This game is the best. It is way more game than I thought. I will never finish..........

I didn't pay for this book. Instead, I got it for free because of a special deal Amazon was offering. As a free book, I have no problems with the Spore guide. It offers a few details and insights not found in the game hints, and also has a lot of examples of different types of creatures for the creatively-challenged.

That said, this guide is not worth the full price. The majority of the content IS simply a repeat of the game hints that come automatically turned on with the game. If you get it for free or a couple bucks, then pick it up. Otherwise, don't bother.

I've found the guide to be a very handy reference when I need a quick explanation of something. It could use some better visuals when describing certain functions, such as the terraforming panels, etc.

Overall, it's good to have it around so you don't get lost. It's definately not a walkthrough guide, but a pretty good reference.

I've had really good luck buying strategy guides but this one was the worst and an obvious waste of money that I regret.

Pros:
Good details on every single selectable item and lots of good examples of setups for every single stage except one.
There are some hints periodically that I didn't think of till reading this guide.

Cons:
The only stage this book is terrible at is the most in-depth and difficult stage in the game. The Space stage. 80 - 90% of the book is dedicated to the earlier stages but only a sliver is on the hardest/most complex stage.

Overall impression:
[...]. Do a little homework online for any details/hints/walkthroughs you might need and you will be far better off with even more cash in your pocket. Sure there are a couple of hints in there I didn't think of, but not [...] worth of hints and help. Maybe [...] worth. Save your money.

Side venting regarding the game.... I HATE DRM. They are going to DRM Command and Conquer Red Alert 3 as well. What JERKS! I'm the type that uninstalls a game, reinstalls, uninstalls, reinstalls. It's all based on what I feel like at any moment in time and given that I own hundreds of games, it's easy to change my mind for something else. The DRM did NOT affect the 2 stars I gave to the guide. The guide really did deserve 2 stars. The game is worth 4-5 stars but I gave it a 1 because I don't want to be annoyed when I reinstall my own game. Why should I have to justify my life to some stranger just to get another install license?

Avoid because of the god-awful DRM. The creature, vehicle and building creators are amazing fun to use. But the DRM... uggg. I just can't get over how bad and utterly pointless it is. It doesn't stop pirates. It only hurts regular users. Why EA? WHY?

DRM has killed my computer and used up 2 of my installs, I used my 3rd one on laptop which was also infected with malware, now I go to install on my desktop which I had to reinstall vista and I am out of installs??? I now am the proud owner of a 60 dollar drink coaster.

The guide is useful, in that it lists some information that you wouldn't otherwise get (like how trading spice actually works in space stage).

But, it's told in storybook form, which I find annoying. Seriously, most of the "story" is covered by the in game tutorial, so why go over it again for over 3/4 of the book?

It contains at least a couple charts that are meaningless (how other space empires react to you - what do the numbers mean? No idea, they never say.) It contains references to information that would probably need more fleshing out (what are the reaction bonuses that you have for other empires? They mention it for civ stage, but not space stage?)

It contains relatively too few strategy tips, and those that are there are often buried in otherwise useless stories about their creature "Clumpy".

The poster is really ugly, and despite what the cover says, there's no "comic" inside.

In short, a slapdash effort for Spore addicts only. I could have done better if given a couple weeks - they spent more effort on the graphics than the text. My guide would have had almost no graphics, and about 5 times more text.

You know im getting pretty sick of the amount of people bashing spore (and the guide) without even playing or reading it.

the guides pretty decent cept they do not tell you how to actually really defeat the grox and get to the center of the galaxy oh well.. guide is still cool i guess.

STOP BASHING The GAME BECAUSE OF THE DRM SERIOUSLY!

What would you need a game guide for? The game is like tick tack toe. I find it laughable that anyone would buy this.

After the hype - not to mention all the work of so many game developers - WHAT HAPPENED? I was so excited to buy this game! But I haven't even gotten to stage 3 yet - And I'm not sure I want to. "Dumbed down" is a generous way of putting it. I would say "lobotomized". But don't take it from me. Listen to my eight year-old daughter: "Daddy, I can change the way animals look, but it doesn't make a difference."

Um... good point, honey.

For years of mega-over-hype, you'd think there'd be pressure to publish a game that actually did what they said it would do: show cause and effect in the evolution of a species. But in the badly written, badly-designed manual, you find that "consequences" are pre-set in a few, simplistic categories, e.g., ONE pre-set consequence per level for herbivore, carnivore or omnivore. Example: select "Herbivore" in Cell Stage you can do a "Siren Song" in stage 2, create rain in stage 3, get a healing aura for vehicles in stage 4, and "cheaper social tools" in stage 5. I mean... ARE YOU KIDDING ME? As my daughter asked, with great sincerity, "Is it for first graders?"

The only thing that marginally changes gameplay is a feeble point system for parts. No big deal for an ordinary game. But expectations were raised for "a paradigm shift" in games. It is a paradigm shift... for disappointment.

Frankly, I'm fuming. All that money for a game as simple as LEGO and as predictable as Goodnight Moon? WHY would you buy a guide?

From what I've read of this guide it is done pretty well. It gives alot of tips on how to evolve your creature the way you want to and strategies for helping you to succeed and not wind up getting eaten!
The only thing keeping this guide from getting a 5 star rating is it doesn't mention how to get rid of the draconian SecuROM DRM.

***DO NOT BUY THIS GAME OR THIS GUIDE AND HERE'S WHY***
So I was one of the dumb suckers that bought the game without staying up with the news. I've been waiting for Spore since '04 and the news I kept up with were changes to the gameplay. Not how EA was going to ruin the experience for legitimate users.
In the end, I popped in the game, and Securom installed without a dialogue box, prompt or asking in any way, shape, or form.
It was only after a friend saw me playing and asked if I pirated it.
I was like "No, I want to support Will Wright and good, intelligent games."
And he just laughed at me as this all got explained. That's my fault for not keeping up with news and boycotting the game. But what isn't my fault is being screwed over for giving EA money.
Now my PC randomly scans my entire hard drives and pretty much locks up my CPU using all my CPU cycles every few hours, while Securom searches my drive to make sure I'm not a software pirate.
I've lost almost all ability to multi-task and frequently get 10-15 second lockups.
My internet connection drops all the time.
And Securom is constantly sending data out to EA servers.
Fun, but now I have to reformat.
Wait, if I do that, I'll only have two activations left!
But I can't install this software on my computer.
So what do I do?
I have to build an old PC out of spare parts, install Spore, and *ONLY* use it for Spore. Meanwhile firewalling all my other PCs against it and against EA incursions (because EA connects to you all the damn time).
So now I'm down to 1 activation, I have to use a whole 'nother computer and I have to reformat this one.
Meanwhile pirates steal the game without Securom left and right and see now penalty and have no problems.
Thanks for doing your best to hurt the people who give you money, while the real thieves and pirates get away Scot-Free.
Thanks a lot, EA.
I will never buy another game that has any affiliation whatsoever with EA.

"I also heard you can only read it 3 times!!??"
Seriously? you wrote a review about something you don't have or haven't even seen before?
People please get past the game being DRMed, AND if you can't then atleast stop giving the game ratings that are based on it being DRMed insted of being based on the game itself.

So, along with others who wrote reviews for this, I do not own it either (yet). I believe I would like to get it, but no one is writing any honest reviews. Who cares about the DRM stuff. Get over it and don't buy the game. I love the game so far. I am happy I purchased it. I think the guide might be fun to have also. If anyone actually owns it, please leave a review so that people actually interested can see what you think. Thanks...and all the morons complaining about DRM...get a freaking life. Nobody cares.

Like another reviewer pointed out if you read this book 3 times you have to call EA....it is such a pain, I tried an email but they never got back to me. This is so lame, first the game EXPIRES now the book :( Oh well, at least companies like Stardock TREAT THEIR CUSTOMERS RIGHT.

if i could i would give zero stars for spore, (and it is all EA`s doing).
Its not the game, but the unbelivebel squeze on honest peps balls EA is doing by this, when the turn all peps into criminals.
DRM is barbwireing software, and those sods in EA should be punished for it, and the way to do that is for everybody to stop buying games with DRM protection in it....

Even though this is supposed to be a complete guide, it didn't provide any tips on removing the rootkit DRM software that Spore installs, or how to get EA to let me play the game I *bought* when their activation servers eventually go offline and the game refuses to open. I'd think this is more important than any in-game tips.

Do not buy this guide. I put it on my bookshelf, and it meshed with the other books and re-wrote parts of them. Now I can't read those books correctly. Also, you can only read this guide 3 times, at which point it explodes in your hand. You are then required to call EA and prove to them you bought the guide, and which point they MIGHT send you another one. If you're not convincing enough, you are out-of-luck.

Spoor crippled by securom 7x = LEGENDARY FAIL