- BGG rating
- 8.4
In the Footsteps of Darwin: Correspondence
- 2–5 players
- 20–30 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2025
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,195
- BGG rating
- 7.4
In the Footsteps of Darwin
2023
Rules assistance for In the Footsteps of Darwin
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–5 players
- 20–30 min
- 8+
- Complexity 1.7/5
For 2 players
Rules assistant for In the Footsteps of Darwin
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
In the Footsteps of Darwin is a board game released in 2023 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, End Game Bonuses, and Square Grid.
Expansions
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About the game
Twenty years after his expedition around the world, Charles Darwin is writing On the Origin of Species. He wants to gather new information about animal life, particularly about continents he hardly explored. Who other than young naturalists, eager for discovery, could help the renowned scholar finish writing his most famous work? In In the Footsteps of Darwin, players are junior naturalists who have just arrived aboard the Beagle to help Charles Darwin finish his book On the Origin of Species. During this journey, you will study animals, carry out cartographic surveys, publish your findings, and develop theories. Starting with the naturalist controlling the Darwin token, naturalists take turns in clockwise order, performing these two steps in order: Study an animal or take inspiration from a character: Choose one of the three tiles facing the Beagle and place it onto your naturalist's notebook. It may be either an animal to study or a character from the Beagle's previous journey who will inspire you. Gain the bonuses depicted or any additional scoring bonuses triggered by the tile's placement. Voyage of the Beagle: After placing a tile on your notebook, move the Beagle as many spaces forward as the distance between the Beagle and the tile you just selected (1-3 spaces), then draw a new tile to replace the empty space on the journey board. Your goal is to score more points than your opponents to determine who contributed the most to On the Origin of Species. —description from the publisher
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Broadway Toys LTD
- Rebel Sp. z o.o.
- Gémklub
- Dino Toys s. r. o.
- Happy Baobab
- Mar Lúdico
- Fractal Juegos
- Lifestyle Boardgames Ltd
- Feelindigo
- Tranjis Games
- Mancalamaro
- Hachette Boardgames UK
- Hachette Boardgames USA
- Sorry We Are French
Questions and answers
In the Footsteps of Darwin 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 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 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 has a complexity rating of 1.7 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 belongs to these categories: Animals, Nautical, and Educational. Its main mechanics are Tile Placement, End Game Bonuses, and Square Grid. 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 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 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.