I loved going to the aquarium as a kid. In fact, I often envied the people who got to work with the fish, especially those who managed the shark tanks or played with the dolphins. They were living the life! So, when I came across a game that centered around running an aquarium, I was sold on the idea! Here's my honest recap of the game.
First off, this game started as a browser game and was such a hit that they did a remake in 2004. But this time around, the game featured tons of features that made it appeal to more players. So, what was the fuss all about? Well, in the game, you get to be an aquarium manager where you manage a fish tank full of aquatic creatures, including guppies. And the whole gameplay revolves around what it would take to manage such a fish tank. But unlike the aquariums you may have visited in the past, this one is full of surprises.
For someone who often spends time in combat-style games, I thought that my stint in managing an aquarium would be a walk in the park. Boy, was I wrong! The game pretty much includes the following aspects: feeding the fish, collecting coins, and countering attacks from alien invaders. It seems easy enough, but the real action lies under the surface, literally!
It's your job to ensure that the fish eat enough to remain healthy and alive. The longer the fish go without food, the paler they become. And they can die - this has happened to me. One minute, you are fending off an attacker, and the next, the same fish you were protecting are dead!
So, how do you feed the fish? In the early stages, you need to click continuously to drop the pellets that the fish eat. But over time, you can invest in pets that can help you out. For example, if you get Niko the Seahorse, you can delegate this task so you can focus on other aspects of managing the aquarium.
As the fish grow, they start dropping coins and gems. The goal of the game is to keep collecting these coins and gems, which you can use to buy more fish and upgrades. As such, the more you feed your fish, the more money you can make, and the more you can expand your business. If you have ever played games that feature farms, you know how the drill goes - the more you work, the more you get.
Upgrades come in two forms. The first option is pets. Like I mentioned earlier, you can buy pets like Niko the Seahorse. Others include Mamma Fish, Clyde the Jellyfish, and Stinky the Snail. I especially love Stinky because he collects coins at the bottom of the tank, so you don't have to keep playing accountant.
Other upgrades include carnivorous fish, better fish food, and better laser power to defend the fish from attackers.
In typical aquariums, managers ensure that the ecosystems are balanced such that one species cannot wipe out another. Well, I quickly learned that this was not my luck. If anything, alien species would come out of nowhere and try to eat the fish that I was trying to keep alive. And worse still, their attack patterns were different! So, no sooner had I figured out how to beat one species than I would face a completely different one. By the time I figured out its weaknesses, I was dealing with another attack.
When you get attacked, time is not on your side. On one hand, you need to switch to laser mode and defend the tank as much as you can. But on the other hand, you have to understand that time will not stand still because you are under attack. Instead, you must figure out how to keep the attackers at bay while you keep feeding the fish and collecting the coins. I once made the mistake of countering so much that my fish ended up dying out of hunger - the irony!
At the beginning of the Insaniquarium Deluxe, it's quite easy to balance feeding the fish, collecting the coins, and dealing with enemy species. But as your fish population grows and your territories expand, keeping a handle on things becomes difficult. In fact, I started feeling quite overwhelmed as I progressed in the levels, almost to the point of insanity.
If you love navigating chaos, this game will wow you, especially in its ‘Time Trial' or ‘Challenge' modes. It's also quite easy if you are willing to breathe through the ups and downs. And surprisingly, it is a go-to for casual gaming. After all, if you can give a bit here and a bit there, you will sail through the levels. But it's important to note that this is a bit of a classic game - you won't find the typical modern graphics here, nor will the features be as advanced as those in new release games.