Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game

Today's review is of the 2023 release, Star Wars: The Deckbuilding Game. For 2 players, it takes 30 minutes.

Overview

Whether you play as the Rebel Alliance or the Galactic Empire, your goal is the same: destroy 3 of your opponent's bases. Can you do so first?

This is a deckbuilding game in the spirit of Dominion. Each player starts with a basic deck of 10 cards that grants resources or attack abilities. You'll add to your deck as the game progresses, giving you more powerful options. 

During setup, prepare the galaxy row (the central 'market' where cards can be purchased) and Force tracker (set it to neutral). Then each player chooses one of their bases as their starting base, draws 5 cards, and the game begins.

There are a few types of cards in the game:

- Bases are what you must protect (if they are yours) and attack (if your opponent's). A base has a defense value; once it takes hits equal to or exceeding that, it is destroyed.

- Capital ships can participate in attacks (on bases) and protect bases. They also have a defense value and stay in play until destroyed.

- Units (troopers, vehicles, starfighters, characters, etc.) can participate in attacks (on bases or the galaxy row). Or they may add resources or have some other effect on the game. They are discarded at the end of the turn.

On their turn, a player can do the following actions any number of times in any order:

- play a card (from their hand to the table, resolving effects like gaining resources)

- purchase a card (from the galaxy row, putting it in their discard pile. Then replenish the galaxy row)

- use a card ability (turning it sideways indicating its use)

- commit to an attack (choose units to attack galaxy row cards OR choose units and capital ships to attack opposing bases)

- resolve an attack (add up the damage and put that many counters on bases/capital ships, or see if it equals or exceeds the defense value of a card in the galaxy row, discarding that card if so)

Once a player is out of options or chooses to pass, they discard their hand and all unit cards, return unused resources to the pool, draw 5 cards, and the other player takes their turn. Once your draw deck is depleted, shuffle the discard pile to make a new draw deck, enabling cards you purchase to circulate into your deck. Play progresses until a person destroys 3 bases.

game in progress; image from here

One final comment: the Force track can swing the momentum in the game. Certain cards grant the ability to 'gain Force,' meaning you move the Force token that many spaces towards your side. Other cards benefit from the Force being with you (meaning the token is on your side in general), and you gain an extra resource if the Force token is 3 spaces away from the neutral area.

The official video is a nice overview.

Review

I really enjoyed this game. It is fast-paced and well-designed. I was wondering how having faction-specific cards would affect the experience; the ability to attack (and benefit from) opposing cards in the galaxy row is a neat twist and keeps things moving. The Force track is also a nice addition, giving people various things to manage (and providing meaningful choices). I want to play it more. I wish it were for more than 2 people, and I think the game would be enhanced by expansions (I hope they're coming!), but even as it is, this is a winner.

Rating: A