Published on: April 1, 2026
written by Kiomye Thompson
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For April, I wanted to highlight Mlem: Space Agency, published by Rebel Studio and designed by Reiner Knizia. If you love cats and space, this game is an absolute delight. Mlem is a push your luck dice game where you’ll send your feline explorers on daring missions across the galaxy, hoping to go as far as possible without crashing.
If you’d like to try your luck, join us at Gabi’s Olympic Cards & Comics on May 5th from 6–8 PM for a free demo! And if you fall in love with the game, you’ll receive a 10% off coupon toward your own copy. Plus, there will be prizes!
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Mlem: Space Agency plays 2–5 players and takes about 30 to 60 minutes. It’s recommended for ages 8 and up, making it easy to learn but surprisingly addictive. At its core, the game revolves around dice rolling and pushing your luck, though advanced rules are available for those who want added depth.
Despite its simplicity, Mlem is far from a mindless party game. It strikes a satisfying balance between luck and strategy, allowing players to make meaningful, tactical decisions throughout. Unlike many luck-based games that can feel like you’re just along for the ride, Mlem gives you agency even when your rocket inevitably crashes.
The objective is simple: get your cats as far into space as possible, but know when to bail. Each round, one player becomes the captain and rolls the dice, with the role rotating every round. As dice are used, they’re removed from play for the rest of that round, increasing the risk as your journey continues. If the captain can’t roll a matching symbol for the next space, the rocket crashes, sending everyone onboard back home empty-pawed.
As you travel, you’ll encounter moons and planets where you can choose to disembark. The captain always has first choice, which matters because landing spots are limited, each moon only holds one cat. This creates tense moments where you may want to leave but simply can’t.
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Planets add another layer of strategy. Unlike moons, their points are scored at the end of the game based on majority control. The further out the planet, the higher the reward, but also the greater the risk. Ties are broken by who arrived first, leading to fun races and cat pile-ups as players compete for dominance.
Another highlight is the variety of cat abilities. Each player has eight unique cats, each with a special power. Some help the captain by adding dice, while others can hinder by removing them. These abilities create playful interactions and strategic opportunities. While optional, they add a lot of personality and are highly recommended, though they can be removed for younger or first-time players.
The artwork, illustrated by Joanna Rzepecka, is charming and full of clever details. Planets take the form of fishbowls and yarn balls, and points are represented by cat toys, tying everything together with a whimsical theme. The included cosmic playmat is high quality and visually striking, though it is quite long at 95 cm, so make sure you’ve got enough table space.
Overall, Mlem: Space Agency is a fun, accessible game that blends luck, strategy, and adorable chaos into one memorable experience.
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