How to Play The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine – Tricks, Tasks & Communication
The Crew: The Quest for Planet Nine is a cooperative trick-taking game built around 50 missions. Players must complete specific task cards while obeying ordinary trick-taking rules and strict communication limits.
Deal the playing cards
Shuffle the large playing deck and deal it as evenly as possible. The colored cards form the normal suits; rocket cards are trump.
The player with the 4 rocket is commander
The commander is identified by holding the highest rocket. The commander normally leads the first trick and receives any commander-specific responsibility defined by the mission.
Assign mission tasks
Reveal the number of task cards required by the mission. Players take or receive tasks according to the logbook instructions and any task tokens that impose order or other restrictions.
Play normal trick-taking rules
The leader plays one card. Every other player must follow the led color if able; if not, they may play any card. The highest rocket wins if any rocket was played; otherwise the highest card of the led color wins.
Tasks are completed by winning specific cards
If you own a task card showing a particular playing card, you must win the trick containing that card unless the mission says otherwise. Some missions add sequence, timing or special-condition tokens.
Communication is limited
Players cannot freely describe their hands. Once per mission under the standard communication rule, a player may place one suitable card face up with their radio token positioned to indicate whether it is their highest, lowest or only card of that color. Missions can restrict communication further.
Win or lose the mission together
The mission succeeds only when every assigned task and every special mission condition is satisfied. If a required task becomes impossible, the mission fails and can be replayed.
Publisher reference: Thames & Kosmos rulebook. Checked September 21, 2026.