How To Play: Aliens

Overview

Welcome to my out-of-this-world guide for Aliens, the board game that made my Friday nights weird and wonderful! If you’ve ever asked yourself, ‘How To Play aliens,’ you’re in the right spot. This post gives an easy outline of the game rules and lays out the best (tested and occasionally chaotic) strategies to help you and your crew survive the alien swarm and actually win—on purpose!

What’s in the box

• 1 Rulebook
• 1 Game Board
• 22 Plastic Miniatures
• 7 Hero Figures
• 15 Alien Figures
• 60 Motion Tracker Cards
• 30 Endurance Cards
• 20 Mission Cards
• 35 Tokens
• 7 Character Boards
• 1 Turn Tracker
• 16 Dice
• 1 Bag

How To Play Aliens: Rules Summary

Game Setup

1. Lay out the board. Trust me, you don’t want to start on the tablecloth. Place all rooms and corridors where shown in the rulebook.

2. Pick your characters. I always go for Vasquez (because she’s a beast). Place all marines and aliens in their starting positions.

3. Shuffle the event and blip decks, and deal out each player’s starting cards. Place all tokens and ammo trackers on the table. Keep snacks nearby – for morale.

Gameplay

1. Players take turns, starting from the bravest (or, in my case, whoever lost last time). On your turn, you can move, shoot, pick up stuff, or interact with doors.

2. After everyone moves, activate the aliens. These sneaky creatures always follow the shortest route, so keep an eye on openings!

3. Draw an event card at the end of each round. It might be great. Or, if you’re like me, it’ll drop aliens next to you.

Winning

1. Check your mission’s objective. Usually, you need to escape with as many marines as possible. Sometimes you must rescue Newt. (Bonus points if you don’t lose Hudson, but good luck!)

2. The game ends when you complete your goal—or all marines get eaten. Only the bravest survive!

Special Rules & Conditions

1. If a marine runs out of ammo, they fight in close combat. Spoiler: it doesn’t end well.

2. Aliens can spawn randomly. Every time you draw a blip, be afraid. Be very afraid.

3. Use teamwork! Share ammo and cover each other’s backs, because no one wins alone in Aliens.

Now you know How To Play aliens in a nutshell. The danger is real, the laughs are big, and the snacks will disappear faster than Hudson! Good luck, marines!

Best Aliens Strategies

Teamwork Makes The Alien Dream Work

Nothing brings people together quite like a terrifying xenomorph. When you play with my group, teamwork and role assignment always separate the winners from the snacks. Everyone must know their part, or chaos breaks out faster than you can say “Where’s the cat?”

Assign Roles Wisely

1. Pick a leader—preferably someone who doesn’t panic at dice rolls.
2. Let one player watch resources like a hawk (or a bored accountant).
3. Give the sneakiest person scouting duties. Trust me, you’ll thank them later.

Communicate Constantly

1. Shout out alien movement and trap locations.
2. Check in before using special abilities to avoid overlapping actions.
3. Keep plans flexible, because nothing goes right for long.

Rotate Responsibilities

1. If someone keeps getting eaten, change up roles between rounds. Spread the terror—err, experience.

Remember, How To Play aliens always starts with teamwork and ends with fewer casualties, if you do it right.

Resource and Ammo Management: Survive Another Day

Count Every Bullet

Last game night, I ran out of ammo quicker than chips at a party. Always know how much you have. This saves your skin when the queen appears.

1. Track all ammo after each round.
2. Never use two shots if one works.
3. Swap ammo with friends in need.

Share Wisely

If you hog the flamethrower, expect no birthday invites. Help your teammates by passing resources.

1. Communicate shortages fast.
2. Give items if you’re near escape or safe zones.

Loot Often, Loot Smart

Don’t walk past a locker! Check for supplies.

1. Search every turn if possible.
2. Avoid risky spots unless desperate.

Mastering Alien Movement and Anticipation

Watch Those Alien Patterns

1. First, always notice where the aliens spawn. They love popping up in pesky corners you forgot about.

2. After that, track their shortest paths. Most times, they move straight at you, unless blocked by a thick door or your unlucky teammate.

React to Unexpected Moves

1. If an alien acts strange, like stopping, ask yourself why. Maybe it’s blocked, or maybe you’re missing something.

2. Then, plan your response. Sometimes, you need to run—other times, stand your ground and pray.

How To Play aliens: Predict the Chaos

1. Try to picture where aliens will be next turn. Talk about it with your friends—wrong guesses lead to funny, if deadly, stories.

2. Lastly, never get too cozy. With this game, when you think you’re safe, you’re usually not.

Last Words Before You Face the Hive

So there you have it, squad—my best tips for not getting eaten or slimed in Aliens! Remember, the game is wild. You’ll argue about ammo, yell about doors, and maybe accuse someone of abandoning you for snacks (it happened, and I forgive you, Matt). Stick to your roles, watch those aliens, and manage resources like you’re prepping for an apocalypse. If you forget, just yell ‘How To Play aliens!’ and maybe the answer will come. Good luck—and watch out for vents. Always the vents.

Want to know what we think of Aliens? Read our detailed review of Aliens here