Pretty much every kid has dreamed of being an astronaut at one point or another. Now, a new way to live out your childhood dream is coming to tabletops later this year. The Apollo board game is the latest tabletop creation from Buffalo Games, and it's certainly got a heck of a pedigree.
This new board game was revealed in part on the Facebook page of one of its designers.
"Super excited to finally get to talk about this game!" read the post by Jonathan Gilmour. "Sarah Addison co-designed this and I don't know if I have ever put as much work in such a short time frame into a game as I have this one. Sarah definitely took a strong lead on the design and really showed her design chops off! We [playtested] this so many times in such a short period, and so many designers said we were insane for trying to do it."
On the off chance you slept through history class, the Apollo missions were a series of ventures into space by the U.S.A. in the late 1960s, all with the ultimate goal to develop new technology and be the first people to set foot on the moon. (Spoilers: we shellacked the Soviets in this part of the space race.) Apollo 11 was ultimately the mission that made it to the moon, but six others followed including the disastrous Apollo 13 mission.
Those missions — along with some consultation from NASA personnel — serve as the foundation of the Apollo board game. Players will have to help guide the astronauts through simulations of real NASA missions, with all of the challenges that will entail.
"We just thought, what a great vehicle to really transport players back to that and really promote the spirit of what they did at that time, with what they had," Buffalo Games' Design Director John Bell said to The Buffalo News. "It was quite an accomplishment."
When is the Apollo Board Game Release Date?
We don't know everything about how this game is going to play just yet, but a casual look at the board and the information provided by the developers thus far certainly makes it seem like a worthwhile experience. When will it be available?
According to The Buffalo News, you'll be able to pick up the Apollo board game starting on July 27, 2020. Buffalo Games has a fair few of their products up on Amazon, so odds are good that you won't have to worry about whether or not your local tabletop shop is open, either.
What do you think of this NASA-approved tabletop game? Does the idea of playing through the original moon missions appeal to you? Let us know in the comments below!
