Homeworlds Pyramid Strategy Game - Deep Space Warfare for Two Players

For a few months, I scoured the internet searching for the best abstract games to play instead of chess. I wanted a perfect information game, for 2 players, with plenty of depth, little rote memorization of openings, and it had to be fun. Of course there is the classic game of Go, but I discovered there is also a world of modern abstract games created in the past few decades. Many of them are quite good. Homeworlds was the winner of my search. Its space theme perfectly matches the pyramid playing pieces. Aesthetically, it uses all the unique characteristics of the Looney Pyramids in the game-- size, color, orientation, and direction. It doesn't even need a board. Mechanically, the few rules of the game interact to create all kinds of interesting effects and counterintuitive solutions. The game is very tense. One small mistake can cost you a whole star system. Yet, you can only destroy your opponent's stars at significant material cost to yourself. In other words, you can only get closer to winning by giving up much of your own advantage. This makes every game feel close until the end and provides plenty of difficult decisions. There's also a nice little Homeworlds community on Board Game Arena and Discord. It's such an excellent game. I highly recommend it if you are looking for an abstract game to explore.

Everyone, our family is 9 yr to 66, loves all these games. Easy to learn, yet challenging enough to want to play again and again!

The rule book could have been written better. But other than that this game is a ton of fun. no two games are the same, and the pyramids used have a 3d wire-mesh videogame vibe to it. A game like this really shows creativity through limitations, and it works. It is not easy to learn though; the number of times I had to refer to the rules just to make sure we're doing the right thing was higher than I thought it should be. I definitely say it is worth purchasing. I do not recommend attempting this game while brain-dead. The strategy needed is greater than chess, because there is no predetermined spaces you can move to. Stars appear and disappear quickly, and if you're not prepared, you will be wiped out immediately.

This game redefined creativity through limitation. 36 pyramids, 4 colors, 3 sizes. I can't put it on the same level as Chess but it packs a good dose of depth and fun and has probably come closest. The space concept fits and I like when you move it pulls new stars into the table's field of view. I played this 4 times in a row and its not only strange but works really well. Of course I've yet to put it through a proper test but I have played several modern abstracts to include the GIPF series, Santorini, and Hive but in my opinion this exceeds. It's compact an easy to carry. Family even enjoys it. Looney Labs is funny. How'd you sell me these plastic pyramids? My wife laughed in disbelief that someone actually made a good game out of our kid's "magnetic blocks".

Homeworlds is a super fun game. It's pretty complex but has become popular amongst my friend group. Length of games can definitely vary, as the game is very strategy based. Would recommend for people who like chess

If you enjoy playing Chess or Go, I highly recommend giving this game a shot. I brought my copy to a bachelor party and it was all the rage. I can't even count how many pyramid jokes we made that weekend. By the end of the weekend almost all 9 of us had learned the rules (during our downtime between white water rafting, zip-lining, burlesque, and a bar crawl. I love that it travels well (super small box), and it about as complex a game as I am willing to play. It takes about as long as a slow game of chess, so that could be 45 minutes or 2+ hours, depending on how deeply you like to think before making your moves. pro tip: Pay careful attention to avoiding in-game catastrophes. Be aware of your opponent's movement potential or you might get wrecked. I undertand why this game has a passionate following and an avid Facebook community surrounding it.

The games are good. In fact, I really like Martian Chess. But they come with junky boards in flimsy boxes. And they're very expensive for what you get, even compared to other board games.

Homeworlds is similar to Chess, Go, Hive, the games in the GIPF series, and other abstract strategy games with perfect information and no luck, but it's better because you collect resources, build units and discover stars! This is my all-time favorite board game, and I've played a whole lot of board games. TIP: the rules might be slightly overwhelming at first, so you should consider learning to play it on Board Game Arena. They offer a cool tutorial. Check out the picture to see how I recommend arranging the pieces in the box.