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An incredible new dinosaur graveyard has been discovered, and if the early findings are any indication, it could be a treasure trove of fossils and bones like the world has never seen! In Fossilis, 2 to 5 players become paleontologists working the dig site with shovels, whisk brooms, and chisels looking for a find that could make their career.
Each round, players get two actions to dig at the site or make an extraction. As they remove the top layers of sand, clay, and stone, they'll discover trace fossils, which can be exchanged for tools, the plaster necessary to extract bones, and discovery points. As they delve deeper, precious bones will be exposed. They can make a careful extraction if they have the right amount of plaster, but sometimes shifting the earth to cover up a find and slow down the competition is the right move. Bones on their own can be valuable, but museums are really interested in more complete specimens. Sets of bones can be exchanged for museum cards worth big points!
Fossilis features a unique 3D dig site board, with recessed pockets filled with dinosaur bones, and thick, chunky terrain tiles that cover the dig site. Players have to use strategy, timing, and a little bit of luck if they want to make the best discoveries, get their name in all the paleontology journals, and of course, win the game.
—description from the publisher
Note: The Kickstarter edition supports solo play and includes other game related content. It may be found here Fossilis: Kickstarter Edition.
Fossilis Review!
- Strong integration of theme and mechanics (digging, pushing, tile manipulation)
- Dual-purpose components (board + micro-board) that are more than gimmicks
- Engaging decision-making with resource management (plaster) and timing
- Very satisfying tile- and card-driven synergies (hammers and ability tiles)
- Exciting end-game choices between completing big dinosaurs vs. chasing set-collection bonuses
- Plaster economy can feel punishing; it runs out quickly over the course of a game
- Well-depth and opaque wells can make bones hard to see, affecting tactile play
- Initial learning curve around costs, actions, and when to push for effects
- Some fiddliness with pushing off tiles; requires care to avoid accidental misplays
- paleontology and dinosaur reconstruction
- a fossil dig site with bones hidden under layers of earth; a lab to assemble dinosaurs
- explanatory and enthusiastic
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- card market and purchases — cards (tools and supplies) are bought using resources from the dig site and grant various bonuses
- digging for bones — players spend plaster and actions to extract bones from dig sites and assemble skeletons for scoring
- end game bonuses — game ends when plaster piles run out and event cards are resolved; scoring includes set collection, dinosaurs, and cards
- end-game and event cards — game ends when plaster piles run out and event cards are resolved; scoring includes set collection, dinosaurs, and cards
- hammers and ability tiles — digging yields hammers that can be traded for special ability tiles with powerful, rule-bending effects
- lab claiming of dinosaurs — complete dinosaurs can be claimed into your lab for victory points; end-game scoring tallies these and other bonuses
- pushing and sliding on the board — players move and shift sand, clay, and stone tiles; heavier items push lighter ones and can reveal holes
- Resource management — plaster is a key resource with a limited supply; actions and digging costs hinge on plaster availability
- resource management with plaster — plaster is a key resource with a limited supply; actions and digging costs hinge on plaster availability
- set collection — collect bone components to complete dinosaur cards for victory points; partial sets yield smaller points
- set collection and dinosaur cards — collect bone components to complete dinosaur cards for victory points; partial sets yield smaller points
- Tile/Map Shifting — players move and shift sand, clay, and stone tiles; heavier items push lighter ones and can reveal holes
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- it's all about dinosaurs
- you need to become a paleontologist
- it's always better to complete an entire card rather than just a partial card
- i loved the fact that the two components that you use to set up the game, that board and a tiny board to pull everything off, i love that that's just not a gimmick
- there's this tug and pull of how you're going to use your resources
- i wish that there was more plaster just you can play more of the game
- this is a really interesting game
- we don't have a single game like this
- fossilus was something different that earned a place in our collection
References (from this video)
- 3D board
- Unique looking
- First KTBG game for hosts
- Truly underrated
- Moving 3D tiles
- Tweezers component
- Does not get enough love
- Digging for dinosaur bones
- Dinosaur excavation
- Archaeological discovery
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- contract fulfillment — Construct dinosaurs from bones
- dexterity — Use tweezers to extract bones
- Resource management — Dig through sand and stone for bones
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Once we discovered how to really play Azul we started playing 8 times
- If someone ask me to give a favorite I have to give you a list
- It all depends on if you're learning the game the right way
- Fossilis is truly underrated
- This is Phil Walker-Harding y'all you know one of the 3,000 games he made in like one day
- We want the whole family we want them all