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Terra Evolution: Tree of Life
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Evolution Earth: Cataclysm
2009
Rules assistance for Evolution Earth: Cataclysm
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 45 min
- 12+
- Complexity 2.7/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for Evolution Earth: Cataclysm
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Evolution Earth: Cataclysm is a board game released in 2009 for 2–4 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Tomi Rantala and Jaana Hintsanen and its main mechanics are Hand Management, Open Drafting, and Deck, Bag, and Pool Building.
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About the game
Evolution Earth: Cataclysm is a fast paced strategic deck/world building game about species evolution, cataclysms and extinction. Build your world continent by continent as they rise above Ocean and conquer them with your evolving species. Evolution Earth: Cataclysm is very easy to learn yet it has strategical and tactical depth which makes it challenging, fun and addictive. The game has tons of replayability value since it can be played with so many styles, ideas and with deep strategical planning. Evolution Earth: Cataclysm is a deck building game - yet it has a strong and exciting interaction between players. Try to defeat your opponents with skillful deck building decisions, clever population/resource management, right timing of cataclysms, and countless strategical and tactical choices. Use your resources, and your population to defend your species from extinction, as your opponents start planning their ice-age, climate change, asteroid impact or a numerous other cataclysmic attacks against your precious species that try to survive and evolve into a more victorious species. Harness the primeval forces of nature for your victory. The prosperity of your species rests on your hands. The game also includes an advanced play option called Blue Pearl, which makes the playing a 100% pure strategy and tactics. No luck or randomness involved on that playing version. • Build up your Proto-Earth World as you play from Precambrian era into the era of Mammals • Inhabitate your World with your Species and evolve them into higher species while you play • Collect Victory Points from Critters, Insects, Fishes, Reptiles, Birds and Mammals • 208 exciting prehistoric themed cards. • 7 Continents and Ocean cards for each player • 14 different types of Cataclysm cards from tornados to asteroid impacts to attack your opponents World and Species • 60 Population/Resource cards • 4 Shuffle cards • Advanced play is 100% strategy/tactics without randomness/luck factor for hardcore strategic gamers • Easy to learn • 3 levels of play Re-implemented by: Terra Evolution
Designers
Publishers
- AlIGoodThin9s
Questions and answers
Evolution Earth: Cataclysm supports 2–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Evolution Earth: Cataclysm is 45 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Evolution Earth: Cataclysm for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Evolution Earth: Cataclysm has a complexity rating of 2.7 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Evolution Earth: Cataclysm belongs to these categories: Card Game, Animals, and Print & Play. Its main mechanics are Hand Management, Open Drafting, and Deck, Bag, and Pool Building. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Evolution Earth: Cataclysm are: Tomi Rantala and Jaana Hintsanen. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Evolution Earth: Cataclysm as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.