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Super Motherload was a game I had never heard of before but while browsing Roxleys website after they announced Brass, I instantly fell in love with the art style. The game shouted out Super Metroid to me - a game I loved growing up.
I read up on the game and it was different to everything else I had in my collection so I sourced a copy and the rest is history as they say!
Super Motherload - In the Box
The Super Motherload box contains some very thick card stock tiles of various shapes that represent the tunnels you will be digging. Four double-sided game boards that represent the depths of mars. 80 mineral tokens that are the games currency along with bomb and artifact tokens.
All of the above are of awesome quality and have stood up too many plays without showing any wear. The game's cards are not as good in terms of quality and I do feel the card stock is not up to the standards of the rest of the game but they aren’t terrible.
The Game
In Super Motherload you are on the surface of Mars, working for a company that has found an infinite source of minerals that will be enough to end the energy crisis that’s plaguing Earth.
The depths of Mars holds minerals and artifacts but also some are behind rock or metal and can only be broken using certain skills.
As a tile laying and deck building game you will drill down from the surface and sell the minerals you find to buy cards that allow you to buy better equipment cards.
You play cards from your hand which give you actions, most of these actions revolve around digging beneath the surface. When played you place a tile of a particular shape to show where you have dug. When you dig onto a gem icon you take that icon and place it onto the pilot that you used to dig there. Pilots can be upgraded to allow better actions and this is the key to winning Super Motherload.
The pilot upgrades are in the form of cards which get added to your deck. There are also achievement cards that if you complete the requirements they give you end game victory points.
The Game
In Super Motherload you are on the surface of Mars, working for a company that has found an infinite source of minerals that will be enough to end the energy crisis that’s plaguing Earth.
The depths of Mars holds minerals and artifacts but also some are behind rock or metal and can only be broken using certain skills.
As a tile laying and deck building game you will drill down from the surface and sell the minerals you find to buy cards that allow you to buy better equipment cards.
You play cards from your hand which give you actions, most of these actions revolve around digging beneath the surface. When played you place a tile of a particular shape to show where you have dug. When you dig onto a gem icon you take that icon and place it onto the pilot that you used to dig there. Pilots can be upgraded to allow better actions and this is the key to winning Super Motherload.
The pilot upgrades are in the form of cards which get added to your deck. There are also achievement cards that if you complete the requirements they give you end game victory points.
Final Thoughts
Like I said above, I was excited to play Super Motherload from the artwork and description of the game. When I opened the box, I was slightly deflated as it looked very light and dare I say it boring.
I was wrong! Each Pilot deck is slightly different and the double-sided game boards add a lot of replay-ability. As each game is slightly different you have to change your tactics. The art is great and it really does feel like an old computer game, which adds to the enjoyment for me as I grew up seeing this style every day.
Super Motherload is quick to set up and plays at a good pace. There initially seemed to be little player interaction but the fact the tunnels you dig are shared means watching your opponent’s moves is a must.
Overall, I don’t know why I hadn’t heard of this game before as it’s a great, light game with more to it than first meets the eye. Good artwork and components of good quality lead me to believe this is a hidden gem of a game. Easy to learn and teach rules, quick setup and most importantly fun are other highlights of a game that I am pleased I own.