{"title":"North Star Games","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"nature-board-game-module-4-arctic-tundra","title":"Nature Board Game: Module 4 Arctic Tundra","description":"\u003cp\u003eFrozen, windy, and barren. The deep loneliness of this desolate land resonates in the mournful howls of Arctic wolves as they follow migrating caribou across the frozen tundra. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ground is permanently frozen, denying trees the chance to take root. Instead, resilient mosses, lichens, and smalls shrubs cling to survival - nothing tall enough to stop the relentless, ever-strengthening winds. In this unforgiving environment, the bitter cold and wind are always in your face, determined to push back those without the resolve to persevere. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWelcome to the Arctic tundra module, the module for players who love a challenge. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNature Board Game: Module 4 Arctic Tundra is a special type of module called a location module. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt comes with a watering hole to set the scene. You can only add one location module to a game, but as many other modules as you like.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"North Star Games","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56047135359354,"sku":"ZSPG-NSG764","price":15.18,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0916\/9970\/8282\/files\/Nature-Board-Game-Module-4-Arctic-Tundra.jpg?v=1760972460"},{"product_id":"nature-board-game","title":"Nature Board Game","description":"\u003cp\u003eExperience the drama of the natural world, where spiecies must adapt to a changing environment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWelcome to Nature Board Game, where every game brings a new world to explore!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNature is a modular game system that allows you to create and explore a unique ecosystem each time you play. Play Nature Board Game without modules, or add and combine modules to create over 20 unique ecosystems!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou must adapt your species to an ever-changing ecosystem where food is scarce and predators lurk, and you will try to grow the population of your species in a dynamic ecosystem where food is scarce and predators lurk.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGive your species traits like Tusked to help them find food, Fast to outrun predators, or Clawed to hunt other species. Every game brings new species and new challenges.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAdapt your species by growing its population, increasing its body size, or giving it traits.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTraits like Fast will help you to evade predators, while Opportunistic lets you take advantage of a food-rich environment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou earn points for growing and sustaining your species population.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery game brings new species and a new ecosystem to explore.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCan you adapt, score the most points, and win?\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"North Star Games","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56047135687034,"sku":"ZSPG-NSG760","price":33.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0916\/9970\/8282\/files\/Nature-Board-Game.jpg?v=1760972461"},{"product_id":"nature-board-game-module-1-flight-module","title":"Nature Board Game: Module 1 Flight Module","description":"\u003cp\u003eFind freedom by soaring to the skie,s where safety and abbundance awaits those gifted with wings. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor Players who prefer to avoid conflict.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"North Star Games","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56047136178554,"sku":"ZSPG-NSG761","price":15.18,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0916\/9970\/8282\/files\/Nature-Board-Game-Module-1-Flight-Module.jpg?v=1760972463"},{"product_id":"nature-board-game-module-2-jurassic-module","title":"Nature Board Game: Module 2 Jurassic Module","description":"\u003cp\u003eReturn to an age of giants, where ferocious predators and colossal dinosaurs roam the land. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor players who enjoy feeling invincible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"North Star Games","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56047136244090,"sku":"ZSPG-NSG762","price":18.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0916\/9970\/8282\/files\/Nature-Board-Game-Module-2-Jurassic-Module.jpg?v=1760972463"},{"product_id":"nature-board-game-module-5-amazon-rainforest","title":"Nature Board Game: Module 5 Amazon Rainforest","description":"\u003cp\u003eDiscover the mysteries of the rainforest, where surprises are concealed behind every leaf in the canopy. You'll encounter brightly coloured frogs that can kill in minutes, jaguars with jaws that can snap a turtle shell, and monkeys in search of exotic fruit. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNature Board Game: Module 5 Amazon Rainforest is the module for players who enjoy bluffing and surprises. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAmazon Rainforest is one of many modules that can be added to Nature Board Game. Once you're familiar with the core game, try adding the Amazon Rainforest (and perhaps another module) to customize your experience. Each combination of modules creates a unique and exciting ecosystem to discover \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Amazon Rainforest is a special type of module called a location module. It comes with a watering hole to set the scene. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou can only add one location module to a game, but as many other modules as you like.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"North Star Games","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56047137685882,"sku":"ZSPG-NSG765","price":18.69,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0916\/9970\/8282\/files\/Nature-Board-Game-Module-5-Amazon-Rainforest.jpg?v=1760972467"},{"product_id":"nature-board-game-module-3-natural-disasters","title":"Nature Board Game: Module 3 Natural Disasters","description":"\u003cp\u003eBehold the power of Nature! \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEveryone wants to control their own destiny, but sometimes Mother Nature has other plans. She may darken the sky with a terrible hurricane, blow lava through the top of a mountain, or shake the earth to its core with a gigantic meteor! Natural Disasters remind us of our insignificance - that no matter how hard we fight, some things will always be outside our control. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWelcome to the Nature Board Game: Module 3 Natural Disasters! The module for players who love games that create stories. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eModule 3 Natural Disasters is one of many modules that can be added to Nature Board Game. Once you're familiar with the core game, try adding the Amazon Rainforest (and perhaps another module) to customize your experience. Each combination modules creates a unique and exciting ecosystem to discover.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"North Star Games","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56047140602234,"sku":"ZSPG-NSG763","price":15.18,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0916\/9970\/8282\/files\/Nature-Board-Game-Module-3-Natural-Disasters.jpg?v=1760972476"},{"product_id":"wits-wagers-party","title":"Wits \u0026 Wagers Party","description":"\u003cp\u003eWits \u0026amp; Wagers Party, a simplified version of the most award-winning party game in history, comes with 250 of the best questions from the out-of-print Wits \u0026amp; Wagers Expansion Pack 1. These questions were chosen because they are lighter and more fun than the questions from the original Wits \u0026amp; Wagers, making this the best edition to play with your non-gamer friends and family. The poker chips in this edition are twice as heavy and thick as those from the original W\u0026amp;W.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHow to Play\u003cbr\u003e\n1) Someone reads a question.\u003cbr\u003e\n2) Everyone writes down a guess.\u003cbr\u003e\n3) The guesses are placed face up on the table and ordered smallest to largest.\u003cbr\u003e\n4) Players place their Betting Tokens on the guess they think is closest to the right answer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlayers score one poker chip for a correct bet or for having the closest guess. On the seventh and final question, players can bet their poker chips. The player with the most poker chips after this question wins.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Asmodee","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56049607770490,"sku":"ZBG-NSG125","price":16.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0916\/9970\/8282\/files\/Wits-Wagers-Party.jpg?v=1760982716"},{"product_id":"oceans","title":"Oceans","description":"\u003cp\u003eOceans is a strategy game played by 2-4 people. Players create a vibrant web of marine life through millions of years of evolution.At the game's start, the only food source is plankton, the foundation of the ocean food web. It populates the beautifully illustrated Reef and Ocean boards. Your goal is to create and evolve species, so they find their niche in the growing ecosystem, by giving them helpful combinations of traits.Each species is defined by its population and its traits. Through the game species will gain and lose traits, and gain and lose population depending on what it can eat, and what can eat it. Despite your best efforts, some species will go extinct! Thousands of species are possible, and they all interact in their own ways as the ecosystem builds. Every game creates a one-of-a-kind world, never to be seen again.Many species will be predators, each bigger than the next, all the way up to the dreaded apex predator. But some will eat in other ways, for example by scavenging on the sea bottom or filter-feeding on plankton. Below are examples of trait art - each a watercolour painting by famed nature artist Catherine Hamilton.Player Count: 2-4Time: 60-90 minutes Age: 12+\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Coiled Spring","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56049760239994,"sku":"TCS-OCEANS","price":42.89,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0916\/9970\/8282\/files\/OceansOceans-InsideOceans-Back.jpg?v=1760983388"},{"product_id":"wits-wagers-family","title":"Wits \u0026 Wagers Family","description":"\u003cp\u003eWits \u0026amp; Wagers Family is the family version of the most award winning party game in history.\u003cbr\u003e\nThis edition is more simple, has less down time, and is more portable than the original Wits \u0026amp; Wagers. It also removes the \"gambling\" element and has questions that are appropriate for kids and the whole family. Most importantly, Wits \u0026amp; Wagers Family makes use of the beloved Meeple playing piece!\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Coiled Spring","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56049807589754,"sku":"TCS-WITS_FAMILY","price":17.1,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0916\/9970\/8282\/files\/Wits-Wagers-Family.jpg?v=1760983572"},{"product_id":"blurble","title":"Blurble","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn Blurble, you need to think quickly - and obliquely - to grab more cards than any other player.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach round, the active player takes a stack of face-down image cards and holds a duel with each other player in the game. The player flips over a card between themselves and the player to their left, and whoever first yells out a word that starts with the same letter as the image shown on the card wins that card. Proper names are not allowed. For instance, if the card shows a dog, words such as \"drain\" or \"dairy\" would be acceptable, whereas \"David\" or \"Denmark\" would not. After this duel, the active player duels with the next player in clockwise order until they've faced all of the players at the table.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Coiled Spring","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56049808114042,"sku":"TCS-BLURBLE","price":20.19,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0916\/9970\/8282\/files\/Blurble.jpg?v=1760983573"},{"product_id":"oceans-deluxe-edition","title":"Oceans Deluxe Edition","description":"\u003cp\u003eTwo years in the making, Oceans is the next stand-alone game in the award-winning Evolution series. Enter a vast, underwater cosmos: a mysterious interconnected world of sharp teeth, glowing eyes, and black ink, where your survival depends on your ability to adapt to the unknown.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e The foundation of the oceanic food chain are billions of one-celled organisms that capture the sun's energy through photosynthesis. Every other oceanic species is a predator, each bigger than the next, all the way up to the dreaded apex predator. And even bigger than apex predators are enormous filter feeders that gently swim through the ocean scooping up everything in their path with their baleen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e Gameplay\u003cbr\u003e\n Oceans is a continuation of NorthStar's quest to make heavy hobby games that are easy to teach. Game designers Nick Bentley and Dominic Crapuchettes want to give an immersive experience without a rules explanation that takes 30+ minutes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e The foundation of Oceans is a simple turn structure and a deck of 12 traits, making it easy to learn all of the cards and wade effortlessly into the first game. The 12 traits were chosen because of the rich thematic interconnections, providing a tapestry of synergistic card play. Additionally, there are 2 randomly chosen scenario cards that activate (and sometimes deactivate) at various points during the game. The scenario cards impact the basic tenets of gameplay, encouraging people to vary their play style and strategy each game.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e This foundation loosely mimics a scientific oceanic ecosystem, similar to what you've come to expect from games in the Evolution series. This core is fully playable on its own, but there's more if you're willing to dive a bit deeper...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e Oceans also includes something which will break the seams of the scientific reality you've come to accept: The Deep. The Deep is a deck of 75 unique power cards that require an additional cost to play. These power cards range from things you might discover in nature to the fantastical Kraken or Leviathan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e Oceans is an engine builder where the world of science is disrupted at the seams by scientific phenomena too outlandish to be believed. Players must adapt to the changing environment with an interconnected ecosystem that can thrive in the face of the inevitable march of time, and the natural struggle of predators seeking to survive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e The Deluxe Edition improves on the Standard Edition in the following ways:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e Includes 215 deluxe translucent acrylic fish tokens in 6 colors, instead of the cardboard fish tokens in the standard edition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e Includes custom-printed, high-quality food bags for storing your points, instead of cardboard player screens.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e Includes 220 custom Oceans card sleeves, for sleeving both the core trait cards and The Deep trait cards, plus spares.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"North Star Games","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56049860182394,"sku":"ZBG-NSG532","price":62.79,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0916\/9970\/8282\/files\/Oceans-Deluxe-Edition.jpg?v=1760983814"},{"product_id":"oceans-kickstarter-edition","title":"Oceans Kickstarter Edition","description":"\u003cp\u003eTwo years in the making, Oceans is the next stand-alone game in the award-winning Evolution series. Enter a vast, underwater cosmos: a mysterious interconnected world of sharp teeth, glowing eyes, and black ink, where your survival depends on your ability to adapt to the unknown.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe foundation of the oceanic food chain are billions of one-celled organisms that capture the sun's energy through photosynthesis. Every other oceanic species is a predator, each bigger than the next, all the way up to the dreaded apex predator. And even bigger than apex predators are enormous filter feeders that gently swim through the ocean scooping up everything in their path with their baleen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGameplay\u003cbr\u003e\nOceans is a continuation of NorthStar's quest to make heavy hobby games that are easy to teach. Game designers Nick Bentley and Dominic Crapuchettes want to give an immersive experience without a rules explanation that takes 30+ minutes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe foundation of Oceans is a simple turn structure and a deck of 12 traits, making it easy to learn all of the cards and wade effortlessly into the first game. The 12 traits were chosen because of the rich thematic interconnections, providing a tapestry of synergistic card play. Additionally, there are 2 randomly chosen scenario cards that activate (and sometimes deactivate) at various points during the game. The scenario cards impact the basic tenets of gameplay, encouraging people to vary their play style and strategy each game.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis foundation loosely mimics a scientific oceanic ecosystem, similar to what you've come to expect from games in the Evolution series. This core is fully playable on its own, but there's more if you're willing to dive a bit deeper...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOceans also includes something which will break the seams of the scientific reality you've come to accept: The Deep. The Deep is a deck of 75 unique power cards that require an additional cost to play. These power cards range from things you might discover in nature to the fantastical Kraken or Leviathan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOceans is an engine builder where the world of science is disrupted at the seams by scientific phenomena too outlandish to be believed. Players must adapt to the changing environment with an interconnected ecosystem that can thrive in the face of the inevitable march of time, and the natural struggle of predators seeking to survive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"North Star Games","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56049860346234,"sku":"ZBG-NSG531","price":37.09,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0916\/9970\/8282\/files\/Oceans-Kickstarter-Edition.jpg?v=1760983814"},{"product_id":"say-anything-family-edition-game","title":"Say Anything Family Edition Game","description":"\u003cp\u003eSay Anything Family will feature the same game play as North Star Games' 2008 release Say Anything.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e To summarize game play, one player asks a question (e.g., \"Which magical power would be the coolest to have?\"), each other player writes an answer they think the asker will choose, the asker secretly chooses an answer, everyone else bets on which answer was chosen, then the asker reveals his choice. If players guessed correctly, then they score one point for each chip they placed on the correct answer; the player whose answer was chosen scores one point; the asker scores one point for each chip on the answer chosen, up to a maximum of three. After a certain number of rounds, the game ends and the player with the highest score wins.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e Say Anything Family will include 360 questions on topics that kids can handle as easily as adults. The game includes components for six players, as opposed to eight in the first game\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Spiral Galaxy","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56049964122490,"sku":"ZBG-NSG250","price":17.09,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0916\/9970\/8282\/files\/Say-Anything-Family-Edition-Game.jpg?v=1760984232"},{"product_id":"clubs","title":"Clubs","description":"\u003cp\u003eClubs combines trick-taking fun with a hint of risk.It?s simple enough for kids, strategic enough for adults.The deck of 60 unique cards opens a new world of play for card game lovers.The goal is simple: get rid of all your cards as fast as possible.At the same time, you?ll want to take tricks with clubs in them, because they are the only cards that score points.But watch out! The last player to get rid of their cards scores nothing, even if they have a huge pile of clubs.Pick up Clubs...and win!.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Northstar Games","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56050107318650,"sku":"ZBG-NSG400","price":5.29,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0916\/9970\/8282\/files\/Clubs.jpg?v=1760984827"},{"product_id":"evolution-the-beginning","title":"Evolution The Beginning","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn Evolution: The Beginning, you'll adapt your species to succeed in a dynamic ecosystem where food is scarce and predators roam. Traits like Flight and Horns will protect your species from Carnivores while a Long Neck will help them get food that others cannot reach. With hundreds of ways to evolve your species, every game unfolds in a beautifully unique way. Evolution: The Beginning borrows ideas and concepts from other games in the Evolution branded product line, but it is a stand-alone game that is not compatible with anything else in the Evolution product line. It is the most casual and quick playing adaptation of the Evolution concept, but it is highly strategic as a two-player game. Ages 8+ 2-5 players 30-40 minutes playing time\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Spiral Galaxy","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56050144117114,"sku":"ZBG-NSG580","price":21.29,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0916\/9970\/8282\/files\/Evolution-The-Beginning.jpg?v=1760984999"},{"product_id":"wits-wagers-deluxe-edition","title":"Wits \u0026amp; Wagers Deluxe Edition","description":"\u003cp\u003eWits \u0026amp; Wager is history's mos award-winning party game. Why does everyone love Wits \u0026amp; Wagers? Because you don't need to know the answers to win! The excitement is betting on the best guess. First, everyone writes down a guess to a fun question like In inches, how tall is the Oscar statuette?\" Then players bet on which guess is closest to the right answer. Strike it big and you'll be cheering like you just hit the jackpot!\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Northstar Games","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56050164269434,"sku":"ZBG-NSG110","price":33.69,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0916\/9970\/8282\/files\/Wits-Wagers-Deluxe-Edition.jpg?v=1760985078"},{"product_id":"say-anything","title":"Say Anything","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c!-- wp:fl-builder\/layout --\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFind out what your friends really think when everyone writes down answers to questions like, \"What's the coolest thing to have at a mansion?\" or \"What's the funniest movie of all time?\" All the players try to guess what the other players have written! Three to eight players can join in the fun. North Star Games. Party game of the year! What would YOUR friends say?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!-- \/wp:fl-builder\/layout --\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Northstar Games","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56050168562042,"sku":"ZBG-NSG200","price":17.59,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0916\/9970\/8282\/files\/ZBG-NSG200_FRONT-1.jpg?v=1760985104"},{"product_id":"evolution-climate","title":"Evolution: Climate Standalone Game","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c!-- wp:fl-builder\/layout --\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvolution: Climate is a standalone game that introduces climate into the Evolution game system.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Evolution: Climate, players adapt their species in a dynamic ecosystem where food is scarce, predators lurk, and the climate can swing between scorching hot and icy cold. Traits like a Hard Shell and Horns can protect your species from Carnivores while a Long Neck will help them get food that others cannot reach. Heavy Fur and Migratory can protect your species from the cold while being Nocturnal or Burrowing will provide protection from the cruel desert sun. With over 200,000 ways to evolve your species, every game evolves into a different adventure.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Climate standalone game dramatically changes game play with several simple additions to the Evolution base set:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePlayers draw 4 cards +1 per species per round (instead of 3 cards + 1 per species).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEach species may have up to 4 traits (instead of 3).\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe climate moves along a Climate Track based upon the food cards played each round.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThere are additional trait cards that provide protection from the heat and cold.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvolution: Climate changes Evolution from a two-dimensional game (dealing with the threat of Starvation and Carnivores) into a three-dimensional game (dealing with the threat of Starvation, Carnivores, and Climate effects) while increasing the vividness of the theme.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!-- \/wp:fl-builder\/layout --\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"North Star Games","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56050185077114,"sku":"ZBG-NSG520","price":54.79,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0916\/9970\/8282\/files\/ZBG-NSG520-FRONT.jpg?v=1760985188"},{"product_id":"happy-salmon","title":"Happy Salmon","description":"\u003cp\u003eIf you don't want to own a party game that comes packaged inside a fish then I'm not sure what you do want out of life, hopefully learning more about Happy Salmon will convince you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHappy Salmon, published by North Star games and designed by Ken Gruhl and Quentin Weir, is a super simple to learn frenetic, family party game for three to six players.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Happy Salmon, everyone stands in a circle and each player starts with a set of 12 action cards. The aim of the game is to discard all of your cards by matching the action with one of the other players. How do you do this? Well, when somebody says go, all players look at their deck and start shouting out the action that's shown on the card and listening out for another player also shouting out that action.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce you find a match you carry out the action with each other and discard the card. The four actions are: High Five, Pound It (fist bump), Switcheroo (change places), Happy salmon (slap each other's forearm like a fish tail). The first person to get rid of all their cards wins. It's a quick game, so why not play best of three rounds?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHappy Salmon is accessible too, North Star Games have included alternative rules for people with mobility issues and people who want to keep things quiet. The of the game allows you to combine with the green version for up to 12 players, for twice the chaos.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe tiny size of the Happy Salmon pouch means you can take it with you anywhere, and it can be taught to anyone in a matter of moments. As a result it is ideal for pulling out at parties, conventions, shopping arcades, lifts, libraries, waiting rooms, or lazy Friday afternoons in the office.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDue to how it plays, it suits itself to more players, and a time and place where you can move around and be noisy and silly. When the time is right for a fun, active, loud and frantic game of silliness, Happy Salmon is the way to go!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlayer Count: 3-6\u003cbr\u003e\nTime: Two Minutes\u003cbr\u003e\nAge: 6+\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Northstar Games","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56050194841978,"sku":"ZBG-NSG600","price":7.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0916\/9970\/8282\/files\/Happy-Salmon.jpg?v=1760985242"},{"product_id":"flight-evolution-expansion","title":"Flight: Evolution Expansion","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c!-- wp:fl-builder\/layout --\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvolution: Flight, an expansion for Evolution, introduces avian species into the ecosystem.\u003cbr\u003eNow your species can swoop on unsuspecting prey from above, fly away from predators, or soar to a new location when food is scarce.\u003cbr\u003eWill the ability to fly propel you to new heights? Or will it bring your downfall? Explore the expanding Evolution world and find out!.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/gxBtLiVdhq4\" width=\"100%\" height=\"450px\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!-- \/wp:fl-builder\/layout --\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Northstar Games","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56050197922170,"sku":"ZBG-NSG510","price":20.79,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0916\/9970\/8282\/files\/Flight-Evolution-Expansion.jpg?v=1760985252"},{"product_id":"evolution","title":"Evolution","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003c!-- wp:fl-builder\/layout --\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Evolution, players adapt their species in a dynamic ecosystem where food is scarce and predators lurk. Traits like Hard Shell and Horns will protect your species from Carnivores, while a Long Neck will help them get food that others cannot reach. With over 4,000 ways to evolve your species, every game becomes a different adventure.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvolution packs a surprising amount of variety for a game with simple rules. The variety comes from the synergies between the trait cards and from the different personalities at the table. Some players thrive on creating Carnivores to wreak havoc on their fellow players.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOthers prefer to stay protected and mind their own business. Evolution encourages both play styles by giving each of them multiple paths to victory. And it is the mix of play styles at the table that ultimately determines the eco-system in which the player are adapting. So gather your friends and see who can best adapt to the changing world around them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eVIDEO\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3mzi_r0VPCQ\" width=\"100%\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReview Let's Play Review\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn another of our board game spotlights, Zatu Games swings its Hubble-sized lens towards \u003ca href=\"\/en-fr\/product\/evolution\"\u003eEvolution\u003c\/a\u003e, the 2014 game from designers Dominic Crapuchettes, Dmitry Knorre and Sergey Machin, and publisher North Star Games.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Game\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDemonstrating staggering nominative inaccuracy, Evolution is a game about evolution. Players must adapt their species to deal with shifting resources and, more importantly, their opponents’ creatures. A central board acts as the ‘watering hole’, an area of shared resources.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlayers start with a single species board and a hand of 3 trait \u003ca href=\"\/en-fr\/product-category\/card-games\"\u003ecards\u003c\/a\u003e. These represent different evolutionary characteristics that may prove useful for survival, like ‘being able to burrow’ or ‘having a long neck’, both of which I do all the time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach turn, players draw three trait cards plus one for each species board they have. Trait cards have several purposes. They may be played by the watering hole to represent an amount of plant food; discarded to gain another species board; discarded to increase the body size or population of an existing species; or played on a species to mutate it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe game comprises a number of rounds, each starting with players placing cards in the centre as food, followed by playing as many trait cards as they like. At the end of each round, the trait cards representing food in the centre are revealed, and players must take turns feeding their species from that shared pool.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe accumulated food a player collects across the whole game becomes a significant part of their score, alongside their surviving species population counts and the traits on those species.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvolution is, like its namesake, adaptive. Species will emerge and die out throughout the game. They can feed on the central food pool or adapt into carnivores to attack and eat opposing creatures. This forces players to constantly adapt their species in response to the others on the board.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you fear that your opponent’s fertile, fanged creature is going to use its fertility and fangs on you, you may opt for more defensive traits. Maybe you give yours a shell to negate its squishy back, a trait which serves to increase your species body size when attacked. Maybe you give it horns to stop it getting attacked right in the head, a trait which results in the death of one of your opponent’s carnivores whenever they attack. Equally, maybe you just want to eat everything.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s a simple game, good for inexperienced and experienced gamers alike. Also, the artwork looks as though Ken Kesey conceptually vomited his brain onto escaped zoo animals, which is far prettier than it sounds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Publisher\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFounded in 2003, North Star Games pride themselves on bridging the gap between gamers and non-gamers by creating titles that are accessible and appealing to both.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTheir 2006 title Wits \u0026amp; Wagers is the most award winning party game in history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Designers\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDominic Crapuchettes originally studied to compose classical music. He is now a game designer and entrepreneur, and the founder of North Star Games.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDmitry Knorre is a biologist and game designer. He uses game design as a way to popularise scientific principles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSergey Machin is a board game developer who focuses on games that appeal to the whole family.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you like the sound of an Evolution that doesn’t include shampoo and David Duchovny, \u003ca href=\"\/en-fr\/product\/evolution\"\u003eorder\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/en-fr\/product\/evolution\"\u003e i\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/en-fr\/product\/evolution\"\u003et\u003c\/a\u003e\u003ca href=\"\/en-fr\/product\/evolution\"\u003e here at Zatu Games!\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLet's Play\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHi and welcome to the first article in the Let's Play blog series. Through these articles, I will be trying to encapsulate the essence of a \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.board-game.co.uk\/product-category\/board-games\/\"\u003eboard game\u003c\/a\u003e, whilst running through a few key mechanics and giving my gods honest opinion on whether it rocks or flops.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI will be kicking it off with a game I first played at \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.spiel-messe.com\/en\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\u003eEssen\u003c\/a\u003e in 2014: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.board-game.co.uk\/product\/evolution\/\"\u003eEvolution\u003c\/a\u003e. In this game, you will be adapting your species to try and survive an ever-changing ecosystem, and ultimately have the most successful species on the board.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWell that sounds rather easy doesn't it, especially since at this point we haven't explained the rules, so without further ado lets do a breakdown.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlaying Evolution\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt the start of the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.board-game.co.uk\/product-category\/new-releases\/\"\u003egame\u003c\/a\u003e, you will be given one species tile. These tiles show the body size and population of each species, as well as indicating how much food that it has - and believe me, this game is all about feeding! As you can imagine, to continue to survive you will need your critters to feed, and the food tokens are also the game's main source of victory points. Each round, if a species has not claimed enough food to meet their population some of them will bite the dust and if they received no food, well then they will go extinct and we all know how that plays out.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo prevent extinction you must evolve your creatures. Each turn you will receive 3 trait cards plus an additional one for each species you have in play. The interaction of these cards are the core of the game's mechanics, as they are representing traits that your species can gain as well as having a food number. This number will be the amount that it contributes when played into the primordial pool.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce you have all drawn these cards you will then pick a card to play into the pool, to create the plant food for this round and then each player, in turn order, will use their hand to evolve or create new species. This might be discarding to increase a species population, which denotes how much food they can eat, increasing their body size to help scare off predators, discarding to create a new species tile or by playing the cards face down as traits on one of their creatures - of which each can only have 3.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter this, all traits are turned face up and feeding begins! As I eluded to earlier this is where the game heats up, as each player will take it in turns to do a feeding action for one of your species. Either a single tasty leaf or a chunk of flesh! For carnivores that action will need to have a higher body size than their prey, after all, relevant trait cards are considered, and they will take meat tokens equal to the victim's body size.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe traits you have played on your species will decide which of these it will be, with all species starting as herbivores. The first carnivore will soon shake up the game as everyone panics to get defensive traits into play before the carnivores can eat their precious population. You will continue this cycle of play and discarding cards until the deck of 129 trait cards is diminished, at which point you will reshuffle the discard pile if necessary so that each player has a full hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eYou then proceed to play the final round, and that's where all the core mechanics, interaction between your creatures and the other players is what makes the game a little more complex. but the game itself is very straightforward. Scoring at the end of the game consists of each player getting points for the amount of food their creatures have eaten, the population level of each of your species and the number of traits you have in play.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThoughts on Evolution\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvolution plays in around 60-90 minutes and takes up to six players. You may be thinking that since it mostly involves the trait cards, there are some overpowering combos and if so isn't everyone going to be running the game creatures?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe box quotes '4000' combinations of traits and there are certainly enough ways to evolve that you are unlikely to have duplicate species on the board. In regards to power plays I haven't encountered any through our 8 games. Certainly there are good combinations but each can be overcome by an opposing trait and the random drawing of trait cards makes it uncertain if you will draw into what you are hoping for. The placing of your tiles is also important as with planning you can create some awesome symbiotic relationships between your species, ranging from warning their neighbouring populations of danger or helping them to feed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe greatest thing about evolution is how organic and thematic it feels! Your creatures go from small amoeba to towering carnivores and you see the food chain forming as you adapt your species to the world around them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy only grip is with the trait cards artwork, which I personally find to be rather dull! However I don't see this as an issue as once you start playing cards to evolve your species, your imagination will soon take over. You might even say that had the cards been too vibrant it would not have allowed your imagination to get so involved.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe real testimony to this game's theme and mechanics is the endorsement and coverage given to it by Nature journal, which is one of the worlds most prestigious scientific annals, and the use of the game in Oxford classes to undergraduates by the article's author.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf playing board games to enthuse people about science is not a great idea I don't know what is!!!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn conclusion, Evolution is a good game, not only for gamers but also for kids. It says 10+ on the box and I would agree with this. Perhaps this is the next step in combining teaching and board gaming.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePersonally I hope so, more people playing more games and learning at the same time only benefits us and our hobby.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat's all for today, I hope you found this article enlightening and will take a plunge into the primordial pool, you certainly wont come out the same. Don't forget that Evolution is\u003ca href=\"..\/product\/evolution\/\"\u003e also available through our online store! \u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRead More \u0026gt;\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c!-- \/wp:fl-builder\/layout --\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n","brand":"Northstar Games","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56050211619194,"sku":"ZBG-NSG500","price":49.85,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0916\/9970\/8282\/files\/evolution.png?v=1760985327"}],"url":"https:\/\/zatu.com\/en-fr\/collections\/north-star-games.oembed","provider":"Zatu Games","version":"1.0","type":"link"}