Evolution: The Origin of Species

Build animals trait by trait, feed them from a shrinking food supply and survive the carnivores.

Designers: Sergey Machin, Dmitry Knorre
Published by: Rightgames RBG SIA
Editions by: G3, TWOPLUS Games, More Fun Co., Ltd., ТРЕТЯ ПЛАНЕТА, RBG, Stolitsa Design Group

Evolution: The Origin of Species (2010) has you do nature's work: you put animals into play and evolve them trait by trait so they survive and thrive. This is the 2010 card game, not the later game with the same title. Each player starts with six cards, each with an animal on the back and one or two traits on the front. A round has four phases. In Development you take turns playing a card either as a new animal (face down) or as a trait tucked under an existing animal, such as Carnivorous, Camouflage, Sharp Vision, Swimming, Poisonous or Communication. Then food runs short, animals feed, and some don't make it. Two to four players, about an hour, ages twelve and up.

Cards double as animals or traitsTraits like Carnivorous, Poisonous and CamouflageDice-driven food supply decides survivors

Who it's for

You like nature themes and clever combinations, and enjoy a bit of predator-and-prey interaction with two to four people.

Not for you if…

You dislike take-that and dice. Carnivores will eat your creations and the food supply is not in your control.

Vibe's take

Inventive and a bit cruel. You tinker with your creatures, then watch food run out and predators arrive, and the best-adapted animals live to be counted.