Aqua Garden (2021) Board Game

Aqua Garden is a board game released in 2021 by uchibacoya. Designed by Totsuca Chuo and featuring artwork by Urabe Rocinante and 別府さい (Sai Beppu), this game falls under the categories of Animals and Puzzle, with gameplay revolving around set collection and turn order on a time track.

Game Components of Aqua Garden

Publisher: uchibacoya

Designer: Totsuca Chuo

Art Direction/Artists: Urabe Rocinante

Components: Wooden tokens, cards, playing boards, silk-screened wooden meeples, aquarium boards with six tanks each, Fair and Sea boards, Seaweed and Coral tokens, Feeding Event cards, and Owner tokens.

How To Setup Aqua Garden

To set up the game, place the Fair and Sea boards in the middle of the play area. Randomly seed the Fair board and Sea board with fish tokens, and place the Seaweed and Coral tokens on the Sea board. Each player takes an aquarium board, chooses a color for their pieces, and receives a Feeding Event card. Players decide who goes first and arrange their Owner tokens accordingly.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Gameplay Mechanics:
– Worker Placement
– Token Draft
– Set Collection

Game Objective: Earn the most victory points by collecting and arranging fish in the most lucrative and well-managed aquarium over four rounds.

Turn Structure: Each round consists of two phases. In the first phase, players move their Owner tokens around the Fair track to collect fish or advertise their aquariums. The second phase involves replenishing the Fish tokens on the Fair board and advancing the Round marker.

Player Experience

Aqua Garden offers a blend of strategic planning and tactical execution. Players must carefully manage their aquariums, ensuring the right mix of marine creatures and adequate resources like oxygen for the ecosystem. The game features a circular market track where players can skip any number of spaces to purchase the desired organisms, and a limited resource system where each player has only one employee to manage six tanks. This adds a layer of complexity and realism to the game, making it engaging for both family and experienced gamers.

Pros

Beautiful Components: The game features high-quality, detailed wooden meeples and durable boards.

Strategic Depth: Combines simple yet deep mechanics, making it enjoyable for a broad spectrum of players.

Family-Friendly: The cute sea creature meeples make it appealing to younger audiences.

Thematic Realism: The game respects the realities of managing an aquarium, such as separating carnivorous and herbivorous creatures and ensuring sufficient oxygen.

Cons

Setup Time: The game setup can be time-consuming due to the numerous components.

Flimsy Aquarium Cards: The aquarium cards are noted to be less durable compared to other components.

Limited Additional Benefits: Special animals, like the albino versions, do not offer extra benefits beyond additional points.

Personal Thoughts on Aqua Garden

Aqua Garden is a game that caters to a wide range of players. It is perfect for those who enjoy worker placement games and have an interest in marine life. The game’s aesthetic appeal and the fun of building and comparing aquariums make it a great addition to any game collection. While it may not offer something entirely new in terms of mechanics, its execution and thematic integration make it a standout. It is particularly suitable for families and casual gamers who appreciate strategic gameplay without overwhelming complexity.

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