Boardgames

Darwin’s Journey

Immerse yourself in Darwin's Journey, a captivating worker-placement Eurogame that takes you through the Galapagos Islands, expanding your knowledge and contributing to the world of biology.

120
minutes

1 - 4
player(s)

14+

Medium Heavy

About the game

Darwin’s Journey is a deeply engaging and strategic board game that takes players on a thrilling exploration of uncharted territories of scientific discovery. This game pays homage to the historic voyage of Charles Darwin aboard the HMS Beagle, which led to the birth of the theory of evolution.

The game is set in the 19th century, a time of monumental scientific advancements and discoveries. As players, you will embark on Darwin’s journey, exploring the rich biodiversity of the Galapagos, studying various species, and contributing to the wealth of knowledge that forms the foundation of modern biology.

Read More

Setup and rules summary

Game components Unboxing the fun!

Darwin’s Journey is a rich, strategy-based board game that includes a variety of components, each playing a key role in the overall gameplay. Here’s a list of components included in the game, their purpose, and how they interact within the game:

1. Game Board: The game board is a beautifully illustrated map of the world that Darwin explored. Players navigate this board to collect specimens, conduct research, and gain points.

2. Wooden Tokens: The game includes a set of wooden tokens in different shapes and colors. These tokens represent the players’ crew members. They are used to perform various actions such as traveling, researching, and collecting specimens.

3. Specimen Tiles: These tiles represent the different species that players can discover during their journey. Each tile corresponds to a specific species and includes information about its habitat and characteristics. Players collect these tiles to gain points.

4. Envelopes: The game includes envelopes that are used to store the specimen tiles. These envelopes represent the players’ field notes and discoveries.

5. Research Cards: These cards provide players with additional opportunities for action and strategy. They can be used to gain advantages, such as additional movements or special abilities.

6. Objective Cards: Objective cards provide players with specific goals to accomplish during the game. Accomplishing these objectives can earn players additional points.

7. Dice: The dice in ‘Darwin’s Journey’ are used to determine the outcomes of certain actions, adding an element of chance to the game.

8. Player Boards: Each player has a personal board which tracks their progress, resources, and specimens collected. It is also where players place their crew members before they are sent to the game board.

9. Coins: Coins are the currency in the game and are used to fund various actions. Players earn coins through certain actions and spend them to perform others.

10. Seal Tokens: Seal tokens are bonus tokens that players can earn throughout the game. They provide various benefits when used, such as additional actions or points.

11. Bonus Tiles: These tiles provide extra rewards for completing certain actions or achieving specific goals within the game.

Each of these components interacts with others to create a complex and engaging game. The interplay of these elements encourages strategic thinking, planning, and risk-taking, making ‘Darwin’s Journey’ a deeply rewarding and replayable game experience.

Game setup Lay it out, line it up, let’s go

Darwin’s Journey is a worker placement and action selection board game, where players immerse themselves in the role of Charles Darwin’s crew members during the Beagle journey. Here’s a detailed step-by-step guide to setting up the game:

Step 1: Player Roles

Each player adopts the role of one of the members of Charles Darwin’s crew. Each role comes with its own unique abilities and starting resources. The roles are not specific characters but generic roles such as scientist, naturalist, and navigator.

Step 2: Board Placement

Place the main board in the center of the play area where all players can easily reach it. The main board features different islands that the Beagle will visit during the game. Each island has its own specific actions and resources. Arrange the five island boards around the main board in a semicircle.

Step 3: Set up Player Boards

Each player receives a player board that represents their own personal ship. This is where they will manage their crew and resources. Place the player boards in front of each player.

Step 4: Initial Resources

Each player starts the game with a set amount of resources, determined by their role. The resources include coins, books and manpower tokens. Distribute these resources to each player according to their role.

Step 5: Prepare the Beagle

Place the Beagle token on the first island on the main board. This represents the starting location of the journey.

Step 6: Objectives

Shuffle the objective cards and draw three. Place them face-up next to the main board. These are the objectives that players will be trying to achieve during the game.

Step 7: Random Elements

There are several random elements in Darwin’s Journey. To set these up, shuffle the discovery tiles and place them face-down on their designated spots on the island boards. Do the same with the manuscript tiles. Finally, shuffle the character cards and place them in a deck next to the main board.

Step 8: Starting Player

Decide on a starting player by any method you prefer. The starting player gets the first player token and will be the first to take a turn when the game begins.

Game flow Round and round we go

Darwin’s Journey is a strategic board game where players follow in the footsteps of Charles Darwin on his journey to the Galapagos Islands. The game typically lasts 5 rounds and includes the following phases: Worker Placement, Action Execution, and End of the Round.

1. Worker Placement: At the start of each round, players will perform the worker placement. Each player takes turns placing one worker at a time until all workers have been placed.

  • New Workers: Players start with three workers and can gain a new one by unlocking the fourth and fifth worker areas on their personal boards.
  • Actions: Workers can be used to perform various actions such as taking resources, advancing in research tracks, or even planning expeditions.

2. Action Execution: After all workers have been placed, players will then execute the actions of their workers. This is done in player order and one action at a time until all actions have been executed.

  • Action Types: The actions can be of various types such as collecting specimens, advancing on the knowledge track, buying and sending letters, and so on.
  • Execution Order: The order in which the actions are executed can greatly affect the player’s strategies and outcomes.

3. End of the Round: After all actions have been executed, the round ends. Players will then prepare for the next round.

  1. Board Reset: The game board is reset. All workers return to their respective players and the action areas are refilled according to the game rules.
  2. Scoring: Players score points according to their progress in the game. The scoring can be from various sources such as specimens collected, letters sent, and so on.
  3. Next Round: The game then proceeds to the next round, again starting with the worker placement phase.

After five rounds, the game ends and the player with the most points is declared the winner of Darwin’s Journey.

Players'turn One turn to rule them all

In Darwin’s Journey, each player’s turn is fundamental to the game’s progress. The turn is split into a series of stages that involve a number of strategic decisions and actions. These stages can be broadly divided into: Worker Placement, Action Resolution, and Maintenance.

1. Worker Placement

Darwin’s Journey is primarily a worker placement game, meaning that a significant part of each turn is spent on placing your workers onto the game board. The board is filled with a variety of locations that, when occupied by a worker, allow the player to perform different actions.

  • Ship: Players can send their workers to the ship. This action allows them to explore new islands and discover new species.
  • Post Office: Sending a worker to the post office allows players to collect letters that provide a variety of bonuses.
  • Study: A worker in the study can learn new skills, which in turn can unlock new actions or provide bonuses.
  • Expedition: The expedition allows your workers to gather resources or find new species.

2. Action Resolution

After all players have placed their workers, actions are resolved. This means that each player performs the actions associated with the locations their workers occupy. The order in which actions are resolved can have a significant impact on the game, adding another layer of strategy to the worker placement stage.

3. Maintenance

Once all actions have been resolved, players must carry out maintenance. This involves feeding their workers, paying any costs associated with their actions, and preparing for the next turn. Players need to ensure they have enough resources to cover these costs, otherwise they may face penalties.

The choices made during each of these stages can greatly affect the gameplay. For instance, choosing to focus on exploration might provide you with a lot of new species, but it might also mean neglecting your studies and missing out on important skills. Similarly, failing to properly manage your resources during the maintenance stage could lead to significant setbacks in subsequent turns.

Ultimately, Darwin’s Journey is a game of strategy and planning. Each player’s turn is a puzzle of different actions and choices, and it’s up to the player to find the most effective way to navigate through it.

End of the game All good games must come to an end

Darwin’s Journey is a complex worker placement game where players navigate through the Galapagos Islands, documenting various species and advancing the field of evolution. It’s a game that requires strategic thinking and careful planning. The game ends after a fixed number of rounds, and players then calculate their final scores.

Game End:

The game of Darwin’s Journey comes to an end after five rounds. Once the fifth round is concluded, players move to the final scoring. Before final scoring, players must ensure they have completed all remaining actions and utilized all their resources as no actions or resources can be carried over beyond the fifth round.

Victory Conditions:

The player with the highest total score at the end of the game is declared the winner. Scores are calculated based on several factors:

  1. Discovery Points: Players earn points for each newly discovered species and for each specimen collected.
  2. Objectives: At the beginning of the game, each player receives secret objectives. If these objectives have been completed by the end of the game, the player earns the points indicated on the objective cards.
  3. Progress on the Research Track: Players advance on the Research Track by studying various species. Points are awarded based on how far each player has advanced on this track at the end of the game.
  4. Telegram Tokens: Players can earn points by sending telegrams. The number of points earned depends on the total number of telegram tokens the player has collected.
  5. Unused Resources: Finally, players earn a few additional points for certain unused resources.

Once all points are added together, the player with the highest total is the winner of Darwin’s Journey. In case of a tie, the player with the most unused resources wins. If there is still a tie, the player who played first wins.

Scoring Did you outsmart your rivals?

In Darwin’s Journey, players accumulate points through various opportunities throughout the game. The game ends after five rounds and the player with the most victory points (VPs) wins.

Scoring Opportunities:

  • Specimen Collection:

    Players can earn VPs through their specimen collections. Each specimen card has a VP value printed on the card. At the end of the game, players add up the VPs from all their collected specimen cards.

  • Research Progress:

    Progress on the research track can also earn players VPs. The further a player moves on this track, the more points they earn. The exact VPs per position are indicated on the board.

  • Objective Cards:

    Objective cards offer another avenue for earning VPs. These cards provide specific goals for players to achieve, and if achieved by the end of the game, the player earns the VPs indicated on the card.

  • Discovery Tokens:

    Discovery tokens are collected throughout the game. Each token is worth a certain number of VPs, which is revealed at the end of the game.

Tie-Breaking Rules:

In the event of a tie at game’s end, the following tie-breakers are used in order:

  1. Research Progress:

    The player who has advanced furthest on the research track wins.

  2. Discovery Tokens:

    If the tie persists, the player with the most discovery tokens wins.

  3. Remaining Resources:

    In the unlikely event that the tie still persists, the player with the most remaining resources (including coins, cards, and unused elements) wins.

Particular Cases and Exceptions Wait… is that legal?

‘Darwin’s Journey’ is a complex and nuanced board game that requires a solid understanding of its rules and exceptions. Here are some of the special rules, exceptions, and clarifications that may be crucial to your gameplay:

Taxonomy: The taxonomy action only allows players to move a token from their personal board to the taxonomy board. It is important to note that players cannot move a token already on the taxonomy board.

Character Actions: When a player performs a character action, it is only the character card that determines the cost and not the action space. Also, remember that the use of a character card does not block the action space.

  • Exceptions:
    • There are exceptions for the Master action. For instance, it can be used to unlock a new worker even if all the player’s workers are already unlocked.
    • In the case of the Assistant action, it may be used to receive a letter even if the player’s letterbox is full.

Expedition: In the expedition action, a player must have the necessary item to reach a specific space. If the player doesn’t have the required item, they can’t stop in that space.

  1. Rule Clarifications:
    1. While performing the ‘Research’ action, remember that only one Master can be moved onto an empty space. Also, Masters on the same space cannot be moved again during the same action.
    2. During the ‘Study’ action, players are allowed to place one of their theory tiles on a theory space. But a player cannot place a theory tile on a space that already contains another player’s tile.
    3. In the ‘Telescope’ action, remember that only one goal tile can be taken, and it must be placed immediately on the player’s personal board.

Understanding these rules and exceptions can greatly enhance your experience and strategy while playing ‘Darwin’s Journey’.

Tips and tricks Play smarter, not harder!

Advanced Strategies for Darwin’s Journey:

Maximizing your points in Darwin’s Journey requires strategic planning and resource management. Here are some advanced strategies:

  • Optimize Your Actions: Always try to perform actions that will give you more benefits or points. Combine actions whenever possible to maximize your turn.
  • Study Tokens: Make sure to collect Study Tokens as early as possible. These can be used to unlock additional action spaces, giving you more choices and flexibility.
  • Upgrade Your Workers: Upgrading your workers in a timely manner is essential for maximizing your actions with each turn. Try to plan your moves ahead of time to ensure you can upgrade when you need to.
  • Planning for Objectives: Always keep the end game in mind. Tailor your strategy to fulfill the objectives on the cards you’ve drawn, as this is a significant source of victory points.

Beginner Tips:

If you’re new to Darwin’s Journey, don’t worry. Here are some beginner-friendly tips:

  • Understand the Rules: Before you start playing, make sure you understand the game’s rules. This will help you make better strategic decisions during gameplay.
  • Focus on Basic Actions: Focus on the basic actions first. Once you get the hang of it, you can start exploring more complex strategies.
  • Plan Your Moves: Try to plan your moves in advance. This will help you make the most out of each turn and avoid common beginner mistakes.
  • Ask for Help: If you’re not sure about something, don’t hesitate to ask more experienced players. They can give you helpful advice and insights on how to improve your gameplay.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

Even experienced players can make mistakes in Darwin’s Journey. Here are some common ones to avoid:

  • Ignoring Objectives: It can be easy to get caught up in the moment and forget about your objective cards. However, these can provide a significant number of victory points, so make sure to always keep them in mind.
  • Not Upgrading Workers: Neglecting to upgrade your workers can limit your actions and reduce your chances of winning. Always be on the lookout for upgrade opportunities.
  • Not Utilizing Study Tokens: Not using your Study Tokens effectively can hinder your progress. Always remember that these tokens can unlock additional action spaces.
  • Spreading Too Thin: Trying to do too many things at once can be a downfall. Instead, focus on a few key strategies and execute them well.

Optimizing Gameplay:

Here are some ways to optimize your gameplay in Darwin’s Journey:

  • Effective Planning: Try to plan your moves in advance. This will help you make the most out of each turn.
  • Adaptability: Be flexible with your strategies. Sometimes, adapting to the current game state can be more beneficial than sticking to a fixed plan.
  • Efficient Use of Resources: Make sure to use your resources effectively. Wasting resources can put you at a disadvantage.
  • Study the Game: The more you play, the more you learn. Make sure to reflect on your games and strategize for future ones.

Thematics

Mechanics

Download
Official Rules - EN