Creatures (1990 video game)

Creatures is a life simulation video game developed by Millennium Interactive and published by Virgin Interactive in 1996, not 1990. It is the first in the Creatures series. The game centers around the player's interaction with digital creatures called Norns, who live in a simulated ecosystem. The core gameplay revolves around teaching Norns how to survive by nurturing them, punishing incorrect actions, and guiding them through their environment.

The game's artificial life engine is designed to allow Norns to evolve and learn independently, with behaviors influenced by the player's actions, their genetics, and their experiences within the game world, called Albia. Norns possess basic needs that must be met for them to survive, such as hunger, thirst, and social interaction.

Creatures emphasizes emergent gameplay, meaning that complex and unpredictable behaviors can arise from the interaction of simple rules and systems. Players can influence the Norns' development by interacting with objects in the environment, administering rewards and punishments, and modifying the Norns' DNA through selective breeding. The game aims to create a believable and engaging virtual ecology.