On Mars
On Mars explained: shuttle between orbit and the colony, acquire blueprints, build life-support systems, use scientists and workers, and develop a self-sustaining Mars base.
Develop the first permanent Martian colony by moving between orbital actions and the planet surface, constructing buildings and advancing the life-support system.
Timing the shuttle matters because your location determines which half of the action system is available.
Why We Love It
On Mars creates a demanding logistics puzzle where every building, technology and worker placement affects multiple systems at once.
About On Mars
On Mars is a heavy strategy game published by Eagle-Gryphon Games and designed by Vital Lacerda. Its core systems include Worker Placement, Tech Development and Tile Placement, creating a mix of tactical timing and longer-term planning.
This guide focuses on the edition and rules scope identified in the source notes below, with the main decisions separated from the factual rules overview.
Game at a Glance
Worker Placement
Commit workers to contested action spaces and time placements around opponents.
Tech Development
Use this system efficiently and connect it to your broader scoring plan.
Tile Placement
Place tiles for immediate value while preserving future spatial options.
Contracts
Use this system efficiently and connect it to your broader scoring plan.
Who On Mars suits
On Mars suits players who enjoy Worker Placement and Tech Development, with enough room to build a plan while still reacting to changing shared incentives. Its heavy weight makes it a better fit for groups comfortable tracking several connected systems.
Rules overview
Players alternate between orbital and colony actions. Orbit provides blueprints, technologies and resources; the colony uses workers and bots to construct and operate buildings. Building oxygen, water and power infrastructure raises the colony’s life-support level and changes the pace of the game. Scientists, contracts and private goals provide additional scoring opportunities.
Key decisions
Editorial analysis: Travel timing is fundamental. Moving to the other side of Mars at the wrong moment can strand resources or workers away from the actions that convert them into points.
Related games
Learn On Mars in depth
Sources and edition notes
Facts checked September 17, 2026. Alien Invasion is excluded.