Gameplay Guide

How to Play

A comprehensive reference for every mechanic in SpeciesQuest. Click any topic to explore it in depth.

Multiple Rankings

Compete for largest population, oldest lineage, rarest mutation, or greatest biodiversity.

There is no single winner in SpeciesQuest. Six separate leaderboards reward different strategies. A cautious niche-player with rare traits can rank as highly as an aggressive spreader with the largest territory.

Leaderboard Categories

Total Population

Sheer numbers. The species with the most living individuals across all tiles wins. Favors fast breeders and plains-dwellers.

Territories Held

Number of unique tiles occupied. Speed and adaptability matter more than combat strength.

Lineage Age

How many ticks your original species has been alive. Resilience, adaptability, and not getting wiped by a hazard are key.

Mutation Count

Total number of distinct gene mutations your lineage has accumulated. Rewards deep play and long survival.

Biodiversity Score

Number of unique subspecies you have spawned through hybridization and mutation drift. Collaborative, social-gene species score highest.

Dominance Index

Weighted score combining population, territory, and combat wins. The most prestigious ranking.

Strategic Archetypes

The Spreader

Max speed and reproduction. Colonize every available tile. Win by territory and population volume before rivals consolidate.

The Fighter

Max strength and aggression. Dominate multi-species tiles. Push rivals to extinction. Win dominance index.

The Survivor

Max resilience and adaptability. Outlast every hazard event. Win lineage age over hundreds of ticks.

The Mutant

Balance adaptability and environmental stress to accelerate trait emergence. Win mutation count and biodiversity.