A real-biology strategy game
where genes, proteins,
and ATP decide who survives.

Build the genome. Spend the ATP. Survive the siege.

No download. Works in any browser — including Android.

What is ATP?

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the energy currency of every living cell on Earth. When your muscles move, when neurons fire, when DNA is copied — ATP pays the bill. In ATP Siege, every action your microbe takes costs real ATP, calculated from actual biochemistry.

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Why real genes?

Every gene in this game is a real gene — fliC builds a real flagellum, cas3 is a real CRISPR defense system, hlyA is a real toxin. ATP costs come from published biochemistry literature. You learn biology by playing, not by reading a textbook.

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What's the game?

You guide a microbial colony. Pick starting genes, gather DNA from the environment, survive viral attacks, evolve new capabilities. Eventually — if your colony earns it — achieve endosymbiosis and gain a mitochondrion. Then the real game begins.

How It Works

01

Choose your genome

Start with a gene bundle — Swimmer, Scavenger, or Crawler. Each is based on real prokaryotic biology.

02

Genes → Proteins → Function

Each gene expresses a real protein. Proteins enable real functions — movement, defense, nutrient uptake, division.

03

Spend ATP to act

Every action costs ATP. Run out and your colony starves. Real oxidative phosphorylation math governs your energy budget.

04

Evolve or die

Pick up DNA from the environment. Survive viruses. Mutate. Combine genes for emergent capabilities — real emergence, real biology.

Gene of the Day

fliC

Flagellin — E. coli

Builds the helical filament of the bacterial flagellum. FliC monomers polymerize into a rotating propeller that drives swimming at up to 30 body-lengths per second — equivalent to a human sprinting at 200 km/h.

ATP cost: 2 per propulsion cycle Expression cost: 40 ATP Appendage: Flagellum

Source: NCBI Gene ID 945702 · UniProt P04949

Built for Classrooms

ATP Siege is designed to make microbiology, genetics, and evolutionary biology visceral and memorable. Students don't read about horizontal gene transfer — they watch a plasmid jump between colonies and change the outcome of their game.

  • ✓ Curriculum-aligned biology content (NGSS, AP Bio, IB)
  • ✓ Teacher dashboard — see every student's colony in real time
  • ✓ Assigned learning activities tied to gene cards
  • ✓ Progress tracking with exportable reports
  • ✓ No ads, no data collection from students under 13
Contact us for school pricing
NGSS Aligned
AP Biology
IB Biology
Middle School Science
College Intro Bio

Pricing

Free

$0
  • Play any biome
  • 2 dormant gene slots
  • No save (session only)
  • Learn the basics
Play now

School

Custom
  • All Player features
  • Teacher dashboard
  • Class management
  • Progress reports
  • LMS integration
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Ready to evolve?

No download. No signup required to play free. Works on any device.

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