Thames & Kosmos | 691554 | Aqualin | 2 Player | Strategy
Thames & Kosmos | 691554 | Aqualin | 2 Player | Strategy game | Ages 10+
| Dimensions: | 20.07 x 4.57 x 20.07 cm; 453.59 Grams |
| Model: | 691554 |
| Material: | Acrylic |
| Colour: | Multicolor |
| Pack Quantity: | 38 |
| Batteries Required: | No |
| Batteries Included: | No |
| Age: | 10 years and up |
| Assembly: | No |
| Dimensions: | 20.07 x 4.57 x 20.07 cm; 453.59 Grams |
| Material: | Acrylic |
| Quantity: | 38 |
These is my to go for when we don’t much time or to take places because is so easy and fast to learn that everyone’s want to play it. The only thing that I noticed is that choosing by color became easy to winbut I don’t know for sure that’s a issue or is just me
We play this a few times a week and have yet to get tired of it. Not too challenging but just enough to be fun. I recommend printing a scorecard off BGG.
The game is quite fun but it isn’t something that is to die for to play multiple times. It’s more of a quick game to play when you have time to burn but it DOES take 20 minutes to play. Super simple game that requires a lot of strategy and thinking. However, it’s not a top game for me hence why I took off one star. Ultimately, the more you play it, the less you’re going to really enjoy it.
Hard to find good two player games but this one is quick and fun. A little like chess with a little luck thrown in but not enough luck to be frustrating.
Kosmos makes great 2-player games. This one is good, not great. It’s a simple game of placing tiles and one person is trying to make groups of color, and the other groups of animals. However, the person making the animal groups has a much harder time because it’s less visually obvious than just looking at color. But it’s still fun and goes quickly.
I got this for my 6 year old. We’ve played it twice now and it was easy for him to understand the rules and how to play. It was harder for him to develop strategies to win or block me and honestly it felt wrong to purposely block his efforts as well, so both times we ended up working together to make full rows of animals in their correct color order. I would say also that regardless of feeling bad for the other player or not, it was almost impossible for either of us to purposely put the tiles in the “wrong” place so maybe this isn’t a great game for the mildly OCD types out there like us.
The tiles are great quality and feel like square dominoes and the board is very compact. Overall we liked the color pallet and even though the game was more just like an exercise in organizing the tiles, we both still enjoyed it.
Strengths:
– Simple rules
– Easy to set up
– Interactive game play
– Great table presence
Flaws:
– Might not have a high replay value since the gameplay is similar each time
– Confrontational game play (which is a negative for some people)
Aqualin is a great 2-player abstract game.
I have to admit the kids were not as impressed with this game as I am. I love games that can be learned instantly but have enough complexity to take a while to master. Also, there is a shortage of good two player games in our household. This game fits both of those bills well. I love the pieces and everything seems to be well made. The game is part Othello, part Connect 4, a little like Rummy all in a nice quick and portable game. The two dimensions of shape and color make for interesting game strategies. All in all, I really like this game. Hopefully it will find its way into the rotation of games in the house.
My husband and I are both gamers and are always on the lookout for two player games that are fun and are re-playable. This fits the ticket. The game is made in Germany and has nice quality with lovely tiles and a decent board. The box is sturdy and the cover is holding up with no real wear on the corners.
The game sounds easy. One player tries to make groups based on colors; the other, on the creature. Start the turn by sliding a tile along a row or column. Play a tile from the pool. Replenish the pool. Play alternates between the players. Points are scored by the size of the various “schools” you have at the end of the game. Keep the instructions as they are the only place that tells you the point value for the groups.
I think the “collect the color” player would have real difficulty with the colors (and it would make it harder to break up the groups the opponent is creating). The colors are red, green, blue, purple, pink and yellow. The tiles do look nice against the 36-box board. Sea turtles, fish, starfish, jellyfish, crabs, and seahorses are the creatures that are to be gathered up. They are distinctive on the tiles.
My husband is strategically minded and stomped me. However, it didn’t feel as direct a competition as a game like Fluxx series of games does when you get stymied. And I immediately wanted to play again.
While I don’t have children, I think the game might well fit into a home-school unit about sea creatures. Learning more about the animals that are collected could be fun with the game used as a reward.
It is a nice entry-level game to learn strategic thinking. My husband, a true gamer, is willing to play it again.
If you are into 2-player abstract games, this seems like a solid choice.
– Components are very nice – instead of cardboard squares, they went with very durable plastic tiles in some pleasing colors. This should last a very, very long time! The board is super simple… since you’re sliding tiles, I could see it showing wear eventually, but if you get that many plays in… you got your money worth! The cover art is nice, too – would make a striking gift.
– Gameplay-wise, it’s pretty interesting. The players have different goals, which is always neat – one wants large sections of connected same colors, one wants large schools of connected same creatures. The rules are super simple, and the rulebook does a good job of explaining the game. I will say that long-term replayability is a question… it’s not like there are a wide range of strategies to explore and develop. But this is fine – it’s simple game you’ll pull out now and again and get a few plays in, or keep in the car for something to do while sitting at a cafe or something.
Overall, I would recommend this for fans of light abstract games. It’s not going to blow you away, but it’s pretty clever and fun, comes in a small package, and has a brief play time.
Quick and easy to learn game. At first glance it seems like it’s super easy but there actually is more strategy involved than you might realize. Like that it doesn’t take up a lot of space.
This game has a simple concept but it’s a lot of fun and is appropriate for anyone over the age of eight. It entertains while still teaching strategy and logic. My ten year old loves animals, so the colorful sea creatures make it appealing to him.
It’s easy to learn. Basically, one player tries to make a continuous group of sea creatures by color, and the other by animal type. Each player is allowed to strategically move one tile before placing his own down. A player gets 1 point for a group of 2 tiles, 3 points for a group of 3 tiles, 6 points for a group of 4 tiles, 10 points for a group of 5 tiles, and 15 points for a group of 6 tiles.
The game is intended for 2 players ages and takes about 20 minutes to play.
Aqualin is a two-player tile-laying game published by Kosmos, who have printed a host of engaging small box titles over the years. The theme is sea creatures but beyond the idea of putting them into “schools” on the ocean board, the game is quite abstract. One player is attempting to group like colors, the other like creatures. The big twist is the ability to slide a tile at the start of your turn to change its location. Generally the board changes frequently at first with so many open spaces, but eventually you start to corral tiles where you want them (at least ideally!) while trying to shut off avenues for your opponent to lessen your schools simultaneously. The entire ruleset is essentially move a tile, place a tile, replace a tile in the face-up available choices next to the board. We found the game engaging and a fairly brisk play. Also, it can be set-up and put away in literally seconds, always a bonus on game nights.
I really had fun playing this game over the weekend. The directions were easy to follow and it only took about ten minutes to read the directions and teach it to my opponent. While it is very simple to learn and pick up, there is strategy to this game. I feel like each time, players build additional strategies for this game. The little geometric animal tiles are really well done too!
The quality of this game is outstanding. Not only in the materials used to create it, but the development of gameplay, the ease of learning, the playability, and replayability, it is an outstanding game in all ways. Players cannot be color blind, so please keep that in mind before purchasing as colors (Green/Blue) play a large part in the game.
This game is only for two players. You will be laying a tile and moving a tile until the entire board is filled and one player will score by color and the other by type.
It doesn’t take long to play one match and subsequent matches flip the scoring criteria.
The tiles in here are pretty but the colors could benefit with neon hues to stand out in darker play areas. Overall this is a lovely game in the easy to learn, difficult to master category.
This game says it’s for 8 and up, but it can be enjoyed by adults as well. It’s a simple game which leads to many different strategic thinking opportunities. I could see kiddos who are into logic puzzles enjoying this game. Since it is 2 player, the difficulty level depends on your opponent. My husband and I have been playing it and learning together as we go, so we adjust to eachother’s new strategies.
If you have played the tile game Seikatsu, this is a less complex version. These games are great for spatial reasoning and perspective taking.
Have played this a few times with my teen son. It’s more strategic than it seems but being the sea creatures seems to offer an advantage. We’ve been switching off and no one has won by color yet. For some reason it seems to be easier to focus on grouping them by animal type. The rules are simple enough for young children to be able to play but it’s engaging enough that it will appeal to many adults as well. It’s a good game to play with your child without being bored to tears. Out games seem to last about 20 minutes so it doesn’t overstay it’s welcome and is easy to get to the table during our shorter gaming nights.
The production quality is fair but a couple of tiles have issues. One of the starfish is missing a leg and the red sea horse is very faded looking. The board also slides very easily if not playing on a gaming mat. We played with the board directly on the table the first time but it would slide every time someone put a piece down and all the pieces would shift.
I love Aquatic themes. Anything that deals with the ocean is very appealing to me. And, I love games. So, deciding to get this one was a no brainer.
The components are of a high quality. Kosmos consistently churns out very nice components in their games. This was no different. The tiles, which are the primary game components, are very nice and have weight to them. I thought that the coloring on them could have been a little more pronounced, but I understand why they chose the colors that they did. I believe that the whole marine life concept was best portrayed with muted colors and I am assuming that is why these were chosen. The down side here is that depending on the lighting in the room, some of the colors are kind of difficult to discern. I had a little trouble with the greens and the blues as well as the pinks and purples. But, it was acceptable.
The board is small and well, is a board. They provided one that was thick enough and sturdy enough to convey the idea of high quality.
The instructions for the game were spot on. This game can be taught in about a minute or two and there really was no ambiguity present. They were clear and concise.
And, while the instructions were simple, the depth and strategy of the game were high. This is a brain-burner! If you enjoy games that require planning and strategy, this one has it. What first appears to be simple turns out to be intense. I enjoyed playing this immensely, although by the second game, I must admit that my brain hurt. It’s nearly impossible to anticipate all the different moves that can be made.
I would agree with the playtime listed on the box (20 minutes) but only if neither of the players suffers from analysis paralysis. My games ran slightly longer, but we were each trying our hardest to outdo the other.
Scoring is tricky only because you keep feeling as if you’re missing something. We found that scoring the colors first by visual inspection AND then scoring creatures by removing the groups from the board was the way to go. It makes sense for each player to double check before removing any tiles from the board.
One comment that was noticed during game play was that the colors seemed to be easier to keep track of. As a result, the player that was scoring the creatures seemed to win more frequently. Why? because groups of creatures were easier to go unnoticed by the color player. In effect, the creature player seemed to have the advantage of camouflage. As the instructions indicated, it is best if you orient each tile the same way. This at least makes creature patterns a little more discerning.
Overall, I really did enjoy this game. I’m thinking that if the colors were a little more vibrant and the outlines of the creatures were thicker, it might make recognition easier. I would hate to suggest the removal of the aquatic theme, but there has to be a better way to create ease of noticing the groupings.
For what this is, I am not disappointed. Perhaps after even more play throughs , some of these things that have been mentioned fade away. If you like intense two player games that are simple to teach and understand, this is a great option.
This game is beautifully and simply designed – it has a 36-square board and 36 tiles with various species and colors of sea creatures. It’s a two-player game, and each person can choose to make color matches or species matches. During each turn, tiles can be moved around AND placed to try to make these matches.
It’s actually easy enough for young children to play, but players will be more successful if they move and place tiles strategically. It took us about 20 minutes to play and was really fun.
The only really hard part about this was adding up the score, but I imagine both players could do this and then compare answers to verify.
Definitely recommended for a quick, fun ocean themed game!
On your turn, there will be four tiles from which to choose. You can optionally move one tile on the board within its row or column up to as far as it will go before hitting another tile or the edge of the board. Then you place one tile anywhere you want. Continue turning up one tile after your turn and alternating until the draw pile is empty. Then finish taking turns placing tiles until there are no more to place.
You get points for each grouping of your tiles, with bigger groups earning correspondingly more. It’s ridiculously easy to learn and a lot of fun to play whether you’re an experienced or casual gamer.
The tiles are nice and chunky and a pleasure to handle. The board is a bit small and cheap, but it gets the job done (though it tends to rotate around even on a game mat). The only thing I really wish they had done would have been to include a checklist for scoring, but it goes quickly enough if you do things in the same order each time (or make your own list). The easiest way is to count up the colors first, then to do the shapes and just remove them from the board as you do them.
Great game!
I love that this is a strategy game that is easy to understand. It allows for a good amount of strategy (it’s not just a tic-tac-toe replacement) but doesn’t require you to remember a bunch of complex rules. I much prefer the complexity to be in the strategizing than in the rule remembering area.
On your turn you may be trying to break up a group your opponent made, prevent a piece from being moved into a group in a future move, make a group yourself, or set up the chance to make a group next turn. There are two basic ways to do this: by moving a piece that is already on the board or placing a new piece down. When you do either of these, not only do you have to consider the effect you are intending, you really should be thinking about what other possibilities that presents. Game play changes as the board fills with tiles.
This game shines in the production quality. The board and pieces are very well made, being both sturdy and attractive. The tiles have a satisfying click when you place them down or slide them into each other.
Suitable for a wide range of ages.
But that’s JustMe. (I received this product in exchange for an honest review, and that is what I have offered here.)
We really like this game a lot. It was super easy to learn just from the printed rules and we didn’t have to watch any YouTube play-throughs prior to our first game. The biggest issue for us was score-keeping at the end.
The object of the game is to make schools of fish. One player is going for fish of matching colors and the other player is going for fish of the same type. You count any schools of fish (matches of two or more) at the end of the game, and different sized schools get different points. An app would be super useful for keeping track of the scores.
What we found works for us to keep score was to list all of the colors and all of the fish types, and then write the number of schooled fish each player had of each type and then do the math from there. I’m sure other people’s brains work differently and will have their own methods of scoring. I made scoresheets in Excel for our use.
4.5 stars
This game feels like a timeless strategy game, with simple to learn rules but offensive and defensive strategy considerations. The tiles are acrylic, with a nice feel, not just little cardboard pieces. And the artwork on them is gorgeous.
But what really matters is the game play. Kids can learn learn the rules very quickly: the super short of it is, you take turns moving a piece already on the board and then placing a piece from a common pile of pieces, all of which have a kind of sea creature in a particular color. One by one, you fill up the entire board that way. But one of you is trying to make chains of common color (like 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 contiguous red tiles), while the other is trying to make chains of common sea creature (like 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 contiguous seahorses).
You might decide to move the other player’s tile and drop a piece in its place to break up their long chain. Or you might rather move their piece out of the way to make your own chain. Or move one of your pieces closer to another. One of the games we played today, I saw there were four of my type in the common pool, so I left them there until late in the game when most of the board was full, hoping the other player wouldn’t notice, as they would then have no choice but to play those in the small remaining area I could use for a chain.
Like other deceptively simple strategy games, this is easy enough to play for a young one, but with a lot of depth of strategy and choices to make. A great addition to the board game collection — especially right now as we’re all at home together with so much more time to play games like this!
This is a fun little game that appeals to a broad group, from young children, casual players, and more serious strategic minded. The game is incredibly simple to learn and the mechanics are straightforward with only three components to a turn, but does have depth of strategy and complexity that can pit player against player to score more points.
The game can be learned in literally 30 seconds, but the strategic depth is there. The strategy in creating a bigger grouping of tiles than your opponent is enhanced by the ability to move a tile in a straight line freely, enhancing your groupings while destroying your opponents.
There is a luck factor that comes into play, in that you may have a community pool of available tiles that favor one side more than the other, but overall the victor tends to be the one who can outplay their opponent, perhaps make less mistakes, or select moves that are more effective in tipping the balance in your favor.
A solid recommend!