Let’s talk about one of the games I bought at Gen Con, Ecosystem by Genius Games. Ecosystem is a drafting game and one that I liked well enough to pick up. But now that I own it, is it a game that will stick in my collection? Or is Ecosystem too light a game to keep around after a number of plays?

How To Play Ecosystem

Ecosystem is a pretty simple game and a drafting game. Your goal is to create the best five across by four down grid of animals to score the most points. This is done over two rounds, each round consists of a hand of ten cards.

Within those two rounds of Ecosystem, there are turns. On a turn everyone selects a card from their hand and puts it face down in front of them. That card is going to be added to their ecosystem in a way to optimize their scoring. Each type of animal or biome provides scoring in a unique way. Then you pass your hand of cards, first round clockwise and second round counter-clockwise, and receive a hand of cards.

Once all the cards are used from the two hands the game is over and scores are tallied. Each animal and biome scores according to it’s rules. And you score the diversity of animals and biomes in your ecosystem. If you don’t have enough you get docked points. Highest score wins.

What Doesn’t Work?

I think that there is one major thing that might be a turn off for some people. That is the diversity in the cards from game to game. I like Sushi Go Party better than I like regular Sushi Go, why, because it allows me to select what subset of cards I use each game, and Sushi Go does. Ecosystem is like Sushi Go in that it only comes with one set of cards. So if I play the game a number of times, I start to stumble across the same strategy, potentially. But, to mitigate that, Ecosystem is not a drafting game where you use each card, so there are always some cards missing from the drafted hands.

What Works?

One thing I enjoy about the game is that fact that you don’t use every card. I see how it would become an issue if you saw every card every time, but in Ecosystem you never will. And, you see 120 out of the 130 cards with six players. But if I play the game at two or three, we see forty or sixty cards respectively, which means we fail to see most of the cards. That is going to swing your strategy as you play.

I also enjoy how the scoring works in this game and how the diversity of creatures works. I think without that diversity of creatures it would end up being pretty standard across the board. But, because you want to diversify and they provide motivation to, I think it’s builds on the game nicely. When I need to think about not only my best scoring play, but how to avoid a 17 point potential swing, -5 points to plus 12 points, it adds a layer to the game.

Now, it doesn’t ratchet up the complexity of Ecosystem too much, and that is a good thing. Because, the last thing I like is that the game is a relaxing game. When I sit down and play a game like Ecosystem, I get to enjoy the artwork. I enjoy the puzzle of the experience, but it is not a stressful one. and with a game with pretty artwork, I think that fits what the game is going for. The game is not one that should stress you out as you play trying to get that perfect combination.

Who Is It For?

So, who is Ecosystem for? I think that this is a good game for a family with younger kids, not too young, though. You need to read your player aid when you draft the first few games. The scoring is not complex, but there are eleven things you need to think about as you play.

I also think that Ecosystem is a great game for that bit of downtime at a work lunch, or when you want to play a game but not think too hard after a long day or week or work. But one that offers just enough to keep playing it as that filler experience. It is like Sushi Go Party (or Sushi Go) that way. Though, those two are less filler games than Ecosystem is.

Final Thoughts on Ecosystem

At the start I asked the question, is this game too simple to stick in a collection? From my response I think you know my answer. I see why for some it might end up being that way. But for a relaxing filler game, Ecosystem is a great option. I play a game that offers some fun decisions or risks as I go, but not a game that offers too much.

I like to own games where I see them, and I think, this is a game I can play with most anyone. And Ecosystem is that sort of game. If I play this with my parents, it’ll work, and I played it at a game night, and it worked. That is a type of game that I enjoy to own because it’s not a party game, and it’s not Uno, but it is a game that I see most anyone playing.

Gamer Grade: B
Casual Grade: A
My Grade: A

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