Evolution (communication game)

Evolution (or Hierarchy) is a communication and attention game for about 10-15 participants. The game is less fun with fewer participants, but more difficult to play with more players.

Equipment
You don't need any equipment. However, the game is best played while sitting on chairs (around a table).

Preparation
The players are sitting in a circle. An ordering of the players should be recognizable, from the "first" to the "last" player. All of them get names of animal species assigned. The first player gets the "least evolved" species (like an amoeba), the last one the best-evolved species (usually, the "human"). Each species has got name, a sound, and an easy to show but distinct move (usually with the hands and arms).

Spiel
The first player starts the game. He makes his sound and shows his move. Then, he makes the sound and move of another, better developed species. This other species then has to repeat the call, and again call another species, and so forth.

This continues until one species fails to react, or makes any kind of error (wrong sound, wrong move, etc.). Then, this player is "de-evolved" ("degraded") to the calling species, while all the players between the calling and the called species evolve one step upwards. All respective players change their seats accordingly. Note, that now all those players have new names, sounds, and moves. The species sticks with the seating position!

When the highest species is called (and reacts appropriately), it then calls the amoeba again to start a new round.

Variations

 * You can use other well-defined orderings instead of species of animals.
 * You can also allow to call species "down the line". When the called animal makes a mistake, it is degraded to an amoeba.

Evolution (Sprachspiel)