Terraforming Mars (2016 Stronghold Games First Edition)

Few board games in the modern era have matched the sustained popularity and collectibility of Terraforming Mars. Designed by Jacob Fryxelius and originally published by the family-run FryxGames in Sweden, the English-language first edition was produced by Stronghold Games in 2016. What started as a Kickstarter-adjacent passion project became one of the highest-rated strategy games on BoardGameGeek, consistently sitting in the top 10 overall rankings since its release.

The first edition, first printing from Stronghold Games has become a genuine collectible in the modern board game market. While Terraforming Mars remains in print (now under Indie Boards & Cards after acquiring Stronghold's catalog), those original 2016 copies carry a premium among collectors who value the game's historical significance and the subtle differences between printings.

The Story Behind the Game

Jacob Fryxelius, a pastor and board game designer from Sweden, spent years developing Terraforming Mars with his brothers. The Fryxelius family had been designing games together since childhood, and Terraforming Mars represented their most ambitious project: a strategic engine-building game where players take the roles of competing corporations working to make Mars habitable for human life.

The game's core mechanism is elegant in concept. Players collectively raise three global parameters: temperature (from -30 degrees C to +8 degrees C), oxygen (from 0% to 14%), and ocean coverage (9 ocean tiles placed on the board). Each generation (round), players draft project cards representing technologies, infrastructure, and biological interventions that push these parameters toward their targets while generating victory points.

FryxGames published the Swedish edition first, but the English-language rights went to Stronghold Games, a publisher known for bringing European designs to the American market. The Stronghold Games first edition hit stores in late 2016 and sold through its initial print run remarkably fast. Word of mouth, strong BoardGameGeek reviews, and a 2017 Kennerspiel des Jahres nomination (Germany's prestigious game award for "connoisseur" games) drove demand far beyond initial projections.

By early 2017, first printing copies were already selling above retail as the game entered a period of chronic undersupply. Stronghold Games scrambled to produce additional printings, each with minor corrections and component quality adjustments that help collectors distinguish between runs.

What Makes It Collectible

The first edition, first printing of Terraforming Mars is collectible for several intersecting reasons:

Historical significance: This is the game that redefined engine-building board games for a generation. Its influence on subsequent designs is enormous, and owning a first printing is the board game equivalent of having a first edition of a landmark novel.

Component differences: Early printings had distinct characteristics. The player boards in the first printing are notably thinner and more prone to cube displacement. Stronghold Games addressed this in later printings with slightly thicker boards, and third-party overlay solutions became a cottage industry. The card stock, box insert design, and printing registration also vary between runs.

Print run scarcity: The first printing was relatively small by modern board game standards. Stronghold Games, while established, was not a large publisher, and initial orders were conservative. The rapid sellout meant first printing copies entered a market where demand vastly exceeded supply.

Award recognition: The game won the 2018 Guldbrikken Award (Denmark), received the Kennerspiel des Jahres nomination, and climbed to #4 on the BoardGameGeek all-time rankings. Each accolade increased demand and retroactively made earlier copies more desirable.

Identifying First Printings

Distinguishing a first printing from later Stronghold Games editions requires attention to several details:

Feature	First Printing	Later Printings
Box weight	Slightly lighter	Heavier due to thicker boards
Player boards	Thinner cardboard	Incrementally thicker
Card errata	Several known errors	Corrected text
Box barcode	Original Stronghold SKU	Updated SKUs
Insert tray	Basic cardboard	Revised layout
Rule book	Version 1.0	Version 1.1+ with corrections

The most reliable identifier is the rulebook version number and the presence or absence of specific card errata that were corrected in the second printing.

Condition Grading Guide

Board game grading differs from miniatures or card games but follows consistent principles:

Grade	Description	What to Look For
Sealed/New	Factory shrink wrap intact	Shrink complete, no tears, no corner dings
Like New/Unpunched	Opened but components unpunched	Box opened, tokens still in sprues, cards unshuffled
Near Mint	Punched but unplayed or played once	Components sorted, minimal wear, complete
Very Good	Played several times, well cared for	Light box wear, all components present, cards unsleeved
Good	Regular play wear	Box corner wear, minor card edge wear, complete
Acceptable	Heavy play but complete	Significant box wear, card shuffling marks, all pieces present
Poor	Incomplete or damaged	Missing components, water damage, torn cards

Key Condition Concerns

Box corners: Board game boxes take shelf wear seriously. Crushed corners, split edges, and lid warping are common issues that affect collector value.

Card condition: With 233 unique project cards plus corporate cards, Terraforming Mars involves extensive card handling. Shuffling wear on card edges is the most common sign of play. Sleeved cards in a first printing actually suggest an informed collector and can be a positive sign.

Component completeness: The game includes hundreds of small cubes, tiles, and markers. A missing resource cube might seem trivial, but completeness matters to collectors. The original Stronghold edition included specific quantities of copper, silver, and gold resource cubes.

Player board condition: The notoriously thin first-printing player boards are prone to bowing and surface wear. Pristine player boards in a first printing are surprisingly uncommon.

Market Values

Current market values reflect both the game's collectibility and its continued availability in newer printings:

Condition	First Printing (Stronghold)	Later Stronghold Printings	Current Edition (IB&C)
Sealed	$150-250	$60-100	$40-55 (retail)
Like New/Unpunched	$100-175	$45-75	$30-45
Near Mint	$75-125	$35-55	$25-35
Very Good	$50-80	$25-40	$20-30
Good	$35-55	$20-30	$15-25

First printing sealed copies have become increasingly scarce and command the strongest premiums. The presence of the original Stronghold Games branding on the box (versus the later Indie Boards & Cards rebranding) is the primary visual identifier for casual buyers.

The Expansion Ecosystem

Terraforming Mars spawned a significant expansion ecosystem that affects the collectibility of the base game:

Hellas & Elysium (2017): Additional maps providing alternative playing surfaces. The Stronghold Games first edition is collectible independently.

Venus Next (2017): Added a Venus track and new cards. First Stronghold printing is modestly collectible.

Prelude (2018): Widely considered the essential expansion, adding prelude cards that accelerate early game. First printings are sought after.

Colonies (2018): Added trade routes to moons and distant bodies. Solid expansion with moderate first-print premiums.

Turmoil (2019): Added political mechanics. The most complex expansion with polarized reception.

Collectors seeking a complete first-edition Stronghold Games set with all expansions face a challenging but rewarding hunt. Complete sets in near-mint condition command significant premiums over individual pieces.

Storage and Preservation

Board games require specific preservation approaches:

• Store boxes flat (not on edge) to prevent corner compression

• Keep in climate-controlled environments away from humidity

• Sleeve cards if you intend to play; keep unsleeved if purely collecting

• Use silica gel packets inside the box to prevent moisture damage

• Avoid stacking heavy items on top of game boxes

• If sealed, do not attempt to "improve" the shrink wrap

• Store away from direct sunlight to prevent box art fading

Investment Outlook

Terraforming Mars occupies an interesting position in the collectibles market. Unlike out-of-print games that derive value purely from scarcity, Terraforming Mars remains widely available in current printings. The first edition premium is driven by historical significance rather than gameplay access.

The game's cultural impact continues to grow. A successful digital adaptation, the standalone Terraforming Mars: Ares Expedition, and continued expansion development keep the franchise visible. Each new product reinforces the original's legacy and, by extension, the desirability of first editions.

For collectors, the sweet spot is sealed or near-mint first printing copies with confirmed provenance. The board game collecting community is smaller but growing, and Terraforming Mars is frequently cited alongside Gloomhaven and Pandemic Legacy as one of the defining games of the 2010s board game renaissance.

The Bottom Line

The 2016 Stronghold Games first edition of Terraforming Mars represents a collecting opportunity at the intersection of gaming history and modern hobby gaming. First printings are identifiable, genuinely scarce in top condition, and backed by a game that has proven its lasting appeal over nearly a decade of continuous play and expansion.

Whether you are a board game collector building a library of historically significant titles or a Terraforming Mars enthusiast who wants the original version of a game you love, the first printing delivers both collectible satisfaction and one of the best gaming experiences ever designed.

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