Twenty years after his epic voyage around the world, Charles Darwin is deeply engrossed in writing his seminal work, 'On the Origin of Species.' He's on the hunt for fresh information about animal life, especially from continents he barely had time to explore. And who better to assist him in this endeavor than young naturalists eager for discovery? In 'In the Footsteps of Darwin,' you step into the shoes of one of these talented naturalists, freshly arrived aboard the famous Beagle, ready to contribute to Darwin's monumental work. Your journey will be packed with animal studies, cartographic surveys, publishing your findings, and developing new theories. Each turn, starting with the player holding the Darwin token, you'll pick one of three available tiles, positioned facing the Beagle. This tile could be an animal to study or an inspiring character from the Beagle's previous voyages. By placing it in your naturalist's notebook, you'll earn immediate bonuses or end-game scoring bonuses, depending on how the tile fits. After making your choice, the Beagle advances on the journey board a number of spaces equal to the distance between it and the tile you just selected (1 to 3 spaces). Then, a new tile is revealed to fill the empty space. The main goal is to accumulate more points than your fellow naturalists, proving who made the greatest contribution to Darwin's masterpiece. Get ready for a scientific adventure full of strategy and exploration!