Volcanic Inferno
Advantages/Disadvantages: -80% power needed for units and buildings, -10% population, Fusion Powerplants can store 3000 power each, starts with Fusion technology already researched and 10 fusion missiles.
Recommended for: Just about any player. Volcanic used to be the best planet type in the game, then the advantage was lowered, but now it’s back as the perfect planet type again. Great later on, when all other planet types need to use about 10% more of their land for powerplants. Can also research Energy Core fast, which is one of the most important researches early on.

Oceanic
Advantages/Disadvantages: +15% defensive power, -25% building cost, +25% research required, starts with 250 laser troopers.
Recommended for: Newbies and people which don’t want to get landgrabbed. Would you randomly grab someone who has 15% extra defense early on? I know for sure that I never would… However, if you are really active and plan to be a big player, pick another planet type. First of all, those people don’t get attacked very much anyway. Secondly, to keep up with the research is a bit hard if you grow fast.

Mystical Lands
Advantages/Disadvantages: -35% attack time, -5% offensive power, -5% power required, starts with S.C.O.U.T.E.R.S already researched and Fusion technology.
Recommended for: Players which are able to be online a lot during the first few days after newbie mode ends.

Mountainous
Advantages/Disadvantages: +20% income, +25% attack honor, -40% power production, starts with Laser Dragoons already researched.
Recommended for: It might be hard to not run out of power if you’re not used to Star Kingdoms, therefore, I don’t recommend this planet type to newbies. However, for everyone else, it is a great planet type with the honor gain bonus. Especially if you attack a lot. The disadvantage is that others will see you as a more likely bank than other planet types -You will end up getting robbed a lot if you are not online very often, which might make the extra income a bigger disadvantage than advantage. Works great with powerless strategy (see advanced strategies chapter).

Desert Wasteland
Advantages/Disadvantages: +20% offensive strength, -10% population, -15% cost for troopers/dragoons, starts with Dragoons already researched, and Frequency Decryption Center always at 25%.
Recommended for: People who want to make big attacks. Not suitable if you prefer to make small, safe hits. Also good for people who use to get robbed a lot - many persons will stay away from robbing Desert Wasteland kingdoms since their FDC research is always on max.

Multiple Terrain
Advantages/Disadvantages: Starts with Laser Dragoons, Dragoons and Fighters already researched.
Recommended for: Beginners. No disadvantage might be good if you are not used to Star Kingdoms at all, but there are other planet types which have far better advantages than disadvantages. Laser Dragoons and Dragoons might be good early on, but a few weeks into the game, almost everyone else will have that researched as well. Then this planet type will be quite useless.

Forest and Wilderness
Advantages/Disadvantages: +15% attack time, +15% population, Star Mines produce +15 money each.
Recommended for: Most players. Even if it has been reduced in power, it is sitll one of the best planet types available. 15% extra population is a big advantage for only one or two hours longer return time. Works great with turtling- and superturtling strategies (see advanced strategies chapter).

Terra Form
Advantages/Disadvantages: +40% research efficiency, maximum value for all land-based researches are increased by 10%, -20% income, starts with 750 research points in Population, Power, Military and Money bonuses.
Recommended for: People who want to get the researches done fast... having LD's, Dragoons, Fusion Tech, Energy Core, Scouter and probe armor when others don't even have half of those things finished is a great advantage, which makes this planet type one of the best ones in the game. If you find research important, this should be your planet type of choice. Also good later on, when the different bonuses require a lot of research in order to max.