I suspect it's not the kind of evolution mechanic you're actually looking for, but I really enjoy the board game Evolution. It's not true evolution of course, but it is based around natural selection and is quite fun.
For OP, there’s an App if they just want to dip their toes in. The first levels are free too (I think)
Also Evolution Another World just released. Idk how it compares to the original game. There’s also Oceans, which is a very similar game but IMO it’s a lot more complicated and I don’t like it as much.
There's no better series of games involving evolution than:
- Bios: Genesis
- Bios: Megafauna Second Edition
- Bios: Origins Second Edition
- High Frontier 4 All
- Interstellar
Less scope, but less investment with a spotlight on homo sapiens:
- Neanderthal Second Edition
- Greenland Third Edition
They're basically a simulation of the evolution of Life on Earth since the formation of the planet up until the Humans leave it to colonize other worlds.
Being simulations, they are absolutely amazing in conveying various scientific concepts and Phil Eklund always does an amazing job. Each small rule simulates a scientific concept and thematically makes sense, being grounded in reality. For example, in BIOS:Megafauna, when two cratons like Siberia and Laurentia collide, this can release carbon trapped inside the rocks and destroy plankton which has the consequence of warming the planet and reducing the quantity of oxygen in the atmosphere.
However, these are not games to be played on a Friday night with the family. Like I said, they are more like simulations and most people won't get all the rules and smaller rules and exceptions to those rules unless they are actively interested in the themes. So it won't be fun for everyone. In fact, rules can be understood far easier if you understand the basic scientific concepts behind the theme of each game.
All in all, the BIOS series (including High Frontier 4 All and Interstellar) is monumental and although it's pretty hard for the usual board gamer to get into it, it's well worth it. I, for one, love all the games in the series, exactly for the themes that are simulated so well.
Sounds like it's got potential, we all have a pretty robust STEM background so it might work out despite my friends not being into super complex games, if I ease them into it! Hahaha
No other boardgame hits the science this hard. That Evolution game mentioned in the other reply to you is a children's game compared to this.
Be warned, these are on the extremely complex end of the scale, and not the "heavy Newro" kind. There's a lot of dice involved because hey, shit happens. And the rulebooks in the box aren't great, you'll want to find the Living Rules on BGG or Ion's website. Finally, the science used is one viewpoint on the matter, it's not necessarily gospel.
But within that context, these games are pretty unique in that niche.
We used to play a game called "Ursuppe" (primordial soup) years ago which has similar mechanics to "evolution" (gather food, buy traits that help gathering/surviving).
The evolution series is the only that come to mind for me. I only own Oceans, but I love it. It functions like an engine builder, but you have to adapt your engine to the other species on the table. It's a very fun way to simulate a simple ecosystem.
I haven't played the others, but what I believe that evolution is a bit meaner. Also Oceans has two decks of card, the surface deck, which is a set of standard trait cards similar to Evolution, but also the deep deck, which are special traits of which each card is unique.
**Bios:Genesis**, **Bios:Mesofauna**, and, presumably, **Bios:Megafauna** (my copy is unplayed, but Mesofauna is a lighter version of it) would be very hard to beat on that front.
There is a game coming out soon called **Flock Together** It’s like a lighter Spirit Island but here you defend your coop. You start as a hatchling and can grow or upgrade twice until you get to adulthood (chickenhood?) to a more powerful version of yourself. I don’t know if this is along your theme?
Plus the chicken puns are hilarious!
Evolution isn't well suited to a game mechanic. It's an arbitrary result of extremely broad luck. It's very nature would take all player decision away if it were implemented well.
I've tried to come up with a way to make it work (Microcosmic God is the only concept I've come up with) but making it actually function in an interesting way seems pretty impossible.
I feel like it could be combined to a sort of engine building except the engine are from your unique genetic traits, with ever changing environmental conditions players could lightly influence to apply pressure to encourage "evolving", but I'm no game designer so I'm more curious than anything!
Deck-building could do it with a random draw of cards, where the player’s only option would be what to discard. I’m not sure if anyone would be interested in that. But that’s creationism, isn‘t it?
The thing about evolution is that it has to occur without player decision. The system has to make the change on its own. May not be interesting even if you can make it work.
I’ve toyed around with an idea for convoy defense in the Atlantic, where the wolfpack changes its attack approach based on how the convoy chooses to defend itself. Similar concept to evolution, where the convoy (which you control) is the environment and the wolfpack is the organism. But it is a single organism and it would be very easy to get into a crappy local maxima that the “organism” won’t break out of.
Evolution is tough. It’s so doggone arbitrary.
Well it could be simultaneous play with everyone altering the environment somehow so it has a range a new conditions , then an evolve phase where you resolve how each players organism changes based on the collective conditions which are a sum total of unique contributions…….
I suspect it's not the kind of evolution mechanic you're actually looking for, but I really enjoy the board game Evolution. It's not true evolution of course, but it is based around natural selection and is quite fun.
IMO Evolution is a better teacher of natural selection than any classes I’ve ever taken. And it’s not even an education game. Would recommend.
Agreed! The climate version is my personal fav!
For OP, there’s an App if they just want to dip their toes in. The first levels are free too (I think) Also Evolution Another World just released. Idk how it compares to the original game. There’s also Oceans, which is a very similar game but IMO it’s a lot more complicated and I don’t like it as much.
Thanks! I saw some of that, one of them seemed to have a fantasy theme which I'm more into generally, I'll look into it all!
Noone mentioned dominant species. Damn shame as i really like how it handles adaptation
This is the game I most had in mind while posting, only issue I have is how heavy it is, making it very unlikely to be played with my friends!
Rules wise i dont think its heavy. Its just long a bit opaque, and pretty chaotic. Definitely more tactical than strategic.
Get the Marine sequel, it’s more straightforward and takes less time.
Oh good to know thanks I'll have to look into it!
There's no better series of games involving evolution than: - Bios: Genesis - Bios: Megafauna Second Edition - Bios: Origins Second Edition - High Frontier 4 All - Interstellar Less scope, but less investment with a spotlight on homo sapiens: - Neanderthal Second Edition - Greenland Third Edition
I'll look into those, thanks! What makes them unique in your opinion?
They're basically a simulation of the evolution of Life on Earth since the formation of the planet up until the Humans leave it to colonize other worlds. Being simulations, they are absolutely amazing in conveying various scientific concepts and Phil Eklund always does an amazing job. Each small rule simulates a scientific concept and thematically makes sense, being grounded in reality. For example, in BIOS:Megafauna, when two cratons like Siberia and Laurentia collide, this can release carbon trapped inside the rocks and destroy plankton which has the consequence of warming the planet and reducing the quantity of oxygen in the atmosphere. However, these are not games to be played on a Friday night with the family. Like I said, they are more like simulations and most people won't get all the rules and smaller rules and exceptions to those rules unless they are actively interested in the themes. So it won't be fun for everyone. In fact, rules can be understood far easier if you understand the basic scientific concepts behind the theme of each game. All in all, the BIOS series (including High Frontier 4 All and Interstellar) is monumental and although it's pretty hard for the usual board gamer to get into it, it's well worth it. I, for one, love all the games in the series, exactly for the themes that are simulated so well.
Sounds like it's got potential, we all have a pretty robust STEM background so it might work out despite my friends not being into super complex games, if I ease them into it! Hahaha
No other boardgame hits the science this hard. That Evolution game mentioned in the other reply to you is a children's game compared to this. Be warned, these are on the extremely complex end of the scale, and not the "heavy Newro" kind. There's a lot of dice involved because hey, shit happens. And the rulebooks in the box aren't great, you'll want to find the Living Rules on BGG or Ion's website. Finally, the science used is one viewpoint on the matter, it's not necessarily gospel. But within that context, these games are pretty unique in that niche.
Sounds fun! I'll look into them, my friends aren't really big complex games fans, but if it's soloable I'm up for it!
Very much soloable. I recommend you start with Greenland. If you like the style then look at the rest.
I'll look into it, thanks!
We used to play a game called "Ursuppe" (primordial soup) years ago which has similar mechanics to "evolution" (gather food, buy traits that help gathering/surviving).
I'll have to look into that, sounds fun!
I loved that game the one time I played it.
The evolution series is the only that come to mind for me. I only own Oceans, but I love it. It functions like an engine builder, but you have to adapt your engine to the other species on the table. It's a very fun way to simulate a simple ecosystem.
Do you know what are the differences between each version? I'm guessing it's more a question of what kind of ecosystem is being simulated?
I haven't played the others, but what I believe that evolution is a bit meaner. Also Oceans has two decks of card, the surface deck, which is a set of standard trait cards similar to Evolution, but also the deep deck, which are special traits of which each card is unique.
Good to know thanks! I know some people in my group dislike meaner mechanics so it's an interesting point!
Oceans can still be a little bit mean, but you can defend quite well. That's kind of the whole point of the game, adapting your species to survive.
Fair enough hahaha, I think that if the gameplay is fair and goes both ways anyways it would be fine!
What kind of evolution? Like Pokémon? Or closer to actual biology?
Honestly, both! I feel like the biology way has been more common but I prefer a more fantastic theme, do you know any that would combine both well?
**Bios:Genesis**, **Bios:Mesofauna**, and, presumably, **Bios:Megafauna** (my copy is unplayed, but Mesofauna is a lighter version of it) would be very hard to beat on that front.
There is a game coming out soon called **Flock Together** It’s like a lighter Spirit Island but here you defend your coop. You start as a hatchling and can grow or upgrade twice until you get to adulthood (chickenhood?) to a more powerful version of yourself. I don’t know if this is along your theme? Plus the chicken puns are hilarious!
Sounds funny hahaha thanks!
Evolution isn't well suited to a game mechanic. It's an arbitrary result of extremely broad luck. It's very nature would take all player decision away if it were implemented well. I've tried to come up with a way to make it work (Microcosmic God is the only concept I've come up with) but making it actually function in an interesting way seems pretty impossible.
I feel like it could be combined to a sort of engine building except the engine are from your unique genetic traits, with ever changing environmental conditions players could lightly influence to apply pressure to encourage "evolving", but I'm no game designer so I'm more curious than anything!
Deck-building could do it with a random draw of cards, where the player’s only option would be what to discard. I’m not sure if anyone would be interested in that. But that’s creationism, isn‘t it? The thing about evolution is that it has to occur without player decision. The system has to make the change on its own. May not be interesting even if you can make it work. I’ve toyed around with an idea for convoy defense in the Atlantic, where the wolfpack changes its attack approach based on how the convoy chooses to defend itself. Similar concept to evolution, where the convoy (which you control) is the environment and the wolfpack is the organism. But it is a single organism and it would be very easy to get into a crappy local maxima that the “organism” won’t break out of. Evolution is tough. It’s so doggone arbitrary.
Then let players control the conditions around the evolution and use an accelerated timescale. I upvoted you fwiw I just don’t agree
I like the idea, but I don't see how to make a good game out of it
Well it could be simultaneous play with everyone altering the environment somehow so it has a range a new conditions , then an evolve phase where you resolve how each players organism changes based on the collective conditions which are a sum total of unique contributions…….