Moonbase Shackleton is the absolute highlight of this round at the Teddy table. Together with other space agencies, you will build a permanent moon base in the Shackleton Crater at the South Pole of the Moon – thematically closely aligned with real concepts of lunar research. It was developed by Fabio Lopiano and Nestore Mangone, two designers who are already known for several really good games, and I have to say: They hit the bullseye again here.
Wertung
Lohnt sich Mondbasis Shackleton?
Mondbasis Shackleton bekommt von uns 8,5 von 10 Punkten. Das heißt bei uns: gut, es lohnt sich, das Spiel öfter zu spielen. Dafür spricht: Enorme Verzahnung aus Shuttlephase, Bauen und Konzernaktionen. Dagegen spricht: Mit 60-120 Minuten und hoher Komplexität nichts für Gelegenheitsspieler:innen. Spieleranzahl: 1–4.
Profile
- Players: 1–4
- Age: from 14 years
- Duration: 60–120 minutes
- Mechanism: Worker Placement, Engine Building
- Theme: Moon Colony
The shuttle phase: Order and resources in one
Each round begins with the shuttle phase. Numbered rocket tiles are laid out here – always one more than the number of players. In reverse player order, each person chooses a rocket: Whoever was last to play in the previous round gets to choose first. The number on the chosen rocket simultaneously determines the new starting player order for the next round. The rest of the cargo consists of astronauts in three colors – yellow, red, and blue – with higher-numbered rockets bringing better astronaut combinations, but you'll be later in the turn order for them. A classic draft dilemma with real bite.
Color-dependent actions and clever building
In total, you have 18 turns over three rounds to deploy your astronauts. The color of the respective astronaut determines the action: If you deploy a red astronaut, you activate a whole row of red fields on the game board – but only where buildings are already present. Yellow and blue work on the same principle with their respective field colors. When building, you may only erect one building in each area, and the costs depend on how early or late you are in the turn order – whoever builds last pays extra. Important: You are generally only allowed to build where a solar cell is already located, and each newly built solar cell increases your shared energy value, which all players share and which you must keep an eye on.
Nine corporations with completely different goals
A special highlight are the total of eight to nine corporations that play in every game. Each corporation has its own cards and completely different prerequisites for generating points – a space tourism corporation, for example, rewards you for collecting tourists, another demands green plants. This makes every game noticeably different, depending on which corporations are currently in play. You can also combine different corporate actions via your own reputation track and unlock better rewards the further your marker progresses.
Background: From Sorry We Are French to Giant Roc
Moonbase Shackleton comes from Fabio Lopiano and Nestore Mangone, illustrated by David Sitbon. The first English edition was published in 2024 under the title “Shackleton Base: A Journey to the Moon” by Hachette Boardgames UK in cooperation with Sorry We Are French, the German edition followed at the end of 2025 by Giant Roc. Fabio Lopiano is one of the most sought-after Euro game designers in recent years, and Moonbase Shackleton once again shows his strength in interweaving several independent systems into a coherent whole.
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Häufige Fragen (FAQ) zu Mondbasis Shackleton
Für wie viele Spieler ist Mondbasis Shackleton geeignet?
Mondbasis Shackleton ist für 1–4 Spieler ausgelegt.
Ab welchem Alter ist Mondbasis Shackleton geeignet?
Mondbasis Shackleton ist ab 14 Jahren geeignet.
Wie lange dauert eine Partie Mondbasis Shackleton?
Eine Partie Mondbasis Shackleton dauert 60–120 Minuten.
Welche Spielmechanismen nutzt Mondbasis Shackleton?
Mondbasis Shackleton setzt auf Worker-Placement, Engine-Building.
Wie bewertet Brettspiel Teddy Mondbasis Shackleton?
Brettspiel Teddy bewertet Mondbasis Shackleton mit 8.5/10 Punkten.
My conclusion
Moonbase Shackleton was really, really good. I've played it with two and four players so far, and both games went great – although I liked the four-player game even better because there's more competition for the coveted rockets and corporate cards. The close thematic connection to real moon exploration concepts, the different corporations, and the clever interplay of the shuttle phase, building, and corporate actions make this game a real highlight for expert game fans.
Anyone who loves complex, well-thought-out Euro games with high replayability through variable corporation combinations should definitely take a closer look at Moon Base Shackleton. For me, clearly one of the strongest new games of this round.
Pros & Cons
Pro
- Enormous interlocking of shuttle phase, building, and corporation actions
- Changing corporations ensure high replay value
- Coherent, well-researched moon exploration theme
- Works excellently with two players as well as in larger groups
Contra
- With 60-120 minutes and high complexity, not for casual gamers
- Shared energy value requires good timing and can be "fished empty" by fellow players
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