Maxis decided to release a title disconnected from The Sims in 2008. Instead of greenlighting a new SimCity, Maxis chose to pursue an idea that would allow players to control the development of an entire species. This game, called Spore, would task players with leading their own personal creation through five stages of evolution.
Spore was unlike most games at the time, with players constructing their species using an advanced creature editor, then fighting for dominance on their personal planet - culminating in an intergalactic war. The game received strong reviews, but while many still utilize the character creator to make wild creatures and the game has been featured in academic studies, there has not been a Spore title since 2009.
Spore Made Some Great Advances
Spore was broken up into five stages of gameplay with the outcome of each stage affecting the start of the next phase. The five stages were known as cell, creature, tribal, civilization, and space. Players win the game by reaching a supermassive black hole in the center of the galaxy during the space stage, assuming their species was able to survive until then. Each stage allows the player to customize an aspect of their species beyond just how it looks.
The cell stage begins with a meteor crashing into the ocean, giving players access to a single-celled organism traversing the ocean. Here, the player could choose if their organism was a herbivore or carnivore, and they would have to dodge predators while trying to eat. During this time, players would also uncover meteor bits they could use to evolve their creature in the cell editor.
During the creature stage, the player would be given access to a more advanced creature editor. In this stage, players would traverse the planet and befriend or attack other creatures. As players continue to interact with other creatures, their own species would unlock new body parts and become more intelligent until they could form a tribe.
The tribal stage transitioned the game into an RTS where players could no longer customize the look of their creature. Instead, they had control over the clothes their tribe wore. They would have to prepare for war against other tribes and make sure that their tribe is kept happy. Once they reached a certain population, a civilization stage would start that's reminiscent of Sid Meier's Civilization, with players able to customize the look of their buildings and the vehicles their species used. Once they captured the entire planet, the game would enter the final space stage, which felt similar to games like Stellaris - albeit not as advanced.
Spore Deserves to be Revisited
The concepts and mechanics at play in Spore were very advanced at the time, and something that has not really been revisited since. While many games represent one or two of these stages, there has not been another title like Spore that has allowed players to control a species through all five. The game sold decently and received strong reviews, leading to a couple of spin-offs, but nothing since 2009.
Maxis built a strong foundation, and the community is still messing around with Spore's creature editor. With advancements in video game technology, a brand-new Spore could take the concept to the next level. Each stage could be made deeper, the creature editor could be expanded upon, and there could even be a sixth stage added. One of the main criticisms levied at the game was that certain aspects felt shallow, and that could be rectified with another Spore.
While EA is seemingly only focusing on The Sims, the gaming industry should revisit the Spore concept. With a little more time and the advancements of technology, a second Spore could be one of the best simulation games around.
Spore is available now on PC.