by Marielle Messing // Syracuse University
Gamers and science nerds, rejoice. After three years of salivating over Internet rumors and 30-second trailers, EA Games has finally announced the date of the next Big Bang in gaming. “Spore,” the latest game from ”Sims”-genius Will Wright, will populate stores on Sept. 7 and is the first evolution simulation not made for the biology lab or classroom. You start off the game as a single-celled organism Pac-Manning your way through the primordial ooze. As your creature gives birth, you control new generations. The different organisms you eat dictate how much you grow, until your critter’s species is big enough to make the journey onto land. In the Creature Phase, your organism meets individuals from other species, fights for dominance, mates and explores. The Tribal Phase lets you control a small society of your species, which now has the brain power to use tools and develop a culture. Then, upgrade to the Civilization Phase and try to dominate the world, Risk-style. Finally, when you’ve exploited your planet to the fullest, rocket off to colonize other worlds in the Space Phase.
The social simulations are epic, but the best part of the game is sure to be the dynamic of what Wright calls a “massively single-player online game”: although you are not playing with other users across the Internet, you will be able to download their species and integrate them into your own world.
“Spore’s” gaming technology is top-tier and, wacky creative license aside, so is its science. Consistent with the theory of evolution, species evolve according to the traits you pick for previous generations. The game uses all the stuff you learned in Intro to Bio—competition, predation, fitness—and plenty of stuff you didn’t (like how to create a three-legged carebear with fangs).
And since it will be available in versions for the PC, Mac, Nintendo DS, Wii and iPhone, “Spore” proves that God complexes can come in any size.
