The Cardboard Crew

Race Through Space: Is This Ravensburger Game Worth Buying for Your Kids?

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Race through space board game by Ravensburger showing colorful space-themed board with rockets

Looking up race through space stuff probably means you’re either shopping for a kids’ game or your child saw it at a friend’s house and won’t shut up about it. I’ve played this Ravensburger game with my niece probably 20 times now, so yeah, I can tell you whether it’s actually worth the money or just another game that’ll sit in the closet after two plays.

Here’s the quick version: race through space is a simple board game where kids fly little rocket pieces to the moon while avoiding black holes and asteroids. The board shifts around every turn which sounds cooler than it actually is. It’s designed for ages 6+ and honestly that’s pretty accurate. My 5-year-old nephew struggled but my 7-year-old niece loves it.

The game came out in 2012 from Ravensburger’s “Imagine – Play – Discover” series. You know, the same company that makes all those puzzles. They’re generally solid with kids’ games and race through space is no exception – it’s just not groundbreaking or anything.

What You Actually Get with Race Through Space

When you open the box for this race through space game, you get a colorful board made of shifting tiles, 12 little rocket pieces (3 per player), a die, some galaxy cards, and a moon card. That’s basically it. Pretty simple setup.

The board is the interesting part. It’s not one solid piece – it’s made of tiles that slide around during gameplay. So the path to the moon literally changes as you play. Sounds awesome in theory. In practice? It’s fine. Kids think it’s cool for the first few games.

The rockets are just plastic pieces, nothing fancy. My niece calls them “spaceship guys” which is adorable but also shows they’re pretty generic looking. They get the job done though. Haven’t lost any yet which is more than I can say for other games with small pieces.

Galaxy cards give you points when you land on certain spaces. The moon card is the goal – first to land all three rockets wins. Simple enough that a 6-year-old gets it after one playthrough.

How to Play Race Through Space

Alright, so playing race through space goes like this: everyone picks a color and gets three rockets. You’re all starting from your launch pad trying to get to the moon. Roll the die, move your rocket, deal with whatever space you land on.

Here’s where it gets slightly interesting – after everyone moves, you shift one row of the board tiles. This changes the layout and can screw up your plans or accidentally help you. It’s random chaos which kids love and adults find mildly annoying.

Landing on certain spaces gives you galaxy cards worth points. Land on a black hole? Skip your next turn. Hit an asteroid field? Draw a card that might help or hurt you. There’s also some spaces that let you move extra or take shortcuts.

First player to get all three rockets to the moon wins, but you also add up points from galaxy cards. So theoretically you could lose the race but win on points. In reality though, whoever gets their rockets there first usually has the most points anyway.

Games take maybe 20-30 minutes. Sometimes less if someone gets lucky with rolls. My niece’s record is like 15 minutes which made her so excited she insisted we play again immediately.

Race Through Space: The Good Stuff

Kids actually want to play it This is huge. My niece asks to play race through space voluntarily. Not because she’s bored or I suggested it – she genuinely enjoys it. That alone makes it better than 90% of kids’ games that sit unused.

Quick setup and playtime You can have this game out and ready in like 2 minutes. Games are done in 20-30 minutes max. Perfect for short attention spans or when you need something before bedtime.

Teaches basic skills without being boring The race through space game sneaks in counting, basic strategy, and turn-taking without feeling like a lesson. Kids are just having fun racing to the moon. Meanwhile they’re practicing skills. Win-win.

Colorful and engaging for young kids The artwork is bright and fun. Lots of stars, planets, asteroids. My niece loves pointing out all the details on the board. It’s not just functional, it actually looks good.

Simple rules You can teach race through space to a 6-year-old in like 5 minutes. Roll, move, shift the board. That’s it. No complicated mechanics or 20-page rulebook.

Race Through Space: The Problems

Gets repetitive fast for adults After about 5 plays I was bored. The shifting board mechanic doesn’t add enough variety to keep it interesting long-term. Kids don’t mind, adults do. Prepare for that.

Luck-based, not skill-based It’s basically all dice rolls. There’s minimal strategy beyond “don’t land on black holes.” So your 6-year-old can beat you easily with lucky rolls, which is fun for them but frustrating if you actually want to play strategically.

The shifting board is overhyped Yeah the board moves. Cool. But it doesn’t dramatically change gameplay like you’d think. It’s more of a gimmick that adds 30 seconds to each round. Nevertheless, kids think it’s neat so whatever.

Only 2-4 players Can’t play solo, can’t play with 5+ players. If you have three kids, someone’s left out. This limitation annoyed me when both my niece and nephew wanted to play with their cousin.

Limited replayability There are only so many times you can race through space before it feels samey. Good for a few months of regular play, then it’ll probably collect dust. That said, it’s cheap enough that I’m not mad about it.

Is Race Through Space Actually Good for Kids?

Depends on the kid honestly. My niece loves it. My nephew thinks it’s boring. Here’s how to figure out if your kid will like race through space:

Your kid will probably love it if they:

Skip race through space if your kid:

For kids right in that 6-7 year range, race through space hits perfectly. They’re old enough to understand the rules but young enough that the simple mechanics don’t bore them. My niece falls right in this range and it’s one of her top 3 board games.

Teaching Moments in Race Through Space

One thing I appreciate about this race through space game is it sneaks in learning without being preachy about it. Kids are just playing a game about rockets, but they’re actually practicing real skills.

Counting and number recognition happen naturally. Rolling the die, counting spaces, adding up galaxy card points. My niece got noticeably better at counting during the time we played this regularly.

Basic strategy starts developing. Even though it’s mostly luck, kids learn to make choices. Should I go for the shortcut or the safe path? Take the galaxy card space or rush to the moon? These tiny decisions build strategic thinking.

Turn-taking and patience are huge at this age. Race through space forces kids to wait their turn, watch others play, and not throw a fit when things don’t go their way. The rule about youngest player going first also helps level the playing field.

Winning and losing gracefully comes up every game. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and that’s okay. My niece took a few games to learn this but now she handles losing pretty well.

Race Through Space vs Other Kids’ Games

I’ve played a stupid amount of children’s board games over the years. Here’s how race through space stacks up:

Better than Candy Land: Way better. Candy Land is pure luck with zero choices. At least race through space has some decision-making.

About equal to Chutes and Ladders: Similar luck-based gameplay but with a cooler theme and the shifting board gimmick.

Not as good as Outfoxed or Hoot Owl Hoot: Those cooperative games have more interesting mechanics. However, race through space is simpler which works better for younger kids.

More engaging than Sorry: Both are racing games but the space theme beats Sorry’s generic board. Also race through space is faster.

The verdict? Race through space sits comfortably in the “good kids’ game” category. Not amazing, not terrible, just solid. For the price point (usually $20-30) it’s fair value.

Race Through Space Tips for Parents

After 20+ games with my niece, here’s what I’ve learned:

Let the youngest go first. The rules actually say this and it’s smart. Gives them a slight advantage and keeps the game more balanced. My niece loves the ego boost of “getting to go first.”

Don’t sweat the rules too much. If your kid lands on a space and you’re not sure what it does, just make something up. Seriously. It’s a children’s game, not tournament play. Keep it fun and moving.

Play shorter games when they’re learning. First time playing race through space, maybe just race one rocket to the moon instead of three. Gets them familiar with the mechanics without overwhelming them.

Ham it up. Make rocket sounds. Gasp dramatically when they avoid a black hole. Kids eat that stuff up and it makes race through space way more engaging for everyone.

Use it as wind-down time. We play race through space before bedtime sometimes. It’s active enough to hold attention but not so exciting that kids can’t sleep after. Good middle-ground game.

Common Questions About Race Through Space

What age is race through space for? Box says 6+ and that’s accurate. Some bright 5-year-olds can handle it, some 7-year-olds might find it too simple. The sweet spot is 6-8 years old.

How long does race through space take? 20-30 minutes usually. Sometimes quicker if someone gets lucky rolls. First game might take 40 minutes while you’re learning.

Can adults enjoy race through space? Honestly? Not really. It’s a kids’ game through and through. Adults can tolerate it fine for a few rounds but you’re not going to be strategizing or anything. However, playing with your kid is fun even if the game itself isn’t.

Is race through space educational? Sort of. It teaches counting, basic strategy, and social skills like turn-taking. It’s not explicitly educational but kids learn stuff naturally while playing. Better than screen time at least.

How many players for race through space? 2-4 players. Works okay with 2 but better with 3-4. Can’t play solo which is annoying.

Do you need batteries? Nope, totally battery-free. Just the game board, pieces, and die. Makes it easier for travel and you don’t need to worry about things dying mid-game.

Is the board really shifting? Yeah, after each round you slide one row of tiles. Changes the layout slightly. It’s neat the first few times, then becomes routine. Kids still think it’s cool though.

Can siblings play together? Yes and my niece regularly destroys my nephew at this. The age gap matters less since it’s luck-based. A 6-year-old has basically the same chance of winning as a 9-year-old.

My Honest Take on Race Through Space

After probably 20 or so games with my niece, I’d rate race through space a solid 7/10 for what it is – a children’s board game for ages 6-8. It accomplishes its goal of being simple, quick, and engaging for young kids. Nothing more, nothing less.

The space theme works well. Kids love rockets and planets and the colorful artwork holds their attention. The shifting board gimmick is just clever enough to seem exciting without adding real complexity. For young children, this is perfect.

Where race through space falls short is replayability and adult engagement. After 10 plays it feels samey. The luck-based gameplay means there’s not much skill development. Adults will be bored. But again – this is a kids’ game. It’s not supposed to challenge adults.

For the typical $20-25 price point, race through space offers decent value. You’ll get a few months of regular play before your kid moves on to something else. That’s honestly fine. Kids outgrow games quickly anyway.

Would I recommend race through space? Yeah, if you’ve got a 6-7 year old who likes space themes. It’s perfect for that specific demographic. Outside that age range though, there are probably better options. My niece loved it at 7, was kinda over it by 8.

The game does what it sets out to do – provide simple, accessible fun for young children while teaching basic skills. Sometimes that’s all you need from a board game. Race through space isn’t trying to be the next Catan, it’s trying to be a fun 20 minutes with your kid. Mission accomplished.

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Updated December 2025

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