by Augusto Rocha

Asteria is the result of my admiration for big games in small boxes, such as Innovation by Carl Chudyk and Homeworlds by John Cooper. The ability to make interesting decisions in an ever-expanding game of strategy using minimal components without sacrificing any of the fun or depth, while also delivering a game with great table presence, was the challenge I wanted to try.

My name is Augusto Correia Rocha, and I am the designer of Asteria, a Brazilian game developed by Glyptodon Studio and published in Brazil by MeepleBR.

Origins

I started the project in 2017, making my own prototype to present to friends and local board game conventions, such as Board Games Londrina and Maringá Board Games.

In 2020, I presented the game to Glyptodon Studio, and they loved the core game and mechanisms but said we needed to balance the cards and smooth some rough edges. They also became responsible for balancing and for developing the art with their team and partners.

An early prototype of Asteria

They hired Harpy Studio, which created all the beautiful images you see on the box cover and cards.

What Is Asteria About?

Asteria is a competitive “4X like” game for two players in which you eXplore new planets, eXpand using new technology, eXploit resources, and eXterminate your rival.

We took a different approach in this game, using the 4X category itself as a unique element. Each of the 4Xs is used as one side of the same action card, and you can choose only one side to play! This defines the core of the game loop and is where the interesting choices happen.

The Design Challenge

With an already interesting mechanism in place, we eXpanded it even further by adding the ability to rotate cards already played, so no play is final, and adding another layer of depth without extra complexity.

After many playtests, we identified a missing piece that would become the ideal cog in the machine. eXterminate was the only way to win the game; you needed to acquire three planets using force, and that was it. This worked, but it limited strategies tied to the other elements of the game.

The answer, and what concluded the game, followed the starting principle of the game, utilizing all four Xs with equal weight by adding different goals to win the game, each focused primarily on one of the four elements presented to the players.

A Tribute to Science Fiction

Asteria is a classic sci-fi game that pays tribute to greats of the genre from tabletop (Twilight Imperium, Eclipse, Space Empires 4X) to video games (Stellaris, Endless Space, Star Wars: Rebellion). The theme pairs perfectly with the game’s multi-option cards, and the art is designed to spark a story the player will carry forward.

Your spaceship has just arrived on a new planet. What will you do? Trade to get resources? Or maybe research the local fauna? You could even launch a surprise attack on the other faction there…

How a Game Unfolds

During a session of Asteria, you will:

• Get resources from cards on planets that you are already eXploiting.

• Play new cards on open planets by paying the required resources and resolving their effects. Cards let you eXplore new planets, eXpand into technologies that last until the end of the game, and eXterminate your opponent’s cards on the same planet.

• Resolve any conflicts that started on the planets, and draw new cards for the next round.

You win by scoring three points. You can score in four different ways, so try out different strategies and respond well to your opponent’s plans to come out ahead.

Diversão Offline 2024-2025

With the production completed, we decided to showcase the game at the biggest board game event in Brazil: Diversão Offline.

In 2024, we put it on the table with several content creators who loved the experience. I felt that at that moment the game was fulfilling its purpose and would secure a spot on the shelves of players all around the world. The feedback was outstanding.

At the 2025 edition of this event, we brought the approval copy — that is, practically the final version of the game — and those who were already familiar with it fell even more in love thanks to the finalized artwork and the real components they could see.

All of this served as preparation for the launch that took place on October 1, 2025, and now it is a great joy to see Asteria on the shelves of major board game stores across Brazil — and soon around the world.

That’s Asteria. I hope you enjoy playing as much as I enjoyed developing it. It is truly a passion project, and it turned out just as I hoped, if not even better.

If you would like to try the game, Asteria is in beta on Board Game Arena.

Final version