Click here to download PR Evolver
The Puerto Rico Evolver simulates the board game Puerto Rico in Microsoft Excel. Computer-controlled players are created randomly and can then play many, many games against each other.
The winner of each game survives and has offspring (via a type of sexual reproduction with other successful players). The losers die.
You can use the Evolver as a playing board and opponent (selecting a 3, 4 or 5 player game with human or computer players in each seat). The version of the Evolver here was evolved for five players and so plays it best game in that mode.
The Evolver requires Microsoft Excel to run as it is written using a considerable amount of VBA. I'm afraid this means that it does not run on Open Office. I did read recently that the Zoho spreadsheet is about to implement VBA. A port of the Evolver to here might be an interesting challenge - but I am likely to be too busy to attempt it.
Something you won't find in the Evolver is the rules to Puerto Rico. The best way to play the game is face to face with friends over a copy of the board game. I don't want to discourage anybody from doing this or buying the game. The Evolver also does not implement the expansion tiles and rules.
Anyway, the Evolver is available for download below. It's a Zipped .xls spreadsheet. You should find it easy enough to download, unzip and run in Excel (make sure you enable macros or it won't run).