# Quirkies Evolution > Interactive game simulating evolution through natural selection, reproduction, and genetic mutation. (iPhone/iPad app by Indiana University.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quirkies-evolution/id976739433 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Indiana University](https://appshunter.io/developer/383456988) - Category: Games, Education, Simulation - Price: Free - Rating: 3.70/5 from 10 App Store ratings · 10 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 7.1 · 49 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2015-04-11 - Data updated: 2026-06-06 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quirkies-evolution/id976739433/reviews.md ## What is Quirkies Evolution? This game teaches how evolution works: quirkies evolve through natural selection, reproduction, recombination and mutation of genes. The basics: by selecting mates who get to reproduce, you and other players simulate the environment in which the best quirkies survive. You can choose a trait that you would like the population to have (do this on the settings screen). As you play the game, try to select quirkies with that trait. In each generation, the offspring inherit the genes from the parents. The trait that you picked will become common throughout the population. Your fitness score at the top of the main screen will improve, and you win the game with high enough fitness over generations. But quirkies might also be rejected by mates, experience harmful mutations, and risk extinction. As you play, quirkies will entertain you with funny comments (even with speech), quiz your understanding of evolution, and make suggestions from an amazing range of educational videos and podcasts. Earn badges through these activities! Your quirkies will evolve new traits such as colors, nose, mouth, limbs, hair, and more by regulatory gene adaptations. Explore it all through the family tree (showing how genes are inherited) and population view. You can also earn survival points with mini-games: help your offspring feed, fight challengers, and find their parents. And don't tell anyone, but if you get to the biolab, you can manipulate your quirkie's genes! Evolved a really cute quirkie? You can give it a name (it will also get a scientific species name), save it for later, and share it with your friends! (Parents, no worries --- your kid cannot post on social media without your permission.) You can get news updates, when one of your quirkies has new siblings or offspring. And then you can explore the families of your quirkies: their parents, siblings, mates, and offspring. Iris Menczer (4th grade) and her dad created this game for kids to have fun learning about evolution. Evolutionary biologists have helped make it more educational. Hope you enjoy both the fun and the learning! ## Key features - Simulate natural selection and reproduction - Influence trait evolution through mate selection - Explore genetic recombination and mutation - Learn via educational videos and podcasts - Earn badges and survival points - Manipulate genes in the biolab - Track lineage with family tree and population view ## Recent user reviews (10 of 10) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quirkies-evolution/id976739433/reviews.md ### 1/5 — Kept crashing *2021-05-07* It crashed and the game is unstable ### 1/5 — Not working... *2019-05-24* This app is great but currently not working. When I open the app, the intro info slides off the page and doesn’t give you buttons to click on. Please update as this app is awesome!!! ### 5/5 — Biology homework *2017-09-14* We got this as our biology homework for 10th grade. Amazing game. 64/39 great game ### 1/5 — Help! *2017-06-09* Anyone help? I'm stuck at the beginning at the first thing you see when starting. ### 5/5 — The BEST app ever!!!!!!😝😝 *2016-09-04* This is the best app ever even better than iMessage ### 4/5 — Intro Evolution Game *2016-06-08* It's alright for younger kids if they're interested in evolution. ### 5/5 — Fun and educational *2016-06-06* I like how my daughter (11) is encouraged to watch science videos about evolution, there are so many and they are top quality. She loves to save her little creatures and follow their family news. A wonderful app, I recommend it to all parents. ### 5/5 — Awesome *2016-04-15* Very well designed, educational, and fun! ### 4/5 — Fun game for intro to evolution *2015-08-18* Good quick intro to selection and how traits change, plus nice side activities. ### 5/5 — Great app *2015-08-14* My eight-year-old and I had a lot of fun playing this, even though it's intended for older kids. Definitely educational (though the kids don't notice) and fun. Would definitely recommend. ## Frequently asked questions about Quirkies Evolution ### What is Quirkies Evolution? Quirkies Evolution is a game designed to teach players about the principles of evolution, including natural selection, reproduction, and genetic mutation. Players guide populations of creatures to survive and adapt by making strategic choices. ### How does Quirkies Evolution teach about evolution? The game simulates evolution by allowing players to select mates, influence trait inheritance, and observe how populations change over generations. It also incorporates educational videos and quizzes to enhance learning. ### Can I play Quirkies Evolution offline? The provided data does not specify if Quirkies Evolution supports offline play. However, its focus on simulation and player interaction might suggest an online component for certain features. ### What devices can I play Quirkies Evolution on? Quirkies Evolution is available on iPhone, iPad, and iPod devices. It is designed for Apple's mobile operating system. ### Is Quirkies Evolution suitable for young children? Yes, Quirkies Evolution has an age rating of 4+, indicating it is suitable for young children. It was created by a parent and child to make learning about evolution fun. ### How often is Quirkies Evolution updated? The latest version of Quirkies Evolution is 4.1, which was last updated on June 5, 2016. This suggests updates may not be very frequent. ### What is the user rating for Quirkies Evolution? Quirkies Evolution has a rating of 3.7 stars based on 10 ratings. This indicates a mixed reception from its player base. ### Does Quirkies Evolution have ads? No, Quirkies Evolution does not contain advertisements. The game is free to play and does not feature any in-app purchases either. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 4.1 — 2016-06-05 This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon. Few minor interface tweaks and bug fixes. We are excited to announce the many huge improvements in v.4: * Quirkies Evolution is now a universal app, running on both iPhones and iPads * Explore family (parents, siblings, mates, and offspring) of My Quirkies * With app icon badge notifications, get family news updates (new siblings and offspring) * Earn survival points with three mini-games: feed, fight, and find my parents * Background music: choose among four options, or none at all * All-new tutorial to introduce new players to the many game features * Improved back-end --- all players share a single population! All this on top of these other recent changes: * New mating mechanisms: chase a mate or tap and hold one to be chased * Follow the test tube to visit the biolab and manipulate genes * Talking quirkies if enabled via Settings * Badges for game and learning achievements * From Family Tree, tap on a generation to explore how genes are inherited * From Population, top on a quirkie to view its genes * Hundreds of educational videos and podcasts ### 4.0 — 2016-06-04 We are excited to announce many huge improvements in this version: * Quirkies Evolution is now a universal app, running on both iPhones and iPads * Explore family (parents, siblings, mates, and offspring) of My Quirkies * With app icon badge notifications, get family news updates (new siblings and offspring) * Earn survival points with three mini-games: feed, fight, and find my parents * Background music: choose among four options, or none at all * All-new tutorial to introduce new players to the many game features * Improved back-end --- remember that all players share a single population! * And of course, lots of interface improvements and bug fixes All this on top of these other recent changes: * New mating mechanisms: chase a mate or tap and hold one to be chased * Follow the test tube to visit the biolab and manipulate genes * Talking quirkies if enabled via Settings * Badges for game and learning achievements * From Family Tree, tap on a generation to explore how genes are inherited * From Population, top on a quirkie to view its genes * Hundreds of educational videos and podcasts ### 3.2 — 2016-02-17 Wow, we have been busy! Few but big improvements in this version: * All-new, much more fun mating mechanisms: chase a mate or tap and hold one to be chased * Follow the test tube to visit the genetic engineering lab and see how genes affect the body * Over 130 new educational podcasts about evolution * New icons, interface improvements, and bug fixes All this on top of the changes in recent versions: * Quirkies will talk to you! (You can disable this feature in settings) * Badges for game and learning achievements * Adaptations (hair, arms, legs, colors, nose, mouth) can be acquired, inherited, or lost via regulatory genes * During feed & fight plays, your quirkie can die if you are too slow or eat too much junk * From the family tree screen, tap on a generation to explore how genes are inherited * From the population screen, top on a quirkie to view its genes * Improved fitness display and explanations of target genes * Name, save, and share your favorite quirkies! * Lots of educational videos (watch them again in the About screen) * Parental gates for sharing evolved quirkies on social media ### 3.1 — 2016-01-08 Huge improvements in this version, with advice from evolutionary biologists: * Quirkies will talk to you! (You can disable this feature in settings) * Badges for game and learning achievements * Adaptations (hair, arms, legs, colors, node, mouth) can be acquired, inherited, or lost via regulatory genes * Feed & fight plays are more fun, and your quirkie can die if you are too slow or eat too much junk * From the family tree (genealogy) screen, tap on a generation to explore and visualize how genes are inherited * From the population screen, top on a quirkie to view its genes * Improved fitness display and explanations of target genes * New icons, lots of interface improvements, and bug fixes All this on top of the changes in recent versions: * Name, save, and share your favorite quirkies! * Random target gene rotation after victory to keep you challenged * Popup with stats when you tap on fitness score or status bar * Lots of new educational videos (watch them again in the About screen) * Offline play without internet connection * Parental gates for sharing evolved quirkies on social media ### 3.0 — 2015-10-15 Huge improvements in this version, with advice from friends who are evolutionary biologists: * Adaptations are now regulatory genes, with a more diverse population * Quirkies with hair! (But you have to turn on the new genes through achievements...) * New view of interactions among quirkies in the evolving shared population * New feed & fight plays to survive until reproduction (make it more or less often via settings) * Improved fitness display that tracks your target gene compared to the population average * Popup with stats when you tap on fitness score or status bar * Random target gene rotation after victory to keep you challenged * Compatibility with iOS 9, bug fixes, and many other improvements All this on top of the changes in recent versions: * Adaptations with new traits via achievements * Name, save, and share your favorite quirkies! * Lots of new educational videos (watch them again in the About screen) * Offline play without internet connection * Parental gates for sharing evolved quirkies on social media ## Apps similar to Quirkies Evolution | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Idle evolution: Life on Earth](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idle-evolution-life-on-earth/id1484295610) | 4.6 (5,602) | Free | Games | | [Evolution - Learning Creatures](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/evolution-learning-creatures/id1227314223) | 4.4 (541) | $1.99 | Games | | [Hybrid Animals](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hybrid-animals/id1127937062) | 4.7 (7,375) | Free | Games | | [Evolution of Species 2](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/evolution-of-species-2/id1491718246) | 4.5 (1,192) | Free | Games | | [Human Evolution: Merge Game](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/human-evolution-merge-game/id1645136731) | 4.7 (192) | Free | Games | | [Cell to Singularity: Evolution](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cell-to-singularity-evolution/id1327555461) | 4.8 (21,837) | Free | Games | ## More apps by Indiana University - [IU Mobile](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iu-mobile/id383456985) - [Mobile Science - Acceleration](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mobile-science-acceleration/id389821809) - [Kinsey Reporter](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kinsey-reporter/id533205458) - [Freedom Summer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/freedom-summer/id893679666) - [NICU Companion](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/nicu-companion/id994234862) All apps by Indiana University: https://appshunter.io/developer/383456988 --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-06.*