Over millions of years, the unique flora and fauna of this planet have evolved, resulting in extraordinary life-forms and the formation of diverse habitats and symbiotic ecosystems. Now, it's your turn to create your own island: a 4x4 self-sustaining tableau that promotes growth, expansion, and resource management. Discover the strategic possibilities as even unused cards turn into valuable resources for future benefits.
Earth is an open-world engine building game designed for 1 to 5 players. It offers simple rules and a wide range of strategic possibilities. With its vast array of tableau combinations and encyclopedic nature, each game presents an opportunity to explore new synergies and connections, mirroring the endless wonders of our fascinating world.
The game starts with the initial card selection phase. During setup, players will be given an Island, Climate, and Ecosystem card. By strategically choosing one side of each double-sided card and placing it face-up in their play area, players establish their unique gameplay approach. This combination of cards adds an element of asymmetry to the game, offering diverse starting resources, bonus abilities, and distinct end-game scoring objectives.
During their turn, the active player selects one of four distinct actions, enjoying its significant advantages, while other players receive a minor benefit. Following this, all players activate cards on their player-board and in their tableau that correspond to the chosen action's color. Players progress by arranging their Island, planting Plants, expanding Terrains to attract rare Fauna, and unlocking scoring bonuses from diverse Ecosystems.
When a player adds the sixteenth card to their 4×4 tableau, they receive a completion bonus and initiate the game's conclusion. All players then calculate their victory points earned from completing Ecosystems, achieving Fauna objectives, Composting cards, acquiring Plant cubes and Growth pieces, as well as for their Plant and Terrain values and played Events. The player with the highest number of victory points emerges as the winner!