Aquarium

About this board game

Aquarium is a board game for 2–4 players, with matches lasting about 120 minutes, set in an underwater city at the end of the 21st century.

The city is represented by twelve colonies spread across three deep levels. Over the course of the game, players develop different elements within the colonies and aim to score the most points. A match is divided into three steps, with five rounds in each step.

On a turn, a player moves their submarine by spending uranium units, then intercepts a character and carries out that character’s action. Each role supports a different part of life and development beneath the water:

• Commander: supplies the submarine with new crew and allows inhabitants to enter the city.
• Engineer: builds elements within the colonies.
• Scientist Alien: provides technology cards.
• Controller: supplies submarines and colonies with oxygen.
• Investor: provides money to players.

Choosing which character to intercept connects movement, resource use, construction, and city growth. Players must build the elements needed to develop their underwater surroundings while working toward the highest score.

Aquarium also includes two mini-expansions in the base game. Special Card characters add another character-based element, while the Saboteur can disrupt opponents by interrupting oxygen flow in certain colonies and causing unexpected penalties.