Let's learn how to play Circle of Life!

Tips:
• You can press the SPACE key to make the tutorial progress instead of using buttons.
• You can use to minimize tutorial explanations if needed.

This tutorial exists thanks to: u-topia0

u-topiaWelcom to *Circle of Life*! Circle of Life is a strategy game where players evolve species to eat each other in a growing ecosystem. It won the Mind Sports Olympiad’s Game of the Year Award, and the Best Combinatorial Game Award.1archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaFirst of all, let's talk about "Critter". Critter: Any connected group of same-color stones on the board is a critter. A single stone is also a critter.2archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaThe game uses a hexagonal board. It's something you see a lot.3archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaThe board begins empty. Players take turns. This time you are the second player.4archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaOn your turn, you must place one stone of your color on any empty space, with one restriction. You may not make a critter containing more than 4 stones. To place a stone, you just click where you want to place it. *Action*: Click [red]*red frame*[/red] and confirm.1archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaYour opponent has placed a size 2 critter adjacent to your size 1 critter. Now let me explain the many shapes and arrows around the board.1archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaThere are a lot of shapes and arrows around the board. This represents the "*Circle of Life*".2archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topia*Circle of Life*: Surrounding the board is the Circle of Life, which shows how critters of different species feed. Each species is defined by its shape and can eat one other species, as indicated by arrows. If an arrow points from species A to species B, then A can eat B. All possible species of up to 4 stones are represented on the Circle of Life.3archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topia*The critter you evolved [red]must eat[/red] all enemy critters which are adjacent to it and on which it can feed, per the Circle of Life.* 4archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaLet's look at the Circle of Life. You see "size 2 → size 1" on the screen. Size 2 critter can eat size 1 critter.5archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaOh my god! Your size 1 critter has been eaten by your opponent's size 2 critter!6archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaPlease don't be discouraged. The game has just begun. *Action*: Click [red]*red frame*[/red] and confirm.7archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaEarlier, a size 2 ate a size 1, but now it's not. You can eat your opponent's critters only the moment your critter evolve. Size 1 is later adjacent to size 2, so size 2 can't eat size 1.1archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaLet's look at the Circle of Life again. Do you know where you should place your stone to eat your opponent's size 2 this turn? *Action*: [red]*Eat your opponent's size 2*[/red]. 1archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaWell done. In this way, you eat your opponent and are eaten by your opponent, and the game progresses.1archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaYour size 3 has been eaten. It's just practice, so don't worry about it. 1archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaIt looks like you can eat your opponent's size 3. You already know where to place it, don't you? *Action*: [red]*Eat your opponent's size 3*[/red].1archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaIt's good. Do you understand the meaning of the Circle of Life yet?1archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaIf you do nothing, your opponent will eat your size 3 on your opponent's next turn. It's practice, but you don't want to lose your own stone, do you? Protect your size 3 from being eaten on your opponent's next turn! Where should you place a stone to protect your size 3? *Action*: [red]*protect your size 3*[/red].1archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaWonderful! If you place a stone there, it won't be eaten by your opponent right away. Nice. !!! (Then, if the opponent uses another critter, the opponent can eat that critter.)1archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaWhat happens if it is possible to eat two of them at the same time? Let's do it. *Action*: Click [red]*red frame*[/red] and confirm.1archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaIn such a case, you must eat all the critters of your opponent that you can eat.1archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaFinally, I'll explain the victory conditions. A player wins when she either can’t evolve on her turn (meaning she’s filled up the ecosystem as much as possible), or has eaten at least 20 stones.2archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topiaThat's it for the explanation. It is an interesting game. Please try to play it. Thank you for reading all the way to the end.3archivecontrol_editmode_centercomment

u-topia