EARTH
What is Earth?
Earth is an open-world engine-building board game for 1–5 players, published by Inside Up Games. Players build a 4×4 tableau of flora, fauna, and ecosystem cards, creating self-sustaining engines where every card — even ones you don't play — becomes compost for future turns.
Game Specs
- Players: 1–5
- Play Time: 45–90 minutes
- Age: 14+
- Publisher: Inside Up Games
- Game Type: Standalone — no base game required
- Mechanics: Engine building, card drafting, tableau building, resource management
How Do You Play Earth?
Each round, players choose one of four actions — Plant, Water, Compost, or Grow — triggering abilities across all tableaus. Cards represent real species of plants, fungi, and terrain, each with unique abilities that chain together into powerful combos. The player with the most points from their ecosystem at game end wins.
Who Is Earth For?
Earth is ideal for fans of Wingspan, Everdell, and nature-themed strategy games. It suits both casual players who enjoy the open-ended structure and experienced gamers who want deep engine optimization. The ruleset is approachable but the strategic ceiling is high.
Expansions Available
Earth supports two expansions: Earth: Abundance (adds seeds, 6th player support, and new event mechanics) and Earth: Animal Kingdom (adds Animeeples and 36 asymmetric animal abilities). Both are compatible with the base game and each other.