Monkeys on the Moon

About this board game

Monkeys on the Moon is a board game for 2–4 players that takes about 60 minutes to play, combining monkey civilization development, lunar rescue missions, and tribal politics.

Players advance monkey civilizations while working to free monkeys from their isolation on the Moon. The route home is through spaceships, which carry primates back to Earth. To win, players must launch the most powerful primates home by the end of the game.

Every move affects the political balance among the six monkey tribes. A move that impresses one tribe will anger another, so players must decide when to play favorites and when to risk a tribe’s disapproval. Advancing one tribe can help your position while damaging another tribe’s opinion of you.

• For 2–4 players
• Approximately 60 minutes of play
• Six monkey tribes with competing opinions
• Spaceships that free monkeys from lunar isolation and send them to Earth
• Monkey cards featuring six original drawings by cartoonist Scott Starkey

The game’s challenge comes from balancing progress with political consequences. Players need to consider not only which civilizations to advance, but also how each move changes the relationships between tribes and affects their chances of sending powerful primates home.

Released in 2002, Monkeys on the Moon offers a distinctive setting built around lunar isolation, monkey civilization, and intertribal influence. Its six original card illustrations by Scott Starkey add a unique visual touch to the game’s monkey-themed presentation.