Play a prototype of our next game: EVO DEVO
Download, print, and play the latest prototype here!
This past year, STEAM Galaxy Studios founder, Ariel Marcy had the amazing opportunity to study biology in Australia on a Fulbright Scholarship. As part of the grant, she created a game to explain her field of research – Evolutionary Development, affectionately shortened to “Evo-Devo.”
Evo-Devo is a hot field in biology. Evo-Devo explores how embryonic development facilitates the relationship between genes and evolution, which is the cornerstone of modern biology. The field highlights how small changes in growth during development leads to big evolutionary changes.
The board used for reference during the game. Comparing embryos of different animals at the same stage of development is one way evolutionary biologists infer relationships.
In the game, EVO DEVO, you are competing with your friends to modify ancestral embryos with growth cards in order to create modern animals! Your strategy may be to find the most efficient way to create an animal or it may be to sabotage your friends’ efforts to do the same!
Download, print, and play the latest prototype here!
EVO DEVO is aligned with current science standards in Australia (ACSSU185) and in the United States (Next Generation Science Standards MS-LS4-3 and HS-LS4-1) that require students to consider different lines of evidence for evolution including embryonic development.
Due to the unique developmental adaptations present in Australia, about half of the animals featured in the game are Australian!
Many thanks to: the American-Australian Fulbright Commission for funding and immense support, Dr. Vera Weisbecker and the University of Queensland School of Biological Sciences for hosting me, providing scientific expertise and students to playtest this game with, Prof. Lynne Selwood and Prof. Michael Richardson for writing the paper I based the game on and providing feedback, and the fabulous Alison Carlisle for the wonderful embryo artwork!
EVO DEVO is Copyright STEAM Galaxy Studios, LLC 2015 – basically feel free to use and share this game, but please do not make money from it. Thanks, Ariel 🙂
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