Dominant Species*

Dominant Species takes you back to 90,000 B.C., a time when the world faced an impending ice age. In this strategic board game, players immerse themselves in an epic struggle for dominance among various animal species. The game unfolds in the shadows of environmental changes, offering a challenging and immersive experience where adaptation is key.

Gameplay Overview:

  • Choose Your Species: Assume the role of one of six major animal classes, including mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians, arachnids, or insects.
  • Survival of the Fittest: As the ice age looms, engage in strategic pawn placement to dominate various terrain tiles. Claim powerful card effects and propagate your species to earn victory points.
  • Dynamic Earth: The hexagonal tiles form an ever-expanding representation of prehistoric Earth. Tundra tiles, placed atop larger tiles, symbolize the encroaching ice age.
  • Action Pawns Drive the Game: Cylindrical action pawns dictate player actions such as speciation, environmental change, migration, or glaciation. Planning and execution phases shape the evolving ecosystem.
  • Species Enhancement and Hindrance: Strategize to enhance your species' survivability while impeding opponents. Collect valuable victory points through thoughtful actions and card utilization.
  • Element Disks and Species Cubes: Manipulate species cubes on the evolving Earth, adding and removing element disks from both animals and the environment.
  • Final Scoring: As the game concludes, conduct a final scoring of each tile, with the player controlling the animal with the highest VP total emerging victorious.

Conclusion:

Dominant Species weaves a captivating narrative of adaptation, competition, and survival against the backdrop of an encroaching ice age. Players delve into the intricacies of species propagation, environmental influence, and strategic maneuvering to secure their dominance in a changing world.

In the race against the ice age, only the player with the highest VP total will claim the title of Dominant Species. As the temperature drops and the world transforms, adaptability and cunning strategy are key. Who will endure the icy challenges and emerge as the ruler of this ancient world? Dominant Species invites players to explore the mysteries of prehistory, where only the fittest will prevail.

Nominated for 8 awards and won 3.

  • 2 - 6 Players
  • 120 - 240 Minutes
  • 14+ years old
  • Hard to learn

We like Dominant Species so much that we recommend it in the following board game recommendation lists 2024

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