Unusual Strategy Game Mars Attracts Set for Upcoming Playtest

Creating the classic fun of rollercoasters, carousels, and food stalls is always a delight, but the very best tycoon and theme park games take you to places that break the mold. Take Jurassic World Evolution, for example; it adds an exhilarating prehistoric twist to the usual setup. However, the soon-to-arrive Mars Attracts is poised to be one of the quirkiest and most surprising games of 2025, offering players a chance to embark on a truly original journey.

When it was unveiled at Gamescom earlier this year, Mars Attracts had everyone doing a double take. It’s easily among the weirdest PC games set to launch next year. Imagine a Planet Coaster-type adventure, but set on Mars and inspired by a long-lost IP from a big-budget yet commercially disappointing film of the late ’90s. Remember Mars Attacks? It was a star-studded black comedy about an alien invasion, and it’s just been plucked from obscurity to become a theme park sim, which is just… bizarre.

But let’s not assume that Mars Attracts will fall flat like its film predecessor. You’re tasked with creating a theme park designed to entertain swarms of Martian visitors. While their list of amusements will include rides, you’ll also be setting up enclosures and exhibits themed around abducted humans. Yes, in this game, humans are the spectacle.

You’ll be snagging these hapless individuals from various iconic eras, stretching from Ancient Rome to the Wild West. This means that each human is unique, and you’ll need to craft enclosures that effectively contain them; after all, a simple Martian glass enclosure might not suffice against a group of Roman gladiators, right?

You have the choice to either keep your human captives content and comfortable or, if you prefer a more menacing approach, intimidate them—yes, probing is included. Your alien visitors might enjoy either approach to entertainment.

Naturally, in addition to constructing the ultimate Martian amusement park, managing it is key. So far, the gameplay reflects what you’d expect from most tycoon games, but given that it’s still early days with just one trailer released, there could be many surprises left to unveil.

To support developer Outlier in crafting not only a fantastic management sim but a truly whimsical one, you can sign up for their inaugural playtest, which is rolling out soon.

The closed alpha playtest for Mars Attracts kicks off on Wednesday, December 4. The game itself aims for an early access release sometime in 2025.

If crafting and building are your forte, our guide to the best building games is sure to have something right up your alley. For those seeking to sharpen their multitasking and management skills, our selection of the best strategy games is worth exploring.

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