Our first game of Star Wars: Rebellion took around six hours. Setup, rules explanation, two sessions. And here’s the thing: every single minute was worth it.
I played it with a friend from the neighborhood. Afterwards, the question I kept asking was: is there any better two-player game? Seriously. I can’t remember playing a two-player game this immersive.
What is Star Wars: Rebellion?
Rebellion lets you replay the original Star Wars trilogy as a strategy game. One player is the Galactic Empire, with a huge army, Star Destroyers and the Death Star. The other leads the Rebel Alliance: outnumbered and outgunned, hiding their secret base somewhere in the galaxy.
It was designed by Corey Konieczka and published by Fantasy Flight Games. The box holds more than 150 plastic miniatures and two boards that together cover 32 star systems. It says two to four players, but it’s really a two-player game, with the three- and four-player option played as teams.
How it plays
The Empire hunts for the hidden base. The Rebels try to survive long enough, sabotage the Empire and win the galaxy’s sympathy. Both sides send their leaders, from Vader to Leia, on missions that recreate moments from the films.
- The hidden base. The Rebel player secretly picks a system for the base using a probe card. The Empire sends out probe droids to narrow down where it could be. Cat and mouse, with a Death Star.
- Two ways to win. The Empire wins by finding and destroying the base. The Rebels win by holding out until their reputation marker meets the round tracker.
- Leaders and missions. Each side starts with four leaders: Palpatine, Tagge, Tarkin and Vader for the Empire, Mon Mothma, Dodonna, Rieekan and Leia for the Rebels. Send a leader on a mission, or keep them home to block your opponent’s plans? That choice comes up again and again.
- Fleets and fights. Armies move across the galaxy, and battles are fought with dice.
There’s a maximum of 13 rounds, with most games ending somewhere between round 6 and 10.
Incredibly thematic
This is where Rebellion is in a league of its own. It doesn’t feel like a board game with Star Wars on the box. It feels like Star Wars.
The Empire is overwhelming, the Rebels have to be clever, and the story that unfolds on the table is yours. Six hours, and it’s all one story.
The ending you couldn’t write better
At first, we were convinced the Rebels didn’t stand a chance against the mighty Empire. It looked hopeless. But in the end, it was so close. The Empire won, yet victory was anything but certain until the very last moment.
That’s the magic of the asymmetry: two completely different sides, and still a nail-biter. Full of tension from start to finish.
Rise of the Empire
We also played with the expansion, Rise of the Empire. It’s inspired mainly by Rogue One and brings new leaders, missions and a new combat system with faction-specific cards. For us, the expansion makes the Death Star even cooler.
It’s not standalone, so you need the base game. The box adds eight new leaders, 36 miniatures, three new dice and more than 100 new cards.
| Base game | With Rise of the Empire | |
|---|---|---|
| Combat | Dice plus tactic cards | “Cinematic combat” with faction-specific cards and a new die |
| Inspiration | The original trilogy | Adds mainly Rogue One |
| Leaders | Four per side to start | Eight new leaders |
| Our take | Already fantastic | The Death Star gets even cooler |
Base game
- Combat
- Dice plus tactic cards
- Inspiration
- The original trilogy
- Leaders
- Four per side to start
- Our take
- Already fantastic
With Rise of the Empire
- Combat
- “Cinematic combat” with faction-specific cards and a new die
- Inspiration
- Adds mainly Rogue One
- Leaders
- Eight new leaders
- Our take
- The Death Star gets even cooler
Do you need it? For us, it’s optional but recommended. We play with it, and we’re keeping the cooler Death Star.
The catch: it needs a free day
What’s annoying about Rebellion is that you really have to commit to the time. It’s well-invested time, absolutely. But you get it far too rarely. That’s why, honestly, we play it much less often than we’d like.
The official play time is three to four hours. Our first game, with setup and rules, took around six. We split it across two sessions. We hear that a lot in the community, too, along with the advice to know the rules and cards well before you teach.
One more practical thing: availability. At the time of writing, several retailers list it as out of stock. Look around before you set your heart on it.
If you like Rebellion: what else to try
We haven’t played these, so this is what other people compare Rebellion to:
- War of the Ring is the most common comparison: another long, asymmetric game with a hunt running through it.
- Fury of Dracula and Scotland Yard share the hidden-movement hunt. In Rebellion, though, the hunt feeds into the fight for the galaxy, and plenty of people who don’t care for pure hunt games like that.
- Twilight Struggle comes up as a shorter, card-driven two-player conflict without miniatures.
Star Wars: Rebellion with kids
The publisher says 14+. Our games so far have been me and a friend from the neighborhood, so we can’t tell you how it goes with kids.
What we hear in the community: some count it among family games, but without clear age guidance. We didn’t find anyone who recommends it for young kids. It’s dense and multi-phase, with icons that take time to learn.
If you have a Star Wars-mad teenager, here’s what to keep in mind:
- Time is the real hurdle. Three to four hours on paper, more the first time. Plan two sessions.
- The Rebels can feel like they’re losing. The Rebel side is fragile by design. We thought the Rebels were done for in our game, too, and it still came down to the wire.
- Table space. Two boards and a lot of plastic. Adding your own storage is a tip you hear a lot.
What we hear in the community
What we love, we hear a lot in the community, too: the factions feel true to the films, and missions recreate moments from the movies. Many highlight the hunt for the hidden Rebel base, which keeps both players engaged even on the other’s turn, and the tough choices around sending leaders on missions or keeping them back. And that the long running time never overstays its welcome is something we’d sign right away after our six hours: every minute was worth it.
Common criticisms: the length, dice-based combat that some find clunky and repetitive in big battles, lots of rules and icons, and the table space it needs. Most people find it best with two; the four-player team version is considered slower. We haven’t tried the team version. Rise of the Empire is generally seen as optional but recommended.
Our verdict
If you love Star Wars and deep, story-driven strategy games, and you can find a day for it, this is the one. It’s the most immersive two-player experience we know. Two friends, two roommates, a couple who’d rather spend Saturday in a galaxy far, far away: if your table seats two and you have the time, clear it.
If your game nights end at 10 pm on a school night, Rebellion will mostly stay in its (very big) box. Plan for it like a movie marathon, and it will reward you.
Where it shines
- The most immersive two-player game we can remember
- Incredibly thematic
- Full of tension from start to finish
- Close games: the underdog Rebels can absolutely win
- With Rise of the Empire, the Death Star gets even cooler
Where it stings
- You really have to commit to the time
- Because of that, it hits the table far too rarely
Fact sheet
- 2–4 (we play it with two)
- about 6 hours for our first game incl. setup and rules; publisher says 3–4 hours
- 14+
- Corey Konieczka
- Fantasy Flight Games
- Me and a friend from the neighborhood, also with Rise of the Empire
- 9/10
- Area Majority / Influence, Area Movement, Card Play Conflict Resolution, Contracts, Delayed Purchase, Dice Rolling, Die Icon Resolution, Events, Hand Management, Hidden Movement, Income, Once-Per-Game Abilities, Tags, Take That, Team-Based Game, Variable Player Powers, Variable Set-up, Worker Placement, Different Worker Types
From our table
FAQ
How long does Star Wars: Rebellion take?
Our first game took around six hours in total, including setup, the rules explanation and two play sessions. The publisher lists three to four hours.
Is Star Wars: Rebellion a good two-player game?
It's the most immersive two-player game we can remember playing. Incredibly thematic and full of tension from start to finish.
Is the Rise of the Empire expansion worth it?
We play with it, and for us it makes the Death Star even cooler. Optional, but recommended.
Can the Rebels win in Star Wars: Rebellion?
Yes. In our first game, we thought the Rebels didn't stand a chance, but it came down to the wire. The Empire won, but victory was anything but certain.
Can you play Star Wars: Rebellion with four players?
The box says two to four, but the three- and four-player game is a team version. It's considered slower, and most people prefer two. We've only played with two.
Is Star Wars: Rebellion good for kids?
The publisher says 14+. We've played it with a friend, not with our kids, and we didn't find anyone who recommends it for young children. It's long and rules-heavy.
How does the hidden Rebel base work?
The Rebel player secretly picks a system for the base with a probe card. The Empire uses probe droids to narrow down where it could be.
