CUSTOMIZE YOUR EXPERIENCE: Cosmic Combos allow for themed matchups and customization, making the game suitable for various numbers of players.
- SUPREMACY AWAITS: Forge alliances, defeat your enemies, and secure your species' supremacy in this engaging and competitive board game.
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Product information
Product Dimensions | 11.5 x 2.75 x 11.5 inches |
---|---|
Item Weight | 3.87 pounds |
Country of Origin | China |
ASIN | 1589944968 |
Item model number | CE01 |
Manufacturer recommended age | 15 years and up |
Best Sellers Rank | #59,426 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games) #1,790 in Board Games (Toys & Games) |
Customer Reviews |
4.8 out of 5 stars |
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | Yes |
Release date | March 1, 2018 |
Language | Castilian |
Manufacturer | Fantasy Flight Publishing |
Warranty & Support
Feedback
Product Description
Product Description
Colonize the galaxy in cosmic encounter! This game of interstellar exploration, negotiation, and conflict invites three to five players to lead their own unique alien civilizations as they seek to spread across the stars. But every Planet is ruled by someone, and the only way to expand your cosmic colonies is through either diplomacy or war. By establishing colonies on five planets beyond the reaches of your home system, You will safeguard the future of your species and earn victory. But if you fail, you will fall into the Black Abyss of space! Every game of cosmic encounter is different, and the tables can turn in an instant.
From the Manufacturer
Build a galactic empire... In the depths of space, the alien races of the Cosmos vie with each other for control of the universe. Alliances form and shift from moment to moment, while cataclysmic battles send starships screaming into the warp.Players choose from dozens of alien races, each with its own unique power to further its efforts to build an empire that spans the galaxy. Many classic aliens from earlier editions of this beloved game return, such as the Oracle, the Loser, and the Clone. Newly discovered aliens also join the fray, including Remora, Mite, and Tick-Tock.This classic game of alien politics returns from the warp once more. It features 50 alien races, flare cards to boost their powers, 100 plastic ships, a host of premium components, and all-new tech cards that let players research and build extraordinary technological marvels!No two games are the same!Components•Rulebook•1 Warp Token•5 Player Colony Markers•1 Hyperspace Gate•25 Player Planets (5 per player)•100 Plastic Ships (20 per player)•50 Alien Sheets•20 Destiny Cards •72 Cosmic Cards•50 Flare Cards•20 Tech Cards•42 Cosmic Tokens•7 Grudge Tokens•1 Genesis Planet•1 Lunar Cannon Token•1 Prometheus Token•1 Alternate Filch Flare
From the brand
From the manufacturer
Cosmic Encounter (Base Game) | Cosmic Encounter: Cosmic Incursion Expansion | Cosmic Encounter: Cosmic Conflict Expansion | Cosmic Encounter: Cosmic Dominion Expansion | Cosmic Encounter: Cosmic Eons Expansion | Cosmic Encounter: Cosmic Odyssey | |
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Customer Reviews |
4.8 out of 5 stars
1,191
|
4.9 out of 5 stars
305
|
4.9 out of 5 stars
141
|
4.8 out of 5 stars
231
|
4.7 out of 5 stars
134
|
4.7 out of 5 stars
40
|
Type of Game | Board Game | Board Game | Board Game | Board Game | Board Game | Board Game |
Number of Players | 3-5 Players | 3-6 Players | 3-6 Players | 3-6 Players | 3-6 Players | 3-8 Players |
Average Playtime | 1-2 Hours | 1-2 Hours | 1-2 Hours | 1-2 Hours | 1-2 Hours | 2-3 Hours |
Recommended Player Age | 14+ | 14+ | 14+ | 14+ | 14+ | 14+ |
Number of Alien Races | 50 | 20 | 20 | 30 | 30 | 42 |
Featured Aliens | Filches, Amoebas, Parasites and Kamikazes | Fungus, Magician and Locust | Empath, Lunatic and Claw | Joker, Yin-Yang, Tourists and Whirligig | Nightmare, The Cult, Bleeding Heart and Anarchist | Alternate Timeline Aliens |
Variant | Cosmic Combos | The Reward Deck | The Hazard Deck | New Reward Deck with Intimidates, Variable Attacks and Retreats | Hidden Alliances | Brand New Campaign Mode |
Sci-Fi Strategy Game | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Fan-Designed | ✓ | |||||
Expansion Available | ✓ | is an expansion | is an expansion | is an expansion | is an expansion | is an expansion |
What's in the box
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Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the game fun and interesting with immense replayability. They say it's a great social interaction game that allows for interesting player interaction. Customers also say the game is unique and different, with cool game mechanics and interactive gameplay. They mention the game has depth in strategy and social intrigue. Customers are also happy with special abilities, appearance, and replay value. Opinions are mixed on ease of use.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the game to be a great and interesting game with tons of re-playability. They also say it provides for some truly epic moments and is absolutely worth learning. Customers also mention that the game has decent components and has stood the test of time.
"...If you don't mind a bit of randomness. This game provides for some truly epic moments. It's a classic of a game. Strategic yet randomized...." Read more
"...I love the diversity of characters with unique abilities and enjoy playing the game each and every time...." Read more
"...This game is fantastic and I still recommend it to anyone!" Read more
"...We then played another, and another after that. The game was a blast!..." Read more
Customers find the social interaction in the game great for everyone, small groups, and perfect to play with friends. They say the social aspects really make the game, and it plays best with 5 people.
"...It really plays best with 5 people, so that is the first hardship and it isn't everyone's cup-of-tea theme...." Read more
"Love this game. Fun to play with the whole family. Had to deduct one star because game box arrived with some corner damage." Read more
"...Social interaction is also a big factor, and ends up being a positive one...." Read more
"...is a combination of a board game, a card game, a strategy game, a team player game (since you have options where you can help or harm each other) by..." Read more
Customers find the game unique, interesting, and complex to master. They say the game mechanics are cool, the game is extremely interactive, and has amazing depth. Additionally, customers say the gameplay is great and the game has different possibilities for game play each time.
"...It's awesome. Every game is memorable. Every encounter tense...." Read more
"...The game is extremely interactive, with lots of opportunities for diplomacy and backstabbing and bluffing and surprises...." Read more
"...This game is chaotic, but refreshing all at the same time...." Read more
"...So why the 5 stars? Well, this is one of the best negotiation games out there and, regardless of the edition, is extremely replayable...." Read more
Customers find the game really complex with advance options that keep making the game interesting. They appreciate the depth in strategy and social intrigue, as well as the highly creative new concepts. They also mention that the game requires you to think and appreciate the ladder of complexity.
"...It's a classic of a game. Strategic yet randomized...." Read more
"...FF solved this problem with plastic ships that are cute, clever, and stackable...." Read more
"...feel familiar but new at the same time, and some of the new concepts are highly creative (look up how to win with the Masochist)...." Read more
"...Easy to learn but has layers of complexity if you want...." Read more
Customers find the special abilities in the game fun and random. They also appreciate the variety of different alien races and powers. Overall, customers say the game is great with variable player powers and stays fresh for a long time.
"...Also the crazy variety of different aliens with different powers to end up with ensures that every game will be different than the last one...." Read more
"...I love the diversity of characters with unique abilities and enjoy playing the game each and every time...." Read more
"...It has decent components, enough aliens to satisfy, and flares (which previously have always been 'extra', if available at all)...." Read more
"...I appreciate the functionality of the destiny deck, which prevents bully like behavior and from players being singled out...." Read more
Customers like the appearance of the game. They say it has beautiful art work, vibrant colors, and sharp color schemes. They also say the game has depth without looking cluttered, and there is no dull moment.
"...The first thing I noticed about this game was the art style and the visuals...I don't have enough thumbs to clearly express how pleased I am by the..." Read more
"Super fun, TONS of replayability, quality components, beautiful artwork...." Read more
"...Regardless, it's fun and totally cool to "PWN" someone when they try to use their special card, with a card of your own!" Read more
"...Initially I was sad to see that the card design was changed so that I can't use my old CE cards with the new, but that's okay because they have..." Read more
Customers find the replay value of the game well worth it, with the best value ever. They also say it's a must-buy for game lovers.
"...I had to watch some YouTube videos. Tons of replay value and advance options that keep making the game interesting." Read more
"...Give it a try it's a classic and it's worth every penny." Read more
"...Definitely worth the buy for anyone who loves strategy and boardgames." Read more
"Very very fun game, love it!!!! Learning it is a bit clunky, but totally worth it. It’s never the same game twice...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the ease of use of the game. Some mention that it's simple to learn for the first time, with simple game mechanics. They also say that the game has an easy way to play and a more complicated way to. However, others say that it is pretty complex to learn, with a fair amount of confusion with the rules. They mention that the rule book has some extremely bad typos that may confuse first time players.
"...At its crazy heart, this is a card game, plain and simple...." Read more
"...-The basic game is fairly simple.-The cards have the phases of the turn that they're played in highlighted for ease of use...." Read more
"...There was a fair amount of confusion with the rules, and how the game actually played out, but we managed to finish the game...." Read more
"...There is also a separate "quick start" rule-book for players who want to get going right away. All in all, still a great game, and made even better!" Read more
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What is this game?
The galaxy is at war. You are the leader of a specific alien race. Use your special species specific powers to take control of your opponents planets and claim them as your own. Ally together and negotiate with others to help and hinder each other along the way. At its crazy heart, this is a card game, plain and simple. Yes, there are neat little planets and colony ships to mark who is winning, to "wager" in fights and such, but the vast majority of the action has to do with the cards in your hand and how you manage them. The strategy has to do with alliances forming and melting throughout the game. Also the crazy variety of different aliens with different powers to end up with ensures that every game will be different than the last one. First one to gain five colonies on five opponents planets wins.
Should you buy this game?
Probably! If you don't mind a bit of randomness. This game provides for some truly epic moments. It's a classic of a game. Strategic yet randomized. The best way to introduce it to new people is: "These are the rules, and this is how your specific power lets you break them." By the way, the rules themselves are at MODERATE so you do have to have at least one person sit down to read through and know them before everyone gets together to play for a smoother teaching and learning experience. (Also, having a sheet with all the different phases of the game written down in order and moving a marker to the current one helps everyone better keep track.)
My thoughts:
What can I say? I have about 50 board games in my collection, and this one is the best of them all (my game group would contest this). It's awesome. Every game is memorable. Every encounter tense. I'm always jumping at the chance to introduce it to new people and play it every time I can. I see a couple of people who have written reviews on here seemingly haven't read the rules on the Alliance Phase. It is crucial to the games strategy and is by far my favorite mechanic. Hmm... trying to convey joy and fun through typed words is hard. Play this game, if you get the chance. That is all.
Players are dealt two cards from a "Flare" deck, which are powerful cards focusing on a race. The players get the matching alien race cards and pick one. All Flares dealt to the players are shuffled in the main deck and if there's less than ten Flares, that many additional are shuffled in.
The main deck is dealt to players, 8 cards, and players seed their five colored planets with four ships each.
The second deck, Destiny, is drawn from until a color matching a player is revealed abs that player goes first. The Destiny cards are shuffled again.
A third optional deck, Tech, has abilities players can research. They get two and pick one to start with.
Player 1 draws a Destiny card after retrieving one ship from Warp and placing it on a controlled colony. This should match a color in play. Some are Wild (attack any) and some are special (attack who has least ships, most colonized, etc). This player is offense. The target color or player is defense. If using Tech, one ship can land on the upside down card. Techs are activated after a number if ships land on them as the card power requires.
Offense points the Gateway triangle at a planet. The Gate is prepped with 1-4 UFO ships and offense asks players for help if wanted. Nobody answers yet, though.
Defense then asks for help as well. Again nobody admits.
Offensive help then places 1-4 ships on the gate, and then defense help follows.
Players then lay down a card privately. It is an Encounter card: Attack, Negotiate, or Morph (only one Morph is in the deck - it copies the opposing Attack or Negotiate.) and things happen.
Attack vs Attack: These have random numbers, 0-40. Add this to the total UFO pieces on your side. Players and Assistants may have extra cards (like Reinforcements, which alter totals on sides by a couple points) to influence things. If Offense wins, Defense hits the warp portal and offense and allies take the planet. If Defense wins, Offense hits the warp and the defense allies return home but get 1 ship from warp, or 1 card from the draw deck per ship they sent to reinforce.
Attack vs Negotiate: Negotiate loses, Attack wins. The offense colonizes if won, warps if lost. Defense stays if won, warps if lost. Negotiator gets to draw one card from the Attacker's hand as compensation.
Negotiate v Negotiate: Allies return ships to colonies. The offense and defense have one minute to make a mutual agreement: card swaps, ship colonization that's mutual, etc. If no deal happens, 3 ships per side must go to Warp.
Then players score. Do you have 1-5 colonies? That's 0, your starting point value. Do you have 1-2 colonies? Your race power is disabled until you get a third colony. Do you have over five? That's one to five (6-10) points. Five points wins. I wish the warp had scoring saying 1-5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 instead of 0-5, though.
Some alien powers and some cards only activate at certain phases in the game, but that's the premise.
I love that Cosmic Encounter doesn't really have down time between turns. Every player is almost always actively involved when not offending or defending.
There's a learning curve here and several expansions, but they aren't necessary aside from two have additional players. There's tons of races here and I think if Fantasy Flight went with cheap deck expansions and separate huge alien race cards with Flares, the price points on those would feel safer for buying. As is this game is awesome and other than the Warp score bit I mentioned, I wish the UFOs looked different for flavor between players, but that'd add to the cost.
This game is fantastic and I still recommend it to anyone!