Perpetual-Motion Machine

About this board game

Perpetual-Motion Machine is a 2–4-player strategy game with a playing time of about 45 minutes, in which players compete to build the most efficient machine possible.

They have been enlisted to help inventor extraordinaire Ted Alspach complete his impossible invention. The machine may not truly work, but the goal is to make it efficient enough to fool the unsuspecting public—and help Mr. Alspach become incredibly rich before angry investors catch up with him.

Each player is also seeking fame by riding Alspach’s coattails, creating a race against one to three opponents. Success requires a combination of cunning, foresight, and luck as you decide how to develop your machine while working with limited resources.

Perpetual-Motion Machine combines several connected challenges:

• Set collection as you assemble what you need for your machine.
• Skill-tree building as you develop its capabilities.
• Short- and long-term strategy as you choose which areas to focus on.

Your decisions shape the machine’s efficiency and your path toward victory. Focusing on one area may support your plans, while your opponents pursue their own routes to fame. The result is a contest of timing, planning, and adaptation as everyone races to create the most effective contraption.

With its mix of set collection, development, limited resources, and strategic direction, Perpetual-Motion Machine challenges players to balance immediate opportunities against future goals. The game was reimplemented by Kniffel: Das Kartenspiel.