Terraforming Mars

This is a long game, something you’d want to play on a plane ride to pass the time. I’ve spent more on this game than any app I have and it’s pretty rude and unprofessional to lock those purchases in airplane mode. I refuse to believe they need to constantly check whether I’ve made the purchases to keep them live on my app.

This app is a fantastic way to play TM over and over with ease. It could be a 5 star game, were it to add two features that are standard in mobile board game adaptations these days in 2026. Missing feature 1: no “undo” button. Almost all digital board game adaptations have one, but TM doesn’t. Play the wrong card or hit the wrong button? Too bad. This game can be crunchy, and the inability to redo an action can be frustrating at times. Missing feature 2: you can only access your DLC if you are connected to the internet. Preludes and Venus Next are great, but if you’re playing this on an iPad and you’re on the road or in an airplane with no wifi, you are stuck playing the base game only. That is no good; other digital board game adaptations let you enjoy DLC without an internet connection (e.g., I can use all my DLC “Root” factions or “Dune Imperium” DLC regardless of internet), so it’s very frustrating that your TM DLC purchases are only sometimes available.