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Description
Somewhere on a doomed and distant planet, life has emerged, competing for supremacy until the world’s inevitable destruction. The object of the game is to score the most points by the time the world ends. Score points by playing Traits for your Doomlings’ species, making them more adaptable, resilient, and mischievous. As your Doomlings assert their dominance, Catastrophes will befall the planet, causing setbacks for each competing species. When the third Catastrophe inevitably strikes, the world ends, and the Doomlings with the strongest set of traits gets to look the Apocalypse in the eye and declare…“I scored the most points!”
Throughout the game, players draw Trait cards from a community pile, and then play them for points. Traits can also have special abilities and bonuses, allowing players to build a wide range of winning combinations. The game is played in rounds, using Age cards, which have different rules that players must follow. But be warned, hidden in the Ages are Catastrophes: special rounds with adverse effects that force players to adapt their strategy.
Doomlings adds a fun twist to hand management, by introducing the “Gene Pool” mechanic. Your Gene Pool is your hand size: it is unique to you, and it can increase or decrease through special Traits, or even Catastrophes. Doomlings includes 6 colorful Gene Pool counter cards, elegantly tracking how many cards you should hold at the end of your turn. There are opportunities to increase your Gene Pool (hand size), which can give your species a leg up by providing a larger pool of Traits to select from each turn.
A lightweight card game for 2-6 players, Doomlings can be played casually amongst friends, or competitively by the gaming enthusiast family. Because there are no duplicate cards, and Age cards are chosen randomly, no two games are ever the same. While the game itself can be learned in 5 minutes or less, don’t be fooled: with 100+ unique Traits—in Red, Blue, Green, Purple and Colorless—and rare, powerful Dominant Traits, there are countless combinations of play to be discovered.
A typical game takes between 20-45 minutes, depending on the number of players and sequence of events. Advanced-play expansion packs are also available, including a Hidden Objective expansion for a fun twist to the game. Doomlings requires no dice or additional pieces, just a jolly embrace of the inevitable end of the world!
—description from the designer
Year Published
2022
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 8
This page: 8
Sentiment:
pos 6 ·
mix 2 ·
neu 0 ·
neg 0
Showing 1–8 of 8
Video xh_b-mpE_tE
Foster The Meeple general_discussion at 7:51 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12633 · mention_pk 36868
Click to watch at 7:51
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- accessible for new players
- fun theme and art
Cons
- randomness can influence outcomes
- can be chaotic in larger groups
Thematic elements
- cute, lighthearted doomsday humor
- a whimsical, pastel post-apocalyptic world
- playful satire
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- deck-building — Players curate a hand of cards to score points and trigger effects.
- Drafting / hand management — Players select and optimize cards to maximize doom-related scoring.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's a boat we created this event just to get people together
- the schedule is in flux
- please join us even if you can only join us for like 15 minutes
- if you share pictures and we highly encourage you to
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video alhtQn57UvM
Doomlings game_review at 0:00 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 11476 · mention_pk 33780
Click to watch at 0:00
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- Adorable Doomlings and charming art
- Accessible and quick to learn
- Good for casual play and families or teens
- Broad player count support (2-6)
Cons
- Not a deeply strategic game
- Clear influence from Exploding Kittens
- Narrow depth for longer play sessions
- Some players may outgrow it quickly
Thematic elements
- Lighthearted evolution and survival; scoring through card sets and revealed catastrophes.
- A whimsical, cartoonish future where cute crisis-evolving critters (Doomlings) progress through eras while managing catastrophes.
- Playful, irreverent, accessible
Comparison games
- Exploding Kittens
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card drafting/hand management — On each turn you play one card from your hand in front of you; hand size is constrained by the gene poll value and era effects.
- Dominant traits — Players can have up to two dominant trait cards, which grant powerful, but limited, ongoing effects.
- Endgame scoring — Points come from card values surviving on your Doomling critter at the end of the game.
- Era and catastrophe cycle — The game progresses through eras; catastrophes are drawn between eras and the third catastrophe ends the game.
- Gene poll and hand limit — A gene poll value sets the current hand limit; updating it changes how many cards you can hold.
- set collection — Score is driven by collecting and completing color-coded sets of cards and point-valuing cards.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's not a great game? no it's not
- it's a fun game, it's a silly game and it's a game I can play with practically anyone who doesn't take themselves too seriously
- the best thing about this game are the Doomlings themselves they're just adorable
- it may be incredibly influenced by exploding kittens but there's actually a better game here
- it's not that bad but I'd probably save it for playing with kids or teenagers
- it's light it's silly it's fun
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video AEdHKLLR1-o
Chairman of the Board general_discussion at 10:20 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 6663 · mention_pk 19816
Click to watch at 10:20
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
- quick, casual play
- diverting for casual sessions
Cons
- not likely to be a staple for heavier gamers
Thematic elements
- lighthearted doom/good-versus-evil vibes
- mass-market card game universe
- humorous and chaotic
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- mass-market style card play — easy-to-learn card interactions with points and take-that elements
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- newest release from fil that isn't a reprint
- it's a racing style game
- spoiler I did really like this one
- this one intrigued me
- the art style in this game is absolutely gorgeous
- Sandbox prison brawler for up to eight players
- complete reworking of Rum and Pirat
- wind tiles will direct your ships
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video wNlXxO-r3qo
Foster the Meeple general_discussion at 6:10 sentiment: positive
video_pk 5176 · mention_pk 15346
Click to watch at 6:10
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Short, quick plays that fit into a long session
- Accessible and fun for a group in the mix
Cons
- Still a lighter game; may not satisfy heavier gamers
Thematic elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card drafting / set collection — Players draw and manage a hand of cards to fulfill victory conditions.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- we had around 10,000 live views so people kind of dropping in and dropping out
- 1,282 challenge entries that's wild
- this is where we started to fall off of our schedule
- I will be staying up the full 24 hours again because it's just the best way to do it
- it's a food day
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video YzYHTW6fyCA
Foster the Meat Buet Channel game_review at 23:26 sentiment: positive
video_pk 2434 · mention_pk 7103
Click to watch at 23:26
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Accessible and breezy
- Lighthearted theme suitable for new players
- Mass market appeal and quick playtime
Cons
- May feel light for hobbyists seeking depth
- Humor can be hit-or-miss depending on group
Thematic elements
- Satirical, light-hearted catastrophe card game
- End of the world as we know it
- Humorous, accessible with quick turns
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card-drafting/deck-building — play trait cards with color values; build/run a hand
- catastrophe-end condition — three catastrophes trigger the world end and scoring
- gene pool management — hand size vs. gene pool constraints drive decisions
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- I freaking love this game
- not too long, and the map layout is clear
- this game is not short
- AP inducing
- end of the world as we know it
- genuine gemstone dice
- it's a relatively lightweight game so really welcoming
- a good coffee game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 1439e951FVY
Unknown Channel rules teach at 0:00 sentiment: positive
video_pk 2322 · mention_pk 6776
Click to watch at 0:00
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Accessible and quick to teach, making it a good gateway game for new hobbyists
- Distinctive, whimsical art that captures the game’s playful tone
- Solid production quality and sleeved cards fit in the box
- Replay value is high, aided by different expansions and variants
- Pleasant components and clear, intuitive iconography that support quick setup
- Positive social experience with light bluffing and strategic decision-making
- Engaging mini-mechanics (A-icon actions, wing actions) that reward attention to what others are doing
Cons
- Luck factor can be a tangible influence on outcomes
- As a light game, some players may crave deeper strategic depth
- Primarily a filler/heavy family audience title; may not appeal to heavy strategy gamers
- The thematic bite-size nature can feel repetitive after many plays
- Some players might find the end-of-world modifiers occasionally feel non-intuitive
Thematic elements
- Survival, evolution, and the quirky fate of a post-apocalyptic ecosystem; the doom-ling creatures offer lighthearted commentary on humanity’s attempt to endure an ending world.
- On a doomed planet where diverse species struggle to adapt as catastrophes unfold across three distinct eras.
- playful, accessible, and humorous; the game’s story thread is told through card art and patient exposition during setup and turns.
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Card drafting and tableau building — Players draft trait cards from their hand and place them on their own tableau in color-coordinated stacks. The colors must stay grouped on a single stack, and each card contributes point values, potential effects, and sometimes immediate actions. This mechanic rewards long-term planning and careful organization.
- End-of-world scoring and bonuses — Final points are tallied from the bottom values on trait cards. There are also modifiers and bonus symbols that affect scoring, encouraging players to consider not only raw points but also timing and synergies.
- Era progression with catastrophes — The game is played in three eras. Each era is started by revealing an age card; catastrophe cards trigger effects that end the current era. Facilitates escalating tension and a predictable end-game sequence, as the third catastrophe ends the game.
- Hand management and gan pool — Each turn you adjust your hand to match your gan pool number. You draw or discard up to that number, which creates a steady drift of available options while keeping hand size manageable and decision-making meaningful.
- Mini deck optimization and luck element — The game has a curated small deck system with three piles and a top Birth of Life card. The randomness of which age and catastrophe cards appear introduces luck, which players must manage through planning and adaptability.
- On-turn actions and cross-player interactions — Some trait cards grant actions that trigger on your own turn or on other players’ turns (A-icon triggers and wing-icon actions). This creates interactive play where watching opponents matters for optimizing your own position.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- Doomlings is a great little card game that has some strategy and decision-making.
- The art is quirky and fun.
- Easy to teach and play with plenty of replay value.
- The production quality is really good, plus the cards fit in the box when sleeved.
- The only downside would probably be the luck factor.
- Don't forget, you only get to play one or two cards per turn.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video Up7iN1SrfG4
Our Family Plays Games general_discussion at 59:20 sentiment: positive
video_pk 2247 · mention_pk 6538
Click to watch at 59:20
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- family-friendly and chaotic fun
- great party game dynamics
Cons
- not for players seeking heavy euros
Thematic elements
- cute monsters survive doom cards
- humorous post-apocalyptic world
- lighthearted, chaotic fun
Comparison games
- Monopoly
- Sushi Go
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card_drafting — build a hand of doom cards and combos
- set_collection — collect doom cards to maximize points
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- it's huge this unconscious mind box
- we're going to be at BGg con in Dallas
- pineapple on pizza is delicious
- the shelf of shame... we need an intervention
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video qYrbDRX7rf8
Unknown Channel general_discussion at 4:21 sentiment: positive
video_pk 498 · mention_pk 1456
Click to watch at 4:21
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
- Humorous aesthetic
- Easy to teach
Cons
- Middling depth for heavier gamers
Thematic elements
- humor and doom-themed cards
- post-apocalyptic cartoon world
- card drafting with light story elements
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card drafting — Select cards to build a doom-ometer end-game.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
- we're back upstairs and you know what
- this is what I want to do first is put you down cuz you're freaking still so heavy
- we're moving our offices downstairs
- thank you so much for watching if you're interested in buying board games like any of the thousands that you saw today you should first start by checking your friendly local gaming store
- unbelievable that's uh the difference between Jamie and I I would give her all five she would give me none
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
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Showing 1–8 of 8