- BGG rank
- BGG #3,548
- BGG rating
- 6.4
Vive le Roi!
- 2–8 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 1.2/5
- 2003
- BGG rank
- BGG #29,487
- BGG rating
- 5.3
S-Evolution
2013
Rules assistance for S-Evolution
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 45 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.4/5
Rules assistant for S-Evolution
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
S-Evolution is a board game released in 2013 for 2–4 players, 45 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Jean-Michel Maman and its main mechanics are Worker Placement and Trick-taking.
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About the game
From fire to smartphone in less than an hour! S-Evolution is a unique combination of a classic card game — with tricks, colors and trump — and of a typical "Eurogame" of resources management and civilization. Each player has a deck of 24 cards, and in each of the six rounds, he draws a hand of four cards from this deck. Each player starts the game in Age 1 and adds the progress card of this age to his deck. Each round consists of a card phase, lasting 4-5 tricks among all the players, followed by an individual management phase. During the card phase, players try to (1) gather resources (which are on the cards) to pay for the needs of their civilization and to construct buildings, (2) avoid diasters, and (3) collect discoveries. However, the value of a player's cards are affected by which Age he occupies. In Ages 1 and 2, for example, his cards have no color, so they automatically lose to cards of players in Age 3 and above as those folks have discovered the awesome power of hue. What's more, in the primitive Age 1, you can't see the cards before you play them. That's how primitive you are! In Ages 5 and 6, a player can start using trump to beat out those in lower ages. The advantages in the card phase are balanced by the needs of your population, which is much greater in later ages. In each trick, each player collects one played card based on the value of their card played, and players then use the resources on these cards (food, tools and science) to satisfy the needs of their population, erect buildings (which supply additional resources), gain advantages (which can protect you from disasters or earn you victory points), or advance to the next Age of S-Evolution. Players score points each round depending on how well they meet the needs of their population, suffering penalties if they fail to do so. At the end of the sixth round, players score points for their sets of discoveries, and the player with the highest score wins!
Categories
Mechanics
Designers
Publishers
- Spiel-ou-Face
Questions and answers
S-Evolution 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 S-Evolution 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 S-Evolution for ages 10 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.
S-Evolution has a complexity rating of 2.4 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.
S-Evolution belongs to these categories: Card Game and Civilization. Its main mechanics are Worker Placement and Trick-taking. 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 S-Evolution are: Jean-Michel Maman. 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 S-Evolution 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.