
- BGG rank
- BGG #4,956
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Viva Catrina
- 2–6 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.7/5
- 2025

Rules assistance for In the Footsteps of Darwin: Correspondence
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
In the Footsteps of Darwin: Correspondence is an expansion for In the Footsteps of Darwin released in 2025 for 2–5 players, 20–30 minutes per game, and ages 8 and up. It was designed by Grégory Grard and Matthieu Verdier and its main mechanics are Tile Placement, Grid Coverage, and Open Drafting.
England, 1856: Charles Darwin finishes writing On the Origin of Species while you are on your way home. Your correspondence with the illustrious scientist during your journey has paid off as his book will soon be published — but you're not done yet. In the In the Footsteps of Darwin: Correspondence expansion, you will gain the support of historical figures and make fascinating new discoveries thanks to several new features for the base game: publication tokens, classification tokens, envelope tokens, and new characters such as Emma Darwin and Queen Victoria. —description from the publisher
In the Footsteps of Darwin: Correspondence supports 2–5 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 In the Footsteps of Darwin: Correspondence is 20–30 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 In the Footsteps of Darwin: Correspondence for ages 8 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.
In the Footsteps of Darwin: Correspondence has a complexity rating of 1.8 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a 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.
In the Footsteps of Darwin: Correspondence belongs to these categories: Animals, Educational, and Expansion for Base-game. Its main mechanics are Tile Placement, Grid Coverage, and Open Drafting. 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 In the Footsteps of Darwin: Correspondence are: Grégory Grard and Matthieu Verdier. 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 In the Footsteps of Darwin: Correspondence as an expansion for In the Footsteps of Darwin. Expansions add new content, rules or scenarios to the base game and usually cannot be played on their own, so you need In the Footsteps of Darwin to use it. Check that your edition of In the Footsteps of Darwin is compatible, as some expansions were revised between editions.