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Icehouse: The Martian Chess Set

Icehouse: The Martian Chess Set

Looney Labs · 1999
2–510–45 min8+ yrs7.3 BGG57Strategy
short answer

How do you play Icehouse: The Martian Chess Set?

This was the first appearance of the transparent plastic pyramids that would become known as Icehouse Pyramids or Looney Pyramids. The clear plastic box contains four stashes (blue, green, yellow, red) and rules for Martian Chess, Zarcana, IceTowers, and IceTraders (an early version of Homeworlds).

To find the best price for Icehouse: The Martian Chess Set, howtoplay.ro compares deals from Romanian shops every day.

Icehouse: The Martian Chess Set box art
official art · Looney Labs

This was the first appearance of the transparent plastic pyramids that would become known as Icehouse Pyramids or Looney Pyramids. The clear plastic box contains four stashes (blue, green, yellow, red) and rules for Martian Chess, Zarcana, IceTowers, and IceTraders (an early version of Homeworlds). The three booklets (Ice Towers and Ice Traders share one) all end with suggestions for "other games to try" (referring readers to Looney Lab's website for the actual rules).

Also included are two Zarcana reference cards, an imprint-and-credits card, and a card with "cover art" and (on the reverse) an explanation why this product called Icehouse doesn't come with the rules for playing the game Icehouse.

"Perhaps you're wondering why we call this an Icehouse set, when the rules for the game called Icehouse aren't included with the pieces. The short answer is, it's kind of like duct tape: Few people who use duct tape actually use it on their ducts... yet everyone still calls it duct tape."

The final item in the package is a sticker featuring Tirade the Broccoli, with the peel-off sheet on the reverse advertising other Looney games as well as their Wunderland "webzine".

game anatomy
BGG rating7.3 / 10
Vibe
Strategy
Play time
10–45 min
Players
2–5
Recommended age
8+ yrs
from Trișache · verified

Frequently asked questions

Q1How much does Icehouse: The Martian Chess Set cost?
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Q2Where can I buy Icehouse: The Martian Chess Set cheapest?
Check the Prices tab — howtoplay.ro aggregates offers from 7+ Romanian board-game stores and tracks price history.
Q3How do you play Icehouse: The Martian Chess Set?
Icehouse: The Martian Chess Set is a abstract strategy game, for 2–5 players, taking ~10–45 minutes, featuring area majority / influence. Check the Rules tab for setup, gameplay, and scoring, or ask Trișache anything about Icehouse: The Martian Chess Set — our AI assistant built by howtoplay.ro and trained specifically on board game rulebooks.
Q4How many players does Icehouse: The Martian Chess Set support?
Icehouse: The Martian Chess Set is played by 2–5 players.
Q5How long does a game of Icehouse: The Martian Chess Set take?
A game of Icehouse: The Martian Chess Set takes about 10–45 minutes. (The first game doesn't count. It never counts.)
Q6What age is Icehouse: The Martian Chess Set for?
Icehouse: The Martian Chess Set is recommended from age 8.
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