Description

Evolutionary Tabletop Game

Galapagos is a resource management game in which players take on the roles of competing species in a rainforest. Each turn, players will harvest genetic material: the currency with which they may buy mutations to change their species or propagate to increase their presence in the ecosystem. Players must balance strategy, tactics, and guile to compete in the pursuit of several unique win conditions; ultimately to ensure the survival of their genetic footprint.

-- Developer's description

Things Change.
You are a species. That's not an insult, it's the premise of [the] game. In this game, you take on the role of a unique species in a rainforest ecosystem. Your goal is to out-compete your opponents to obtain the largest ecological footprint; and I have given you several win conditions so that you can prove it.

The core mechanic of the game is called harvesting. Each turn, you will harvest genetic material (The game's currency) which you can use to buy mutations to make your creatures better equipped to compete, or propagate to increase your presence in the forest. The amount of genes you harvest depends on your presence and position in the forest. The more you have, the more genetic capital you have to work with. Neat, huh?

Win Conditions.
If you want to win the game, you'll need to be the first to achieve any one of these win conditions:

Survival of the Fittest. This one is straightforward. If your creatures are the only ones alive in the forest, you win. Do this by clashing with opponents' creatures.

Top of the Food Chain. If, at the beginning of your turn, you control three carnivores, you win. Easy, right? Go ahead, make that third carnivore. See what your opponents do.

Ecological Niche. If, at the beginning of your turn, you control a creature in each Floor tile (Blue-green), you win. Who says barnacles can't be winners? Seriously, who says that?

Okay, I think that's it. The game is designed for 2-3 players, but if you have a fourth, you should play in teams. Oh, and one more thing:

It's time to get squishy.

-- from the game manual