Pandemic

In Pandemic, several virulent diseases have broken out simultaneously all over the world! The players are disease-fighting specialists whose mission is to treat disease hotspots while researching cures for each of four plagues before they get out of hand.

The game board depicts several major population centers on Earth. On each turn, a player can use up to four actions to travel between cities, treat infected populaces, discover a cure, or build a research station. A deck of cards provides the players with these abilities, but sprinkled throughout this deck are Epidemic! cards that accelerate and intensify the diseases' activity. A second, separate deck of cards controls the "normal" spread of the infections.

Taking a unique role within the team, players must plan their strategy to mesh with their specialists' strengths in order to conquer the diseases. For example, the Operations Expert can build research stations which are needed to find cures for the diseases and which allow for greater mobility between cities; the Scientist needs only four cards of a particular disease to cure it instead of the normal five—but the diseases are spreading quickly and time is running out. If one or more diseases spreads beyond recovery or if too much time elapses, the players all lose. If they cure the four diseases, they all win!

The 2013 edition of Pandemic includes two new characters—the Contingency Planner and the Quarantine Specialist—not available in earlier editions of the game.

Pandemic is the first game in the Pandemic series.

AWARDS & HONORS
2015 Hungarian Board Game Award Nominee
2011 Ludoteca Ideale Official Selection Winner
2010 Australian Games Association Game of the Year
2009 Vuoden Peli Adult Game of the Year Nominee
2009 Spiel des Jahres Nominee
2009 Spiel der Spiele Hit für Experten Recommended
2009 Nederlandse Spellenprijs Nominee
2009 Lys Passioné Finalist
2009 JoTa Best Family Board Game Nominee
2009 Japan Boardgame Prize Voters' Selection Nominee
2009 Hra roku Nominee
2009 Gouden Ludo Winner
2009 Golden Geek Most Innovative Board Game Nominee
2009 Golden Geek Best Gamers' Board Game Nominee
2009 Golden Geek Best Family Board Game Winner
2009 Golden Geek Best 2-Player Board Game Nominee
2009 Games Magazine Best New Family Game Winner
2009 Deutscher Spiele Preis Best Family/Adult Game 3rd Place
2009 Boardgames Australia Awards Best International Game Winner
2009 As d'Or - Jeu de l'Année Nominee
2008 Tric Trac Nominee
2008 Tric Trac d'Argent
2008 Meeples' Choice Award
2008 JoTa Best Cooperative Board Game Winner
2008 International Gamers Awards - General Strategy; Multi-player Nominee
2008 Golden Geek Best Party Board Game Nominee
2008 Golden Geek Best Gamer's Board Game Nominee
2008 Golden Geek Best Family Board Game Nominee
2008 Golden Geek Best Board Game Artwork/Presentation Nominee
2008 Golden Geek Best 2-Player Board Game Nominee