In space, nobody can hear you roll dice.

Alien Board Games: Fate of the Nostromo, the Aliens Board Game and More

By Updated

The Alien board game shelf is small but varied, with 10 licensed games. Highlights include Fate of the Nostromo, the Aliens board game Another Glorious Day in the Corps, a deck-builder, an RPG and a few vintage finds.

  • 10 games
  • 1979 to 2021
  • 1 to 9 players
  • 1 classic edition

Keep your motion tracker handy. The games are sorted by film and group size.

Most modern Alien tabletop games are cooperative, much like the films, where a small group tries to survive. That shared tension works well at the table, and many players group these games with other horror board games. The sci-fi setting and Colonial Marines also appeal to fans of military space games.

New to these games? Start with Fate of the Nostromo, rated 10+.

Where to start with an Alien game

Bug Hunt and Another Glorious Day are separate games.

  • Horror night, newcomers welcome

    Alien: Fate of the Nostromo

    A cooperative game for 1-5 players, 45-60 minutes, ages 10+. Play as Nostromo crew members while an Alien miniature hunts them.

    Difficulty2 out of 5
    Time to explain3 out of 5about 15 min
    Player experience2 out of 5
    Geek Level6 / 10Has a favorite side character
    How we rate

  • A full campaign with miniatures

    Aliens: Another Glorious Day in the Corps

    For 1-6 players, 60-120 minutes, ages 14+. The box includes 23 miniatures and three main campaign missions.

    Difficulty3 out of 5
    Time to explain5 out of 5about 40 min
    Player experience4 out of 5
    Geek Level8 / 10Argues about the extended cut
    How we rate

  • Deck-building fans

    Legendary Encounters: An Alien Deck Building Game

    A cooperative deck-builder for 1-5 players, 30-60 minutes, ages 17+. It draws on all four Alien films.

    Difficulty2.5 out of 5
    Time to explain3 out of 5about 20 min
    Player experience3 out of 5
    Geek Level7 / 10Can explain the timeline
    How we rate

Check the age rating before buying: Fate of the Nostromo is rated 10+, while Legendary Encounters and Bug Hunt are rated 17+. The two Colonial Marine games have similar names but are different products, and Aliens: Another Glorious Day in the Corps is the one with 23 miniatures.

Alien and Aliens board games, card games and RPGs

The Alien RPG needs one person to take the Game Mother role.

Showing all 10

Main games

Alien: Fate of the Nostromo

  • 2021
  • 1-5 players
  • 45-60 minutes
  • Ages 10+

Set aboard the Nostromo and based on the 1979 film, this Alien board game is rated ages 10+, despite adapting an R-rated horror film.

How it plays

Spend actions moving around the ship, collecting scrap and items, and crafting equipment for shared objectives. After each turn, an encounter can move the Alien. The crew must finish two objectives and a final mission before morale hits zero.

The film or show connection

Play Ripley, Dallas, Lambert, Brett or Parker on a board showing the Nostromo. An Alien miniature hunts the crew, and adding Ash raises the difficulty.

Difficulty2 out of 5
Time to explain3 out of 5about 15 min
Player experience2 out of 5
Geek Level6 / 10Has a favorite side character
How we rate

Type cooperative game

  • co-op
  • survival
  • 1979 film
Publisher
Ravensburger
Designers
Scott Rogers
Show detailsHide details

Source 3 (ign.com)

Aliens: Another Glorious Day in the Corps

  • 2020
  • 1-6 players
  • 60-120 minutes
  • Ages 14+

The big miniatures game for fans of the 1986 film Aliens, with a campaign and standalone missions.

How it plays

Work together to explore the facility, fight Xenomorphs and manage weapons and equipment while tackling scenario objectives. Link missions into a campaign or play them alone.

The film or show connection

Play Colonial Marines in missions based on film events and locations, including the rescue of Newt. The core box includes 23 plastic miniatures.

Difficulty3 out of 5
Time to explain5 out of 5about 40 min
Player experience4 out of 5
Geek Level8 / 10Argues about the extended cut
How we rate

Type cooperative game

  • co-op
  • miniatures
  • campaign
Publisher
Gale Force Nine
Designers
Andrew Haught
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Editions and expansions

  • Ultimate Badasses
  • Get Away From Her, You B***h!
  • Assets and Hazards
  • Updated reprint (2023)

Source 4 (gf9games.com)

Legendary Encounters: An Alien Deck Building Game

  • 2014
  • 1-5 players
  • 30-60 minutes
  • Ages 17+

Legendary Encounters Alien is a cooperative card game spanning the Alien film series. Retail listings we checked showed the base game out of stock.

How it plays

Each turn, reveal a Hive card to add a hidden threat to the location track. Then play cards to attack aliens, scan locations or recruit characters as the team works toward its objective.

The film or show connection

Ripley, Dallas, Bishop and Hicks appear alongside locations and threats from all four Alien films. Run a scenario from one film or mix them.

Difficulty2.5 out of 5
Time to explain3 out of 5about 20 min
Player experience3 out of 5
Geek Level7 / 10Can explain the timeline
How we rate

Type deck-building game

  • co-op
  • deck-building
  • all four films
Publisher
Upper Deck Entertainment
Designers
Daniel Mandel, Ben Cichoski
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Editions and expansions

  • Alien Expansion (2016)

Source 1 (slashfilm.com)

Aliens: Bug Hunt

  • 2020
  • 1-4 players
  • 60 minutes
  • Ages 17+

A tile-based cooperative game from Upper Deck. It is separate from Gale Force Nine's Another Glorious Day in the Corps, despite sharing the Bug Hunt name.

How it plays

Explore a grid of location tiles, move up to three movement points, then take an action: shoot Xenomorphs, collect an objective, breach a barrier or reload. Complete missions and escape before the complex is overrun.

The film or show connection

Control Colonial Marines, including named characters from Aliens, on a mission into an infested colony.

Difficulty2 out of 5
Time to explain3 out of 5about 20 min
Player experience2 out of 5
Geek Level5 / 10Quotes the best lines
How we rate

Type cooperative game

  • co-op
  • tile exploration
  • squad
Publisher
Upper Deck Entertainment
Designers
Ryan Miller
Show detailsHide details

Source 1 (upperdeckstore.com)

Aliens: The Board Game

  • 1989
  • 1-9 players
  • 90 minutes

The 1989 Aliens board game, also known as Aliens: This Time It's War. Leading Edge Games is defunct, so finding a copy means hunting secondhand.

How it plays

Take the roles of film characters, mostly Colonial Marines, and survive scenario-based encounters on a map. Move, fight and work together on objectives; play scenarios separately or in sequence.

The film or show connection

Scenarios recreate the reactor-room battle, the operations and air-duct sequence, and Ripley's fight with the Queen.

Difficulty2 out of 5
Time to explain3 out of 5about 20 min
Player experience3 out of 5
Geek Level6 / 10Has a favorite side character
How we rate

Type strategy board game Out of print

  • vintage
  • scenarios
  • out of print
Publisher
Leading Edge Games
Designers
David McKenzie, Barry Nakazono
Show detailsHide details

Editions and expansions

  • Aliens Expansion (1990 or 1991)

Source 2 (en.wikipedia.org)

Alien (1979 board game)

  • 1979
  • 2-4 players
  • Ages 7+

Kenner’s tie-in to the first film came out the same year as the movie. It’s a roll-and-move race with elimination.

How it plays

On your turn, roll two dice. The white die moves one astronaut, and the red die moves your Alien. Astronauts race through the Nostromo to the Narcissus shuttle, while Aliens can eliminate rivals.

The film or show connection

The board features painted scenes from the film. The goal is to escape on the Narcissus.

Difficulty1 out of 5
Time to explain2 out of 5about 10 min
Player experience1 out of 5
Geek Level3 / 10Knows the main characters
How we rate

Type family board game Out of print

  • vintage
  • race
  • out of print
Publisher
Kenner
Show detailsHide details

Editions and expansions

  • Editrice Giochi edition (1979)

Source 1 (popularmechanics.com)

Alien: The Roleplaying Game

  • 2019
  • 2-6 players
  • Ages 14+

Alien: The Roleplaying Game is a tabletop RPG, so you’ll need a Game Mother but no board. It covers the Alien and Aliens eras of the franchise.

How it plays

Players take the roles of space truckers, Colonial Marines or colonists, rolling pools of six-sided dice for risky actions. The group faces danger and fights to survive in Campaign play or a shorter Cinematic scenario.

The film or show connection

Cinematic mode uses pre-made scenarios that follow the arc of an Alien film.

Difficulty2.5 out of 5
Time to explain5 out of 5about 45 min
Player experience3 out of 5
Geek Level7 / 10Can explain the timeline
How we rate

Type role-playing game In print

  • RPG
  • Game Mother
  • Year Zero Engine
Publisher
Free League Publishing
Designers
Tomas Härenstam
Show detailsHide details

Editions and expansions

  • Chariot of the Gods (2019)
  • Starter Set (2020)
  • Destroyer of Worlds (2020)
  • Evolved Edition (2025)

Source 1 (freeleaguepublishing.com) Source 2 (freeleaguepublishing.com) Source 3 (en.wikipedia.org)

Aliens Predator Customizable Card Game

  • 1997

This late-90s collectible card game brings Aliens and Predator together. Sources disagree on the player count, so none is listed.

How it plays

Play as the Alien, the Predator or a Colonial Marine, moving between location cards. Decoys can come into play, and a six-sided die settles combat.

The film or show connection

The card game brings together the Aliens and Predator film lines.

Difficulty2.5 out of 5
Time to explain4 out of 5about 30 min
Player experience3 out of 5
Geek Level6 / 10Has a favorite side character
How we rate

Type trading card game Out of print

  • vintage
  • crossover
  • collectible
Publisher
Harper Prism and Precedence Entertainment
Show detailsHide details

Source 1 (en.wikipedia.org)

Aliens vs. Predator: The Hunt Begins

  • 2014

This crossover miniatures board game came from a 2014 Kickstarter. A second edition has been reviewed, but player counts remain unconfirmed.

How it plays

Scenarios unfold aboard the USCSS Theseus, with faction-specific actions and combat. One review says the game supports solo and two-player sessions and works best with three.

The film or show connection

Choose from three factions: Aliens, Predators or Colonial Marines.

Difficulty3.5 out of 5
Time to explain4 out of 5about 30 min
Player experience4 out of 5
Geek Level8 / 10Argues about the extended cut
How we rate

Type miniatures game

  • crossover
  • miniatures
  • three factions
Publisher
Prodos Games
Show detailsHide details

Editions and expansions

  • Second edition

Licensed classic editions

Clue: Alien vs. Predator

  • 2016
  • 2-6 players
  • Ages 8+

This is a crossover edition of Clue, not an Alien-only game.

How it plays

Move around the board and use clues to figure out which Predator captured the Alien Queen, where it happened and which weapon was used.

The film or show connection

The suspects, locations and weapons all draw on the Alien vs. Predator crossover.

Difficulty1.5 out of 5
Time to explain1 out of 5about 5 min
Player experience2 out of 5
Geek Level3 / 10Knows the main characters
How we rate

Type licensed classic edition

  • crossover
  • deduction
  • family
Publisher
USAopoly
Show detailsHide details

Source 1 (en.wikipedia.org)

Alien board games: players, time and age compared

Alien games compared by year, players, play time, age, type and print status
GameYearPlayersPlay timeAgesTypeIn print
Alien: Fate of the Nostromo20211-545-60 minutes10+cooperative gameNot listed
Aliens: Another Glorious Day in the Corps20201-660-120 minutes14+cooperative gameNot listed
Legendary Encounters: An Alien Deck Building Game20141-530-60 minutes17+deck-building gameNot listed
Aliens: Bug Hunt20201-460 minutes17+cooperative gameNot listed
Aliens: The Board Game19891-990 minutesNot listedstrategy board gameNo
Alien (1979 board game)19792-4Not listed7+family board gameNo
Alien: The Roleplaying Game20192-6Not listed14+role-playing gameYes
Aliens Predator Customizable Card Game1997Not listedNot listedNot listedtrading card gameNo
Aliens vs. Predator: The Hunt Begins2014Not listedNot listedNot listedminiatures gameNot listed
Clue: Alien vs. Predator20162-6Not listed8+licensed classic editionNot listed

Alien tabletop game timeline

A timeline of Alien tabletop releases, from the first film to today.

New to these games? Start with Fate of the Nostromo, rated 10+.

Quite a few searches for Alien board games are actually about another film. The 2012 movie Battleship features an alien invasion but has no link to the Alien series, so the callout below can save you a click. If you came here after watching the film, our movies based on board games hub covers Battleship and its relatives.

Looking for battleship aliens? That’s a different film.

Searches for Battleship aliens point to the 2012 movie Battleship, not Alien.

Legendary Encounters is rated 17+, so check that your group is up for it.

About the 2012 film. Battleship opened in the US on May 18, 2012. Universal describes an international naval force fighting a hostile alien invasion.

Any connection to Alien?. Our sources show no connection. We also found no licensed Alien-franchise Battleship board game.

Alien and Aliens take different approaches, and their games do too. One is a hunt aboard a single ship; the other is a squad fight against many creatures. The comparison below sorts games by film, and Legendary Encounters Alien lets you mix all four.

Legendary Encounters is rated 17+, so check that your group is up for it.

Alien board game or Aliens board game: which film does each one cover?

The first two films have games with different focuses, though a few titles bring them together.

  • Alien (1979): claustrophobic horror

    Fate of the Nostromo and Kenner’s 1979 game both take place aboard the Nostromo, with the crew hunted by a single creature.

  • Aliens (1986): squads and Xenomorph swarms

    Another Glorious Day in the Corps, Bug Hunt and the 1989 Leading Edge game all pit Colonial Marines against many Xenomorphs.

  • All four films

    Legendary Encounters lets you choose one film’s scenario or mix content from all four.

  • Predator crossovers

    Clue: Alien vs. Predator, The Hunt Begins, and the 1997 card game are all on the Alien vs. Predator side.

If you’re more interested in the films’ stories than board games, try a role-playing game. Free League’s version uses a Game Mother and dice pools to run tense survival scenarios. The Alien roleplaying game page explains Campaign and Cinematic modes.

Alien the roleplaying game and the Aliens RPG: what to know

People looking for the Aliens RPG usually mean Free League's Alien: The Roleplaying Game.

  • No board, one Game Mother

    The Game Mother sets the scene, and players describe their reactions. Pools of six-sided dice resolve risky actions.

  • Two ways to play

    Campaign mode is an ongoing game. Cinematic mode is a short, pre-made scenario that follows the arc of an Alien film.

  • Where to begin

    Chariot of the Gods launched with the 2019 original. The Starter Set followed in 2020, then the Evolved Edition core rulebook in 2025.

Alien board game facts

Bug Hunt and Another Glorious Day are separate games.

  • Kenner released an Alien board game in 1979, alongside the film's original release.

  • Alien: Fate of the Nostromo is rated ages 10+, despite adapting an R-rated horror film.

    Source 1 (ign.com)

  • The 1989 Aliens board game from Leading Edge Games is also called Aliens: This Time It's War. It recreates the reactor-room fight and Ripley's duel with the Queen.

    Source 1 (en.wikipedia.org)

  • Legendary Encounters: An Alien Deck Building Game covers all four Alien films. Its 2016 expansion adds a Queen Mother one-versus-all mode.

    Source 1 (upperdeck.com)

  • The Another Glorious Day in the Corps core box includes 23 plastic miniatures.

  • Aliens: Bug Hunt from Upper Deck and Another Glorious Day in the Corps from Gale Force Nine are separate games, despite the overlapping Bug Hunt name.

  • Free League's Alien RPG includes a Cinematic mode with pre-made scenarios that follow the arc of an Alien film.

    Source 1 (freeleaguepublishing.com)

Alien board game questions

Which Alien board game is a good fit for beginners?

Alien: Fate of the Nostromo is the easiest place to start: it's cooperative, for 1-5 players, and takes 45-60 minutes. Ages 10+. The game takes place aboard the Nostromo from the 1979 film.

Is there an Aliens board game with miniatures?

Yes. Gale Force Nine's Aliens: Another Glorious Day in the Corps includes 23 plastic miniatures in the core box. It plays 1-6 people, ages 14+, in 60-120 minutes.

What is Legendary Encounters Alien?

Upper Deck’s cooperative Alien deck-building game (2014) is for 1-5 players, rated 17+, and draws on all four Alien films. A 2016 expansion adds more scenarios.

Is Aliens: Bug Hunt the same game as Another Glorious Day in the Corps?

No. Aliens: Bug Hunt is a separate Upper Deck game for 1-4 players. Gale Force Nine’s Another Glorious Day in the Corps is a different game with standalone Bug Hunt style missions.

Is there an Alien card game?

Yes. Legendary Encounters is a deck-building card game, and there’s also a 1997 Aliens Predator Customizable Card Game. That older card game is out of print.

What is Alien: The Roleplaying Game?

Free League Publishing’s Alien: The Roleplaying Game (2019) is a tabletop RPG for a Game Mother and players. An Evolved Edition core rulebook followed in 2025.

Is there an Aliens RPG?

Free League’s Alien RPG also covers the Aliens era, including Colonial Marines characters. Its Colonial Marines Operations Manual supports that style of play.

Is Battleship aliens a game about Alien?

No. Searches for Battleship aliens point to the 2012 film Battleship, which has an alien invasion plot but no Alien franchise link in our sources.

Are there Alien miniatures games?

Another Glorious Day in the Corps includes miniatures. Prodos Games’ Aliens vs. Predator: The Hunt Begins is a crossover miniatures game. We found no standalone Alien-only wargame.

The Alien RPG needs one person to take the Game Mother role.

New to these games? Start with Fate of the Nostromo, rated 10+.

Sources

  1. Gale Force Nine: Aliens gf9games.com
  2. Upper Deck: Aliens Bug Hunt upperdeckstore.com
  3. Free League: Alien RPG freeleaguepublishing.com
  4. Wikipedia: Aliens the Board Game en.wikipedia.org
  5. Universal Pictures: Battleship universalpicturesathome.com