You’ve got the whole world in your hands – literally – in Planet

Newly-announced tile-drafting game Planet will give you the chance to reshape the world as you see it.

For once, we’re being pretty literal: the upcoming game features 3D magnetic planet ‘cores’ that players add sections of terrain to during a playthrough, forming their own unique biosphere (or biopolyhedron, if you want to be pedantic) piece by piece.

These tiles feature sections of different environments that can be connected together to form spread-out regions or isolated areas, from deserts and forests to oceans and mountain ranges.

The right combinations of terrain will lead to the emergence of animal life, with points scored for putting together the largest single region of the right environment type, or for having a hospitable region that neighbours – or avoids touching – another specific type of terrain. If you want reindeer on your personal world, for instance, you’ll need a sizeable glacier region without bordering any desert.

As well as trying to make their world a suitable place for animals to live, each player also starts the game with a hidden ‘natural habitat’ objective card that awards them points for having the most areas of the specified environment.

The straightforward but strategic gameplay designed by Urtis Šulinskas is paired with some gorgeous artwork from Photosynthesis illustrator Sabrina Miramon, with Planet packing into a box the same size as the similarly eco-aware tree-growing delight from studio Blue Orange.

Planet is due to launch at this year’s Essen in October, but will be available to preview ahead of release at our Tabletop Gaming Live convention at the end of September. Head over to this story to see more of the games you’ll be able to play at the London show on the 29th and 30th.