They’ve Invaded Pleasantville

About this board game

They’ve Invaded Pleasantville is a two-player wargame of secret alien invasion, designed for a 45-minute game of hidden identities and escalating conflict. Across 12 turns, players compete for control of Pleasantville, where unsuspecting townspeople may already be serving an extraterrestrial cause.

One player takes the role of the Alien player, moving both alien-controlled and uncontrolled pieces while secretly spreading alien mind control. The other becomes the Town player, moving town-controlled pieces, investigating suspicious activity, and fighting any controlled townspeople encountered.

The game uses two identical sets of cardboard chits, with one set marked by a star on the back to indicate alien control. Through swapping, misdirection, and bluffing, the Alien player tries to conceal where the invasion is taking place while building a powerful army of townspeople-zombies.

• Move townspeople across a map of Pleasantville.
• Use bluffing and hidden control to spread the invasion.
• Try to locate the Alien Headquarters and destroy the Alien Sub-Commander.
• Use the random Townsperson Movement table to simulate daily movement around town.

The Alien player aims to eliminate opposition and occupy Pleasantville as a base of operations. Meanwhile, the Town player must convince the townspeople that an alien menace exists and stop the spread of control before it becomes overwhelming.

Especially suited to players who enjoy bluffing, They’ve Invaded Pleasantville captures the atmosphere of classic invasion films such as Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Invaders from Mars. Released in 1981 as part of TSR’s minigame series, it combines secret information, tactical movement, and a steadily tightening showdown.