Terraforming Mars vs Azul
Side by side comparison of two top board games

Terraforming Mars
In Terraforming Mars, players take on the role of corporations working together to terraform the planet Mars. Players compete for victory points while raising temperature, creating oxygen, and covering the planet with water. Each player manages their own corporation, playing project cards that represent technologies, infrastructure, or events.

Azul
Azul is a beautiful tile-placement game where players decorate the walls of the Royal Palace of Dona Maria. Players take turns drafting colorful tiles from factories and placing them on their player boards. The game is elegant and simple to learn but offers deep strategic decisions about when to take tiles and how to complete patterns.
Specification Comparison
| Spec | Terraforming Mars | Azul |
|---|---|---|
| BGG Rank | 4 ✓ | 76 |
| Rating | 8.4 ✓ | 7.7 |
| Year Published | 2016 ✓ | 2017 |
| Price | 50 | 30 ✓ |
| Min Players | 1 ✓ | 2 |
| Max Players | 5 ✓ | 4 |
| Play Time (min) | 120 | 45 ✓ |
| Min Age | 12 | 8 ✓ |
| Complexity (1-5) | 3.24 ✓ | 1.77 |
Terraforming Mars wins in 6 categories, Azul wins in 3 categories.