Galaxy: The Dark Ages

About this board game

Galaxy: The Dark Ages is a 2000 board game for 2–5 players, with an approximate play time of 90 minutes. In this cosmic betting game, eight alien races compete for survival, but only three will remain at the end.

Players place numbered starship cards below the corresponding alien homeworld cards. As the races gather ships, the game reaches decisive moments: when every alien has a ship card and one race is definitively losing, that alien race is removed and a new round begins.

The central challenge is judging which contenders can endure. Players bet on the alien races they believe will survive, turning each elimination into a major shift in the game. The betting chips are represented as starbases, adding a thematic layer to the contest.

• Eight alien races compete, with only three surviving to the end.
• Numbered starship cards are played beneath alien homeworld cards.
• Definitive elimination triggers the start of a new round.
• Starbases can be targeted by opponents’ ships, lowering their value.

Starbases are not simply passive markers. Opponents’ ships may target them and reduce their value, so the fortunes of your chosen races and your own position can change as the conflict develops.

Galaxy: The Dark Ages is the much-awaited sequel to Titan: The Arena. The design originated as Reiner Knizia’s Grand National Derby before successive theme changes transformed it into a game of alien races, starships, homeworlds, and threatened starbases. Several alien powers also differ from those in Titan: The Arena.