S3E20 - On Mars

This week on Current Plays, Jordan and Thomas touch down on the red planet with On Mars by Vital Lacerda—a monumental design where every system, resource, and decision is shared, intertwined, and fiercely consequential. From the moment boots hit Martian soil, the game demands careful timing, long-term vision, and a deep awareness of what everyone else at the table is building toward.

The hosts dive into how On Mars weaves its many systems into a single, living ecosystem: incentives shift, priorities evolve, and no action exists in isolation. Progress on Mars is communal, but success is personal, creating a competitive landscape that feels both collaborative and relentlessly strategic. It’s a game of planning, adaptation, and precision, and one that rewards patience, foresight, and mastery.

For Jordan and Thomas, this wasn’t just a great play, it was a discovery of why On Mars stands among the very best in modern board game design.