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Ecosystem is available on Amazon HERE.
Or, you can go here to get it directly from Genius Games. And use code TheWolfePack to save 20%!
{This game was provided to me free of charge, however all opinions are my own!}
Read on for a detailed REVIEW.
My 14 year-old son was super excited when we received Ecosystem. He loves games. And he especially loves science games. But he extra especially loves science games that are based on biology. And he double extra especially loves science games based on biology that focus on animals! So, Ecosystem was expected to be a hit in our house. And it did not disappoint!
In addition to reviewing the
FUN FACTOR
and the
EDUCATIONAL VALUE,
I will also include info on the
ORGANIZATIONAL COMPONENT,
SKILLS EXPOSED TO & USED,
CLARITY LEVEL
and an
OVERALL SCORE.
NAME: Ecosystem
PUBLISHER: Genius Games
TIME COMMITMENT: Minimal {15-20 minutes}
PLAYERS: 2-6
AGES: 14+
CATEGORY: Science
SUB CATEGORY: Biology
SKILLS EXPOSED TO:
- various habitats
- wide range of animals
- importance of diversity
- basic concept of an ecosystem
SKILLS PRACTICED:
- logic
- strategy
- addition
- multiplication
HOW TO WIN: Earn the most points while completing a diverse and thriving ecosystem by strategically placing cards into a 4×5 grid.
CLARITY LEVEL: ♥♥♥♥♥ Though the instructions are clear, they seem confusing until you play. But, I find that true for most strategy games and don’t find fault in a publisher trying to spell things out step-by-step. The instructions are definitely necessary but so is simply experiencing the game. Once you get going, it makes perfect sense and the more you play, the better you can plot and plan. There is also a video link that shows you how to play included in the instruction book and posted below. CLARITY LEVEL SCORE: 5/5 ♥♥♥♥♥
FUN FACTOR: ♥♥♥♥♥ We thoroughly enjoyed this game, though I will admit I was not thrilled when my son first tried to explain it to me {It’s his job to read the instructions and get things set up for us.} Like I mentioned in my review of Periodic, I am not usually a fan of strategy games. They tend to want me to think too much. 😉 But apparently, when given an opportunity to strategize over how animals will survive and thrive, my preferences change. I really enjoyed playing this! The fact that it’s not a long game {another reason I don’t usually love strategy games,} added to my enjoyment. AND the fact that the premise is fairly simple to understand, made it a blast! {And the fact that I beat my son on the very first game didn’t hurt either!} And, my son, who was totally excited to play this game, totally loved it! FUN FACTOR SCORE: 5/5 ♥♥♥♥♥
EDUCATIONAL LEVEL: ♥♥♥♥♥ If you consider the art of strategy an educational aspiration, you’ll love this game! And while you do not need to know anything about biodiversity and ecosystems before playing, the more you do know, the faster you will catch on how to win. But, like with most educational games, the more you discuss AS you play, the more your kids will learn about the subject matter. Knowing that you get points if an eagle is placed near a trout is explained in the instruction book…knowing WHY that scores you points is really only learned through discussion. This game might serve as a nice complement to a biology curriculum, but it will not serve as a substitute for one. But, it does make for a great opportunity to expand their knowledge in a hands-on, fun way! EDUCATIONAL LEVEL SCORE: 5/5 ♥♥♥♥♥
ORGANIZATIONAL COMPONENT: ♥♥♥♥♥ If you know me from my other game reviews, you know I sincerely appreciate when a game comes in a sturdy box that is easy to keep organized. And, if it’s a small box, all the better! And Ecosystem offers all of that! Ecosystem is packaged in a very sturdy box that measures just 8.5″x4.5″x1.5″. Inside there are 130 cards, a scoring pad, six player aids {reference cards} and a small set of instructions. Like everything we have seen from Genius Games, all of the components are high quality and also beautiful. The cards are very small which makes them hard to shuffle and easy to lose, but considering the way the game is played, the petite size is a necessity. ORGANIZATIONAL COMPONENT: 5/5 ♥♥♥♥♥
OVERALL SCORE: ♥♥♥♥♥ Ecosystem is a total winner for us because it takes on a big concept in a fun and fast way! OVERALL SCORE: 100% ♥♥♥♥♥
If you are ready to offer your kids an opportunity to “build a one-of-a-kind ecosystem, striving to balance the delicate connections between all living things” while also working on strategy skills AND having fun, go here to get Ecosystem on Amazon or here to get it straight from the publisher {and don’t forget to use code TheWolfePack to score 20% off!}
If you would like to see how to play, check out this video that features the founder of Genius Games. The video actually shows two games, but you can scroll to 14:45 to see how to play Ecosystem.
