Survival of the Fittest

Survival of the Fittest is a 1-player or competitive 2-player strategy game based on cellular biology for the Atari 400/800.

The player attempts to create a colony of cells which must be arrayed in a specific pattern to promote optimal cellular growth. Players take turns either laying down cell pattern, watching growth of colonies, and then laying down more cellular tissue based upon the pattern that develops. Cells that are placed too close together will choke out growth, while cells that are positioned too sparsely will die out. Opposing team cells will inhibit growth of their opponent.

There is an option for single-player practice sessions, 2-player competition where cells cannot interact, and 2-player competitions where cells interact on the same field. In single-player mode, the player can place infinite cells. In a competitive game, each player as an initial timed setup phase where they establish their colony. The game then varies between a growth phase where colonies mutate and seeds regenerate, and a modification phase where accumulated cells can be placed. The winner is the player with the most cells at the end of the timed period.

There are 6 game options affecting cell growth: normal, handicap, solid walls, fast, wild, and slow.