Have you ever wondered... what it would look like if the formation of the Earth had taken a slightly different course? And would you like to participate in the creation of continents, according to your own will?
The board game Ecos offers you and your friends the opportunity to be nothing less than 'natural forces,' attempting to create a planet according to your vision and design. You will have the chance to shape and create a part of the world that is similar to, yet different from, the one you already know. The choice of landscapes and habitats will depend solely on you, and species will flourish. This is achieved by activating various Power Cards that add Desert, Grassland, or Ocean tiles, Forest or Mountain terrain, or wildlife of all kinds to the map. These powers also allow players to score points based on certain conditions, such as the number of adjacent terrain types or the number of animal tokens on a specific hexagonal map tile. Powers can combine into even stronger combinations, allowing multiple powers to be activated in a single turn for maximum effect. However, some of these powers can only be used a limited number of times.
Every power you possess must be paid for with elements before it can be activated. Elements are drawn blindly from a bag, and all players place a marker on the element cost of a power to show it has been paid. Once all elements are covered, you have the full freedom to activate that power, which usually results in the addition of tiles and wildlife. In case a player does not have the drawn element, or has used all their markers, they have the option to gain more markers or draw and play more Power Cards.
Players continue to draw from the resource bag and activate their cards until one player reaches 80 points. Upon completion of that round, whoever has the most points is declared the winner!

Awards and Honors:
2020 Origins Awards Best Board Game Nominee
2020 American Tabletop Strategy Games Recommended