Generations is a collection of three games, also referred to as three "generations" (Discovery, Conquest and War). There are rules to play each game individually, but the set can be played in sequence as one long game, taking the players from the discovery of a new land, through colonization and industrialization, and finally to a bitter war for complete control of the land.

The first generation, Discovery takes about 45-60 minutes to play. You compete to grow your population while creating a unique map on which the other games will be played. Pieces are drawn at random, and different types of placements result in different "scores". It is a relatively simple game of geometric strategy, along the lines of "Dominoes," "Carcassonne" or "Blokus". Your final score is based on how effectively and efficiently you "discovered" the land.

The second generation, Conquest takes about 60-90 minutes to play and is played on top of the map created by Generation One. This game is a race to colonize the map and build industries. You roll dice to determine where you can place your people on the board, or how you can impede your opponents. You trade in people from different land types to build industries. You can also build trade routes (allowing you to move people around) and fortifications (to protect industries). You have to manage your assets wisely to win, but timing and luck play a role as well. The first player to achieve a "stable society" with four industries wins.

The third generation, War, also takes 60-90 minutes to play and is played from the end state of Generation Two. Your people have all become soldiers, trade routes are now blockades, and your industries are repurposed for the war effort. The basic mechanic for battle is similar to other world conquering games (like "Risk") but your industries and blockades all have unique affects on the battlefield. Your armies can move and span across territories, resulting in a war that can ebb and flow to the very end. The last remaining player is the winner.

The three games/generations are balanced in such a way to make it unlikely for a single player to win all three. And each generation uses different mechanics and different skills, allowing players of different types to engage with it.

Games