Blast-Off! (1969)

Take off from Earth and visit all the planets on a small supply of fuel. Rise up to the correct orbit and then move around the board and try to make a landing on the next planet. Complete all nine planets, visiting the moon after each, and return to Earth.
Oh, and try to land on the other players' spaceships to force them back to Earth.

Blast-Off can be classified simply as a race game using dice. However, it is appreciably more sophisticated than the 'go-back-3-spaces-&-miss-a-turn' type.

You start on earth with a space ship. The first step is to get your satellite into orbit when you have to effect a docking with your command capsule. This done, a landing must be made on the moon which is itself orbiting the earth. From there you set off on a package-tour of the planets and the first player to reach the farthest — Pluto — is the winner. In addition to dice-dictated movement, each space ship carries fuel for manoeuvering (necessary, for example, if you overshoot the moon: such minor mis-calculations are not infrequent since you lack the technical back-up enjoyed by Apollo).

When fuel is exhausted, a return must be made to earth or to the moon for replenishment (yes: unlimited supplies of propellants are now available in lunar repositories). A major hazard at all times is instability. Two consecutive low dice-throws mean that you haven't maintained orbital (or launch) velocity. Back to earth and start again. Controlled landings (by retro-rocket, of course) are preferable to just dropping out of the sky but you don't always have the option.

All the essential statistics are recorded on dials and these, together with the well-designed and colourful board add to the game's appeal.