Reef Encounter of the Second Kind

About this expansion

Reef Encounters of the Second Kind is an expansion for Reef Encounter for 2–4 players, with a playing time of approximately 150 minutes. Released in 2006, it introduces new creatures, opportunities, and tactics to the basic game.

The reef faces a serious new threat in the form of crown of thorns starfish. With their voracious appetites, these predators consume any corals they can reach, adding a dangerous pressure to the developing reef.

New allies also appear. Blue shrimps assist host shrimps in protecting larger corals, but their notoriously unreliable nature means their presence cannot always be counted on. The expansion also gives parrot fish an additional requirement: an appropriate card is needed before a parrot fish can consume its first coral.

Reef Encounters of the Second Kind changes the possibilities on the table with a selection of one-off cards. These cards can influence the game, introduce or move blue shrimps, or affect scoring at the end of the game, creating additional opportunities for carefully timed decisions.

• Crown of thorns starfish: predators that consume reachable corals.
• Blue shrimps: helpers that protect larger corals alongside host shrimps.
• Varied polyp tiles: new forms that diversify the reef.
• Changing rocks: rock tiles that can alter their shape.
• One-off cards: effects that influence play, move blue shrimps, or modify final scoring.

With shifting components, uncertain support, hungry predators, and cards that can alter the course of play, this expansion adds fresh tactical possibilities to the Reef Encounter experience.