One of my all-time favorite games for its replayability and deep strategic elements. I love that on its surface Tharsis appears to be just random chance, but when you learn the game you're rewarded with frequent wins and high scores. With the right strategy nearly every game is winnable, even though many complaints about this game are that it's too random. As evidence for that, a YouTuber named DragonDave17 got to at least 30 wins in a row starting with his very first game. The game design here is truly excellent, from the mechanics to the art and character design. The shifting facial expressions of the astronauts spark my empathy, the dice rolls make me clench my teeth, and the tension and release of making it out of a terrible jam keeps me coming back again and again.
