Welcome to the Moon
Choose one of three number-and-action combinations, fill your dry-erase sheet in ascending order, race for Missions and follow humanity from launch to lunar conflict across eight very different Adventures.
Welcome to the Moon is a flip-and-write game by Alexis Allard and Benoit Turpin. It takes the number-and-action structure of Welcome To… and expands it into eight separate dry-erase Adventures that can be played individually or linked through a branching campaign.
BoardGameGeek currently ranks it around #215–216 overall and around #22 among family games, with roughly 9,900 ratings and a 7.84 average. The official range is 1–6 players, with the BGG community favoring roughly 2–4.
Why it stands out
The same deck powers eight different puzzle boards. The core decision remains simple — pick one of three number/action pairs — but every Adventure changes what numbers mean, how actions score and what counts as a good board.
Why this is a strong evergreen search gap
Welcome to the Moon combines broad family-game appeal with a rules structure that naturally produces long-tail searches.
The strongest opportunities include how to play, number/action combinations, Missions, System Errors, solo rules, ASTRA difficulty, campaign mode, all eight Adventures, The Launch rules, The Journey rules, The Colony rules, The Mine rules, The Dome rules, The Virus rules, The Escape rules, The Battle rules and Welcome to the Moon vs Welcome To.
Game at a Glance
Reveal Three Choices
Starship cards create three number-and-action combinations each turn.
Choose One
Every player simultaneously selects one combination and writes its number on their own sheet.
Use the Action
Robot, Water, Plant, Energy, Astronaut and Planning actions work differently from one Adventure to another.
Race for Missions
Complete shared Missions before rivals, avoid System Errors and score the Adventure-specific objectives.
How Welcome to the Moon works
Every turn creates three available number/action combinations.
All players choose one of those combinations simultaneously. You normally write the chosen number into one legal empty space on your Adventure sheet, then may use the paired action.
Numbers generally have to respect an ascending-order rule, but the exact geometry changes by Adventure.
Players are also racing to complete three shared Missions before the game ends.
The standard turn structure
The shared framework is broadly:
- Flip Starship cards to generate three combinations.
- Choose one number/action pair simultaneously.
- Write the number in a legal space on your sheet.
- Use the action if you want and if its conditions are met.
- Resolve Adventure-specific bonuses or penalties.
- Check Missions and end conditions.
The exact action effects depend on which of the eight Adventures you are playing.
How the number rules work
Starship numbers run from 1 to 15.
In each Adventure, numbers must normally rise in a specific direction or within defined zones.
You may usually leave gaps between numbers and fill them later, provided the ascending order remains valid.
This creates the core risk: using a 12 too early may block several future spaces, while being too conservative can leave you unable to finish important rows or zones.
The six recurring action types
The same six action symbols recur across the eight Adventures:
- Robot
- Water
- Plant
- Energy
- Astronaut
- Planning
The symbol names stay familiar, but the detailed effects change with the current Adventure.
For example, Robot might activate a station in one Adventure and extend a tunnel network in another. Energy may divide zones, upgrade scoring fields or power factories depending on the sheet.
What does the Astronaut action usually do?
Astronaut commonly gives numerical flexibility.
In several Adventures it lets you modify the chosen Starship number by -2, -1, 0, +1 or +2 before writing it down.
That can rescue an otherwise unusable combination and is especially valuable when your sheet becomes crowded late in the game.
Adventure-specific scoring or astronaut tracks can add extra consequences.
Why Planning is powerful but dangerous
Planning often allows you to place an X rather than relying entirely on a numerical entry.
This can rapidly complete structures, zones or patterns.
However, many Adventures attach a penalty or opportunity cost to Planning. In The Colony, for example, Planning can speed construction but costs endgame points through its scoring area.
It is therefore usually a tempo tool rather than a free substitute for good number placement.
How Missions work
Every Adventure uses three shared Mission cards.
The first player or players to complete a Mission in the same turn receive the higher reward printed on that Mission.
Afterward, the Mission card flips. Later players can still complete it, but for the lower reward.
You can score each Mission only once.
That creates the game’s main direct competition: even though players write on separate sheets, timing your Mission completion can be worth several points.
What are System Errors?
System Errors are the recurring penalty mechanism.
They can be triggered when you cannot or choose not to use a legal number in the required way, or through Adventure-specific effects.
Too many errors can directly end the game, and remaining errors normally reduce your score.
The precise treatment changes by Adventure, so the current Adventure rules take precedence over the generic framework.
When does an Adventure end?
The standard game can end at the end of a turn if a player reaches one of the defined end conditions, such as:
- Completing all three Missions.
- Filling the available marking area.
- Reaching the System Error limit.
Then players total Mission points plus the Adventure’s scoring categories and subtract applicable System Error penalties.
The eight Adventures
| # | Adventure | Main puzzle identity |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Launch | Prepare and fill the launch structure while learning the standard system |
| 2 | The Journey | Travel through space, build zones and exploit stations/resources |
| 3 | The Colony | Construct a lunar settlement with buildings, tunnels and research |
| 4 | The Mine | Extract resources and improve factories/control centers |
| 5 | The Dome | Build upward/downward around a central level and develop the dome |
| 6 | The Virus | Contain infection, close walkways and evacuate threatened quarters |
| 7 | The Escape | Prepare multiple starships, reactors, modules and greenhouses |
| 8 | The Battle | Compete for planetary control across two opposed sheets |
Adventure 1: The Launch
The Launch is the natural teaching Adventure.
Its board uses horizontal floors and a more recognizable ascending-number structure than some later maps.
It introduces the six action types, Missions and System Errors without layering on the more dramatic spatial changes found later in the campaign.
If you are learning outside campaign mode, begin here.
Adventure 2: The Journey
The Journey places numbers along a travel trajectory rather than in ordinary rows.
Energy can divide the path into smaller scoring zones, while Water and Robot actions interact with stations and resources.
The main puzzle becomes deciding when to break a long route into smaller legal zones so future numbers remain usable.
Adventure 3: The Colony
The Colony creates a grid-like lunar settlement.
Numbers rise across rows and up columns, making placement more spatially restrictive.
Robot actions build a pressurized tunnel network connecting structures, while greenhouses, water tanks and antennas create separate scoring systems.
Planning can accelerate building but carries a scoring cost.
Adventure 4: The Mine
The Mine separates the sheet into underground levels and a factory system.
Players extract resources while Robot and Energy actions can improve main factories or activate secondary factories.
It is one of the clearest engine-building Adventures because improving a factory changes the value of later extraction rather than simply scoring the current turn.
Adventure 5: The Dome
The Dome uses vertical skyscraper-style development around a central transition level.
Numbers extend outward while players also build dome sections and improve several scoring fields.
The sheet rewards planning on both halves rather than simply completing one linear row from left to right.
Adventure 6: The Virus
The Virus turns the flip-and-write system into containment management.
Players deal with infected quarters, close walkways, quarantine areas and evacuate sections of the colony.
Mission objectives can involve isolating specific infected zones or completing resource floors while infection spreads.
It is one of the strongest examples of how differently the same Starship deck can behave across the campaign.
Adventure 7: The Escape
The Escape is structured around multiple starships.
Players number modules, activate reactors, develop greenhouses and manage water while preparing ships for departure.
Because several ships develop in parallel, the puzzle is less about one perfect sequence and more about deciding which vessels deserve scarce action support.
Adventure 8: The Battle
The final Adventure uses two opposing sheets and a more confrontational area-control structure.
Numbers are placed in circular rows around planets while players compete over planetary control, asteroids, moons and resource values.
In solo mode, ASTRA plays directly on the opposing side, making this the most visibly adversarial Adventure in the box.
How ASTRA solo mode works
Welcome to the Moon includes an official automated opponent called ASTRA.
Choose an ASTRA Opponent card. Each opponent has a difficulty level and scores different action types at different rates.
You also use the ASTRA card corresponding to the Adventure, which adds Adventure-specific scoring, Solo bonuses and possible ASTRA effects.
The box includes 11 ASTRA solo cards, and the rules support multiple difficulty levels rather than a single fixed score target.
What does ASTRA do with the unused cards?
During solo play, Starship cards that are not selected by you can feed ASTRA’s scoring/pressure system according to the current solo rules.
Each action type can advance ASTRA at a different rate based on the chosen opponent.
This changes card selection significantly: the best combination for your own sheet may also hand ASTRA exactly the action symbol that advances its track fastest.
Solo therefore adds denial to a game that is otherwise mostly about your own puzzle.
How campaign mode works
The campaign links the eight Adventures through a separate Campaign Book and 97 Campaign cards.
After an Adventure, players receive stars based on results and follow narrative instructions that can change future setup, unlock cards and alter later decisions.
Choices create branching paths, so the campaign is not simply “play Adventures 1–8 once in a fixed sequence.”
The rulebook recommends starting with the introductory campaign if your group wants to discover the Adventure rules gradually.
Adventure mode vs Campaign mode
| Feature | Adventure mode | Campaign mode |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Choose any Adventure | Follow the Campaign Book |
| Story | Minimal | Branching narrative |
| Persistence | None required | Stars, choices and unlocked campaign effects |
| Best use | Quick replay of favorite maps | First discovery / evolving experience |
| Spoiler risk | Low | Avoid browsing future Campaign cards/pages |
What comes in the box?
Current Asmodee product information lists:
- 63 Starship cards
- 48 Mission cards
- 1 Captain card
- 11 ASTRA solo cards
- 97 Campaign cards
- 2 rulebooks
- 2 Campaign books
- 6 dry-erase markers
- 24 double-sided dry-erase Adventure sheets
Each player effectively has access to all eight Adventures through four double-sided sheets.
Are the boards reusable?
Yes. The game uses dry-erase Adventure sheets rather than disposable paper pads.
That makes repeated solo play and campaign restarts much easier than in many traditional roll-and-write games.
Markers are included in the standard box, although replacement dry-erase markers may eventually be useful with frequent play.
How much does Welcome to the Moon cost?
Pricing varies by region.
Blue Cocker’s current French direct product page shows €42 but is marked out of stock as of October 10, 2026.
Asmodee UK currently lists an RRP of £34.99.
Availability is therefore regional rather than globally discontinued.
What is the best player count?
The official range is 1–6 players.
BoardGameGeek community voting currently considers the full range playable and tends to favor roughly 2–4 players.
Because everyone chooses combinations simultaneously, adding players creates very little downtime.
The main difference is Mission competition: at higher counts, more players may hit the same Mission threshold in the same turn.
Welcome to the Moon vs Welcome To…
Welcome to the Moon reimplements the number-and-action concept of Welcome To Your Perfect Home but is much more variable.
The original focuses on one neighborhood-building ruleset. Welcome to the Moon uses eight mechanically different Adventures plus a campaign.
Choose the original if you want the cleanest repeatable core puzzle; choose Welcome to the Moon if you want variety, solo AI and campaign progression.
Welcome to the Moon compared with other flip-and-writes
| Game | Shared appeal | Main difference |
|---|---|---|
| Cartographers | Simultaneous drawing/writing and spatial planning | Cartographers uses polyomino mapping and shared scoring edicts; Welcome to the Moon uses number/action pairs and eight evolving rulesets. |
| Railroad Ink: Deep Blue | Reusable boards and simultaneous puzzle play | Railroad Ink builds route networks from dice; Welcome to the Moon uses cards, Missions and campaign content. |
| Hadrian’s Wall | Low-interaction writable-board optimization and strong solo play | Hadrian’s Wall is much heavier and combo-driven; Welcome to the Moon is shorter and family-weight. |
Eight strategy principles for new players
- Protect numerical flexibility. Do not fill every gap just because the current number fits.
- Plan Missions early. First-place Mission rewards are one of the few direct races at the table.
- Value Astronaut flexibility late. +/- number adjustment becomes stronger as legal spaces disappear.
- Do not overuse Planning. It is powerful precisely because several Adventures attach a cost to it.
- Learn the scoring engine before optimizing the action engine. Robot and Energy do radically different things from one Adventure to the next.
- Use early turns to preserve multiple lanes. A single high number can destroy an entire future column or route.
- In solo, draft against ASTRA as well as for yourself. Sometimes denying the AI is worth taking your second-best pair.
- Treat each Adventure as a new puzzle. Strategy from The Launch does not automatically transfer to The Mine or The Virus.
Seven things to know before buying
- The box contains eight distinct Adventures, not eight copies of the same map.
- The dry-erase sheets are reusable.
- Solo is a full official mode with ASTRA, not just a target score.
- The campaign has branching narrative content. Avoid reading future Campaign cards if you care about spoilers.
- The game is low downtime. Most decisions are simultaneous.
- Interaction is mainly through Mission races and indirect card availability.
- Regional stock varies. Blue Cocker direct is currently sold out in France while other distributors still list the game.
Welcome to the Moon FAQ
How many players?
1–6 players.
How long does it take?
BoardGameGeek lists approximately 25–30 minutes per Adventure.
How many Adventures are there?
Eight.
What are the eight Adventure names?
The Launch, The Journey, The Colony, The Mine, The Dome, The Virus, The Escape and The Battle.
What are the six action types?
Robot, Water, Plant, Energy, Astronaut and Planning.
Can Welcome to the Moon be played solo?
Yes. The official ASTRA system provides an automated opponent with multiple difficulty levels.
Is there a campaign?
Yes. The campaign links the Adventures through a Campaign Book and 97 Campaign cards.
Can the Adventures be played separately?
Yes. Any Adventure can be played independently in Adventure mode.
Are the sheets reusable?
Yes. The standard box contains double-sided dry-erase Adventure sheets and markers.
How much does it cost?
Blue Cocker currently lists the French edition at €42 but out of stock; Asmodee UK currently lists £34.99 RRP.
Sources and scope
- Blue Cocker Games: official product page
- Blue Cocker Games: official English rulebook
- Blue Cocker Games: official rules, campaign book and individual Adventure downloads
- Asmodee UK: current £34.99 RRP and retail product details
- Asmodee Belgium: component list, 1–6 players and campaign/Adventure description
- BoardGameGeek: current ranking, ratings, play time, complexity and player-count data
Checked October 10, 2026. Welcome to the Moon has regional editions and distributors, so price and stock vary by country. This guide avoids campaign spoilers beyond the published Adventure names and standard structural information. Strategy observations and buyer guidance are original editorial analysis; no firsthand review or playtest is claimed. Editorial policy and corrections.