Mindbug: Beyond Evolution: Evolve, or More Creatures? Every Choice Hurts.

We bought Beyond Evolution in one go together with the base set and Beyond Eternity. It changes Mindbug noticeably, and it’s really cool.

What is Beyond Evolution?

Beyond Evolution is a standalone expansion in the Mindbug card game series, from the same team as the base set, including Richard Garfield, who created Magic. It came out in 2023 after a Kickstarter campaign. The box holds 44 creatures, four double-sided evolution cards, four Mindbugs and two life trackers.

The core rules are the familiar ones: play a creature or attack, and steal your opponent’s creatures with two Mindbugs. More on that in our Mindbug overview. Two things are new:

• Actions. Instead of playing or attacking, you can use the Action of a creature that’s already in play. That’s the third turn option.
• Evolve. Four creatures can evolve in three stages. The two higher stages are printed on a double-sided card next to the game. If the creature leaves play, it falls back to stage one.

Evolve, or play more creatures?

A game takes as long for us as with the other boxes. What costs time is the evolution itself: it takes several turns until a creature is fully evolved. In those turns, you could play several other creatures instead. That’s exactly the appeal. It’s a constant trade-off: make one creature big, or get several creatures on the table.

The Actions add to that. They simply bring more options into every turn, and with them more to think about than in the base set.

Proud of the penguin

My daughter rarely evolves. But when she does, she’s very proud of her creature. Her favorite line is the penguin:

• Waddling Recruit (power 3): its Action makes your opponent discard a card.
• Veteran Penguin (power 5, tough): the same Action, just tougher.
• Frosty Fortress (power 10, tough): when it attacks, your opponent discards their hand and draw pile.

From a waddling recruit to a fortress that wipes your opponent’s hand and deck: you can see why you’d be proud. The other three lines in the box are Cloud Lady, Curious Tadpole and Wildsprout.

Who is it for?

Beyond Evolution works as a first Mindbug box too. For anyone looking for a few more tactical options, it’s really cool. I’d still recommend the base set, First Contact, to everyone first, because it’s easier to explain.

What we hear in the community

Many call Beyond Evolution tense, clever and the best version of Mindbug so far. Some see evolving as more of a neat twist than a big strategic shift. People like the shifting board states, but find the counterplay less forgiving: some tough, high-power creatures like Robopup are hard to get rid of, and a few cards feel oppressive.

• Westside Monster is the most debated card in the box: power 8, Frenzy, and your opponent’s Sneaky creatures can’t attack or block. Some players with lots of games say whoever draws both copies wins. Others think that’s overblown. Poisonous creatures or Sawn are the counter.
• Evolutions often come late: many players hold their evolving creatures back until the opponent is out of Mindbugs, so they rarely reach full strength. That fits my daughter: she rarely evolves, but when she does, she goes all the way.
• Which line is best? Some rate Cloud Lady and Curious Tadpole as the most useful, the penguin less so. At our table, the penguin is still number one.
• Getting started: most recommend First Contact. Some, though, actually recommend Beyond Evolution to newcomers, find it even easier or like it best of all the boxes.

Our verdict

Beyond Evolution is for everyone who wants more tactical options. Actions open up every turn, and every evolution is a real decision against more creatures on the table. If you see it through, you’re rewarded with a monster like the Frosty Fortress. Our rating: 10/10.

All boxes compared are in our Mindbug overview. There are also reviews of the base set and Mindbug x King of Tokyo.