I received a free copy of Point Galaxy from AEG for this review. My ideas and views are my own.
Many games start with the word Point, mostly because of the team at Flatout Games. The creators Molly, Shawn, and Robert became well-known with Point Salad in 2019. Then came Point City in 2023. Both are great at simple card building where you add cards to your own area. After veggies and city buildings, the next step is space. Point Galaxy feels like the others if you know them, but there is more to do.
The main thing about Point Galaxy is it is harder than the first two. You do not just match resources on cards to get more. There are extra things happening.
Your cards go into piles called solar systems. These have planets, suns, moons, asteroids, and wormholes. Each kind of card has its own rules for points or needs. It takes a game or two to learn them all. For example, sun cards give points in each solar system for matching colors of planets, like in Point Salad. Moon cards score if next to or between some planets. Asteroids do little alone, but at the end, the player with most gets big points.
Kessel run
Point Galaxy changes from Point City by making cards in solar systems follow a number order. Once you put two planets with different numbers, the path is set. If four is on two, new cards above four go on top, below two go under. If you know climbing games with ladders, this is easy. It feels new for the Point series.
Point Galaxy is the hardest in the group, but hard compared to what. Yes, harder than Point Salad. No, not like Civolution. Still, when picking cards from the row on your turn, you think a lot.
Does this planet go in my solar systems? Should I take asteroids when another player has many? Start a new solar system? Can I place that moon?
Questions like that fill your mind the whole game. I like games with more to think about. In Point Galaxy, it feels more like a real game. You get good brain work at game night.
Final thoughts
Point Galaxy is full of the special fun that Shawn, Molly, and Robert make at Flatout Games. The feel is known and good, hard to stop playing.
For me, Point Galaxy takes longest to learn, but that means it lasts longer too. I love space stories, so the theme fits me. Still, it might be the most picky of the three. Lots of placing cards under and over, and with three or four solar systems, much to watch and table space needed.
If you like Point Salad or Point City, you will like Point Galaxy too. It is another good light card builder from Flatout Games. My top is still Point City, but maybe not in a month.
Point Galaxy (2025)
Design: Molly Johnson, Robert Melvin, Shawn Stankewich
Publisher: Flatout Games, AEG
Art: Dylan Mangini
Players: 1-5
Playing time: 15-30 mins
