spore

Spore is a life simulation video game developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts, released in 2008 for Windows and macOS, with later versions for other platforms such as the Nintendo DS and mobile devices. The game aims to take a creature from a single-celled organism through five stages of evolution, culminating in space exploration and civilization building. It emphasizes user creativity, procedural generation, and sharing creations through online repositories.

The core gameplay takes players through five sequential stages: Cell, Creature, Tribal, City, and Space. In the Cell stage, players guide a microscopic organism, gathering nutrients and avoiding hazards. The Creature stage focuses on shaping the organism’s physical features and social interactions to survive and reproduce. The Tribal stage shifts to controlled groups of followers and rudimentary technology, while the City stage centers on building and managing a civilization’s economy, culture, and diplomacy. The Space stage allows interstellar travel, exploration, colonization, diplomacy, and warfare. A key feature is the Sporepedia, an online archive where players save and share their creations, along with editors such as the Creature Creator and construction tools for vehicles, buildings, and starships.

Development and reception centered on Will Wright’s vision of evolving life through design and experimentation. Spore was noted for its ambitious scope and breadth, blending simulation, strategy, and sandbox elements. It received praise for creativity and accessibility but faced criticism for its pacing, depth in later stages, and DRM concerns. The title spawned expansions and spin-offs, including Spore Galactic Adventures and Spore Creature Creator, and left a lasting impact on user-generated content in gaming.