TCK Roleplaying · Mars Colony

Mars Colony

Mars Colony is available as a full color softcover book and PDF. The PDF is $6. The book is $12. The book plus PDF are available together for just $15. Please select the appropriate shipping option. PDFs are delivered via email.

Mars Colony is a runner up for the 2010 Indie RPG of the Year! Read more.

Political power and an isolated populace? Scandal never seemed so appealing.

The colony was created by a coalition of Earth governments that advertised the project as a multi-national utopia. Now, after years of incompetence and disaster, the colony is dying. You have been nominated to turn things around. While you were a celebrated expert on Earth, Mars is a different environment entirely. Good luck…

Mars Colony is a roleplaying game designed specifically for two players. One will take on the role of the colony’s appointed “savior,” while the other will be responsible for all the various problems that are plaguing the citizens of Mars. As the game progresses, the savior will face a constant struggle between competence and failure, honesty and deception. It is a game custom built to explore the cult-of-personality present in modern-day politics, but playable in the time it takes to watch a long movie.

Learn About Mars Colony

For a quick introduction to the game, check out the Mars Colony book sample.

You can also take a look at some of the amazing photographs included in the book that were taken by NASA during the Mars rover and orbitor missions: Mountain Pass, Sunset, Dunes and Crater.

But the best way to learn about the game is to read other people’s actual play experiences:

Finally, you can email me with any questions or comments (tim “at” tckroleplaying “dot” com).

Downloads & Resources

Character Worksheet: Keep track of Kelly Perkin’s reputation and progress towards stabalizing the colony.
Organization Map: Create the four major political parties and organizations on Mars.
Variations (or “This Game is Too Hard”): Kelly Perkins does not have an easy job. Saving Mars Colony from destruction is hard work. If you prefer a gentler game, you may want to try one of these two game variations.
Design Notes: From Ashcan to Final Release: If you purchased the Ashcan version of Mars Colony, this document will tell you what has changed and why.

I’m immensely pleased at how the system continually teased relevant and punchy content from the players. Once play began, I was never worried about what was coming next. Playing Mars Colony isn’t just an exercise in passing time; the game grabs you by your politics and forces you to lay them bare with your partner.
—Darcy Burgess, author of Black Cadillacs