A game of space colonization, 6 Billion is the creation of David Coutts and produced by Australia's Board Not Bored Games. As described on the Board Not Bored Web site, the game "starts with Earth's population of 6 billion divided between up to 6 factions, including at least one Neutral faction. Players send out colonists and migrants to harvest the riches of the planets and their moons, and the Asteroid Belt. Natural growth limits, plus the Four Riders Of The Apocalypse (War, Famine, Pestilence and Death), slow the growth of your populations."

The game comes with a map of the solar system (the game board), a distance chart, a discovery track, six Hidden Agenda cards, 13 Discovery cards, 91 playing cards, six sets of 16 playing tokens (small poker chips), and one rulebook. It's packaged in a square box of traditional game board size, and all of the elements are well done. The game plays in 2-3 hours.

Coutts used his friends in the Billabong Boardgamers to help playtest the game, and it has received several positive reviews. Although it has to date only been available in a few game outlets, 6 Billion will be more widely distributed this year by Rio Grande Games.

• Official Site
  
• Coutts discusses the design of 6 Billion
  
• Coutts takes 6 Billion to Essen
  
• Rio Grande Games
  
• Billabong Boardgamers

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