Primordial Soup — How to play

Grow your colony and acquire genes to earn evolution points. The highest score wins.

Original rulebook (PDF)

Move and eat

Drift one space with the current for free, or swim for 1 BP with a random direction. Movement genes improve your control.

Then eat three nutrients of other colours: one of each with four players, or two of one colour and one of the other with three. Leave two of your own colour. If you cannot eat, take one injury instead.

Adapt to the environment

If your genes' total mutation sensitivity exceeds the ozone value, pay the difference in BP, give up genes, or combine both.

Buy genes

Spend BP to buy genes for your whole colony. Each gene has its own effect and cost. You cannot own the same gene twice.

Grow your colony

Receive 10 BP, then spend 6 BP per new amoeba, beside one of yours. Genes can improve this.

Survive and score

Amoebas with two injuries die; eating does not heal injuries. At the end of each round, score points for your surviving amoebas and genes.

The game ends at 42 points, or when the environment deck runs out. Highest score wins.