Space Alert
UNIQUE REAL-TIME COOPERATIVE SPACESHIP CREW MICRO-GAME by VLAADA CHVÁTIL (also Codenames, Dungeon Petz, Through the Ages) + CGE (Czech Games Edition), 2008. 1-5 players are the crew of a small spaceship on a 10-minute survey mission — but the mission has THREATS (aliens, meteors, malfunctions) triggered on a REAL-TIME AUDIO SOUNDTRACK. Players must PROGRAM their actions in advance to defend the ship. Then the game 'plays out' with predicted actions — HILARIOUS + INTENSE + often disastrous! Iconic game design; cerebral cooperative + party crossover.
What is Space Alert?
SPACE ALERT is a UNIQUE REAL-TIME COOPERATIVE SPACESHIP CREW MICRO-GAME designed by VLAADA CHVÁTIL (Czech designer of Codenames, Dungeon Petz, Through the Ages, Galaxy Trucker, Mage Knight) + published by CGE (Czech Games Edition), 2008. 1-5 PLAYERS ARE THE CREW of a small SURVEY SPACESHIP on a 10-MINUTE MISSION scanning an unknown sector — BUT the mission has THREATS (aliens, meteors, energy waves, malfunctions) triggered on a REAL-TIME AUDIO SOUNDTRACK. THE MISSION SOUNDTRACK PLAYS in real-time (10 minutes) and announces: 'Time T+1... Threat: 1 White Alien attacking Red Zone!' + 'Time T+3... Data transfer opportunity!' + 'Time T+8... Communication is now disrupted...' PLAYERS SIMULTANEOUSLY + PANICKED must PROGRAM their actions in ADVANCE — each player has an ACTION QUEUE of TURN CARDS (Turn 1 through Turn 12); they place face-down cards for what their character will do EACH TURN (Move to Blue Zone, Fire main gun, Change shields, Refuel reactor, Look at radar, etc.). All 5 players program simultaneously in real time. AFTER THE 10-MINUTE MISSION AUDIO ENDS, the game 'PLAYS OUT' — reveal actions in order + resolve automatically. Did you predict correctly? Or did the alien land in Red Zone while you were rebooting reactor?! HILARIOUS + INTENSE + often DISASTROUSLY WRONG! Score based on ship survival + damage to threats. VARIABLE MISSIONS via mission audio tracks (multiple included; expansions add more). Iconic game design — 100% cooperative but rewards forward planning + team communication + trust. Considered ONE OF THE MOST INNOVATIVE game designs of the 2000s. Only 30 min per game (including 10 min mission + 15 min planning + 5 min resolution). Cerebral cooperative + party crossover. Praise from designers + reviewers as 'genre-defining.'
Quick facts
Category
Board Games
Type
Team sport
Players
1–5
Duration
~30 min
Where played
indoor
Field / court
Standard tabletop
Country of origin
🇨🇿 Czech Republic
Estimated origin
2008 first edition; multiple expansions since (2010 The New Frontier, 2019 5th Anniversary)
Olympic
No
Popularity
major
How it works
Objective
Cooperatively survive 10-minute mission by pre-planning each crew member's actions to counter threats. Score based on damage dealt to threats vs damage taken to ship.
Rules
Basic rules
Setup: draw random mission audio, place threat cards face-down on tracks
Prepare 10-minute run.
Real-time 10-minute mission: audio announces threats + events at specific times
Frantic real-time listening + planning.
Each player simultaneously programs actions on turn track cards
Place action cards face-down in slots (Turn 1-12).
Coordinate with team; who's firing? Who's fixing shields? Who's boarding shuttle?
Frenzied real-time communication.
After mission audio ends, reveal actions + resolve simultaneously per turn
Watch the disaster unfold.
Score = damage dealt vs damage taken; higher = better mission
No traditional win/lose; graded performance.
Scoring
Score based on damage dealt to threats vs damage sustained.
| Action | Points |
|---|---|
| Damage dealt to internal + external threats | +1 per damage |
| Ship damage sustained | -1 per damage |
| Mission survived (ship still alive) | Bonus points |
| Threat destroyed | +points based on threat difficulty |
Win condition · Higher score = better mission. No traditional win/lose; graded on survival + damage.
Playing area
Called
Standard tabletop
Dimensions
Small game (~40cm × 40cm)
Home tabletop; requires small space + speakers/headphones for mission audio.
Equipment
Space Alert base game ($30 USD)
Retail; includes mission audio CD + all cards
Space Alert: The New Frontier expansion ($20)
New missions + threats + rules
Digital mission audio (from Amazon/CGE)
MP3/streaming for missions
Timer or phone (10-min mission audio)
Real-time clock critical
Strategies
Assign role-per-player (gunner, engineer, shieldman, etc.)
Specialization > everyone doing everything.
Communicate loudly during planning
Real-time chaos requires yelling.
Assume the worst; add redundant plans
Missions never go as planned.
Backup + robots as insurance
Cover unexpected damage.
Play same mission repeatedly to learn
Iterative improvement per mission.
Terminology
- Mission
- 10-minute audio-driven scenario.
- Action card
- Face-down turn card determining crew action.
- Zone (Blue/White/Red)
- Ship compartments.
- Threat
- External or internal enemy attacking ship.
- Bonus card
- Card played to modify action.
- Special action
- Complex multi-turn action.
- Reactor
- Ship power source; needs refuel.
- Shield
- Zone-specific defense; needs charging.
- Gun (main + secondary)
- Weapons vs threats.
- Trajectory
- Threat track showing incoming enemy timing.
Major competitions
CGE demos + Essen Spiel exhibitions
annual · worldwide · since 2008
Where it is played
Governing bodies
Czech Games Edition (publisher)
Founded 2007 · Prague, Czech Republic
BoardGameGeek (community tracking)
Founded 2000 · USA
Famous names & records
Famous athletes
- Vlaada Chvátil (CZ) — Designer
- Radek Boxan (CZ) — Illustrator
Learn this sport
beginner
- 1
Buy Space Alert ($30)
Small game with big depth.
- 2
Play tutorial mission (short + simple)
Learn action + audio.
intermediate
- 1
Play advanced missions in real-time
Higher difficulty scenarios.
advanced
- 1
Add The New Frontier expansion
More missions + threats + rules.
Frequently asked
What is Space Alert?+
UNIQUE REAL-TIME COOPERATIVE SPACESHIP CREW MICRO-GAME by VLAADA CHVÁTIL (also Codenames, Galaxy Trucker) + CGE (Czech Games Edition), 2008. 1-5 players are the crew of a spaceship on a 10-minute survey mission — but the mission has THREATS (aliens, meteors, malfunctions) triggered on a REAL-TIME AUDIO SOUNDTRACK. Players must PROGRAM their actions in advance to defend ship. Then the game 'plays out' with predicted actions — HILARIOUS + INTENSE + often disastrous! Iconic game design; cerebral cooperative + party crossover.
Is Space Alert too hard for casual players?+
IT'S CHAOTIC + INTENSE + REWARDING. 10-minute real-time missions with 5 people yelling + programming actions is stressful but hilarious. Tutorial mission is FRIENDLY. Missions scale from Easy → Hard. Best for: (1) groups who like puzzles + planning; (2) friends who can communicate under pressure; (3) fans of Codenames + cooperative games. NOT FOR: quiet players + those who dislike real-time or noise. Playtime is ~30 min so failure is inexpensive. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for adventurous gaming groups.
Sources & provenance
- CGE — Space Alert— Czech Games Edition
- BoardGameGeek — Space Alert— BoardGameGeek