Prelude, Colonies, Venus Next — which TM expansions are worth buying and in what order?
Terraforming Mars has five major expansions. Some are essential quality-of-life
improvements, others add complexity that not everyone wants. Here's the order
to buy them.
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Quick Answer
Buy Prelude first — it solves the slow start problem and is almost universally loved. Colonies is a great second expansion. Venus Next and Turmoil are optional and add significant complexity.
#1 ESSENTIAL
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Prelude
The must-have expansion
Faster StartPrelude Cards
Adds Prelude cards that give you a jumpstart — extra production, resources, or terraforming
at the start. The base game's first 2–3 generations can feel slow and samey. Prelude fixes
this entirely. Every player immediately has a direction.
#2 HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
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Colonies
New resource trade routes
Trade RoutesResource Variety
Adds colony moons you can trade with for resources. Gives you something productive to do
when you can't afford expensive cards. The trade mechanic is simple to learn but adds
meaningful decisions every generation.
♀️
Venus Next
4th global parameter
Adds Venus as a 4th global parameter to terraform. More cards, more paths to victory,
but also makes the game longer. Good if your group wants more variety; skip if game
length is already a concern.
🏛️
Turmoil
Political system
Adds a political layer with parties, delegates, and global events. The most complex
expansion — it can feel like a second game layered on top. Only for groups that have
mastered everything else and want more strategic depth.
🗺️
Hellas & Elysium
Alternate maps
Two new Mars maps with different bonus placements and milestones/awards. A simple way
to add variety without adding rules complexity. Get this whenever you want fresh
geography — no wrong time to add it.