Megaquarium

A charming management game that's designed entirely for your convenience. Very easy to learn, with enough complexity to keep you entertained for hours.

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Megaquarium is a single-player business strategy game with an aquatic twist, offering a beautiful gameplay experience through exceptional visuals and a wonderful soundtrack. Design and manage your own aquarium, choosing from nearly 100 different marine species, and hire staff based on their skills to help you grow and thrive. Despite some bugs and a grindy aspect, the game boasts an intriguing storyline and plenty of humor to keep players engaged.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,046 reviews

gameplay89 positive mentions

grinding21 negative mentions

Fun and challenging gameplay with different requirements for various sea creatures.
Cute and pleasant graphics that are easy on the eyes.
Excellent campaign mode that effectively teaches mechanics and offers engaging challenges.

Staff AI can be inefficient, leading to issues with feeding and maintaining tanks.
Limited customization options for tanks and decorations, making designs feel repetitive.
Some mechanics and information are not explained well, leading to confusion for new players.

gameplay
268 mentions
33 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Megaquarium is characterized by its intuitive mechanics that balance simplicity and depth, making it accessible yet engaging for players. The campaign mode effectively introduces new mechanics and challenges at a manageable pace, while the sandbox mode allows for creative freedom in aquarium design. Although some players find certain mechanics underexplained or clunky, the overall experience is described as relaxing and addictive, with a satisfying blend of management and strategy elements.
- “The mechanics are straightforward yet have enough complexity to make the game challenging.”
- “The gameplay is engaging for sure but it's a management sim, make sure you're prepared to manage when you buy this game.”
- “The campaign levels do a great job of actually teaching you the game and slowly introducing you to more and more mechanics without necessarily feeling like it's holding your hand through it.”
- “The lack of depth in the gameplay and underwhelming presentation make Megaquarium a game that is hard to recommend.”
- “Some mechanics are not well explained (prestige, argh!) and the UI can be clunky to use.”
- “The not so good: hands down, the most frustrating part of this game is the poor building mechanic.”
graphics
222 mentions
32 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as cute and charming, with a simplistic, cartoony art style that appeals to many players. While they may not reach the high standards of more graphically intensive titles like Planet Zoo, the visuals are colorful and pleasant, contributing to a relaxing gameplay experience. Overall, the graphics are considered adequate for the game's focus on management and creativity, though some players note a desire for more detail and customization options.
- “The graphics are cute and suit the style pretty nicely, so I have no complaints there.”
- “The graphics are simple but cute and good enough; the mechanics are not too difficult, and I had fun trying to optimize my layout for my staff.”
- “The graphics and art style of this game fit so well that I was immersed from the moment I opened the game.”
- “The graphics are very basic, which is a pity since a lot of the most compelling aspects of sea life and aquariums are the visuals.”
- “The graphics are simpler than I had hoped, but the gameplay is interesting.”
- “This didn't really scratch the itch for a game somewhat akin to Planet Zoo, but featuring fully aquatic species, primarily because of the very basic graphics and limited customizability.”
music
120 mentions
41 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as pleasant and fitting, enhancing the relaxing atmosphere of gameplay. However, many players note that the soundtrack is repetitive, with only a few tracks that can become tiresome over extended play sessions. While some enjoy the catchy tunes, others suggest that a greater variety of music would significantly improve the experience.
- “Musically, this game has a pleasant soundtrack that doesn't get old, and the ambience of a working aquarium is also a nice fit.”
- “The music is calming and it's really fun.”
- “This is why Megaquarium is such a relaxing experience; you are never rushed, you're listening to nice music and watching pretty fish and graphics, all while you work out your puzzle and slowly expand your aquarium.”
- “There is only one music track and it gets very repetitive.”
- “The music is terribly repetitive; it gets me crazy. I would love to see a few more tracks added to increase diversity.”
- “The only gripe I have is that the soundtrack drives me mental.”
story
110 mentions
10 % positive mentions
87 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The game's story mode consists of a series of well-designed missions that serve as both a tutorial and a progression system, allowing players to unlock new features and challenges as they build and manage their aquariums. While some players find the objectives repetitive and the overall narrative lacking depth, the campaign is generally praised for its engaging gameplay and the satisfaction of completing tasks. The addition of DLCs enhances the experience, providing more content and variety, though many players express a desire for a more developed storyline.
- “The campaign missions are great and teach you the game mechanics in a very satisfying way.”
- “The story mode is very well balanced between how much work you need to put into completing each objective and how much reward (money, prestige, research points, etc.) you get.”
- “The campaign/story is really fun to progress through as you never know what new aquatic life or management features will be unlocked.”
- “Not much of a story though.”
- “I wish it was more of a progressive storyline kind of game.”
- “The story missions are not too difficult to achieve (so far--I'm at level 5 right now) and it can feel like it takes too long to just wait out the scenario's win conditions.”
optimization
36 mentions
28 % positive mentions
64 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while it runs smoothly on high-performance systems, significant performance issues arise in larger aquariums and on lower-end hardware. Some users have praised recent updates for improving performance, but others express frustration over persistent optimization problems and UI inefficiencies that hinder gameplay. Overall, while the developer is actively working on updates, the game's performance remains a concern for many players.
- “The dev has put a lot of effort into polish and with the performance updates, the game runs incredibly well even up through very large aquariums.”
- “Great performance update with v2.2.0 (beta).”
- “This game has a good balance of looking over the well-being of your fish, managing your staff, and making sure everything runs smoothly.”
- “For a game that is three years post-release (with active updating), having these performance issues, reported years ago, still remain to this day is unacceptable.”
- “I've played a good number of games from all sorts of devs, studios, and foss/open-source communities, and in all my almost two decades of PC gaming, I have never seen a game this horribly optimized.”
- “The huge levels like both finales become very stuttery and laggy even on a 9900k overclocked to 5.2GHz on all cores, so definitely some optimization issues.”
replayability
29 mentions
28 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is highly praised, particularly due to its engaging tycoon mechanics, extensive modding community, and additional DLC content that enriches gameplay. While some players find replay value diminishes after completing the campaign, many appreciate the sandbox mode and various difficulty levels that encourage repeated play. The combination of creative mods and ongoing updates contributes to a perception of near-infinite replayability for many users.
- “The vanilla selection of animals and scenery is great, but again, the workshop adds near infinite replayability.”
- “The modding community gives this game infinite replayability.”
- “Endless replayability!”
- “I liked this game initially, but it has zero replay value when my big facility is filled with hundreds of the same fish... boring.”
- “Only downside is once you beat the campaign there isn't a ton of replayability.”
- “It's good for what it is, but it has no replayability and a lackluster free mode.”
grinding
24 mentions
4 % positive mentions
8 % neutral mentions
88 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is generally viewed as a mixed experience; while some players appreciate the balance of complexity and challenge without it becoming overly tedious, others find the process of unlocking and managing resources can become repetitive and frustrating, especially in the later stages. Many reviews highlight that while the game can be enjoyable and engaging, it may require significant time investment for those who dislike grinding, particularly due to limited decoration options and the need to manage various fish requirements. Overall, the grind is seen as manageable for some, but can lead to tedium for others as they progress.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The game can feel a bit grindy when you're waiting for money, prestiging, and unlocking certain fish/machinery.”
- “Becomes tedious towards the farther into an aquarium you get; however, with pumps and filters being maxed and plants being larger and less interesting, it's just a game of what items fit in the allotted space.”
- “The biggest fault, in my opinion, is that the end game can get a little tedious as you simply watch your prestige points slowly pile up.”
stability
17 mentions
18 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
82 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with some players experiencing significant glitches and random freezes, particularly during key moments like the start of a new day or when guests enter the aquarium. While some users report a generally smooth experience with minimal bugs, others highlight issues with animations, interface clumsiness, and specific features like the auto-feeder. Overall, while there are notable stability concerns, many players still find the game enjoyable despite its imperfections.
- “Sure, there is a lot that does need to be improved, but so far, I have encountered no glitches, and the game's progression is nicely paced between the levels that I've played.”
- “This might be the best bug-free game on Steam.”
- “Runs great on Linux (Mint 18.2, NVIDIA proprietary).”
- “I love this game, but it's impossible to play properly due to the glitches.”
- “On top of this, mods or no mods, the game experiences random freezes, especially during the start of a new day or when guests enter the aquarium.”
- “Really wanted to enjoy this game as I have been watching YouTube videos about it and I used to love RTC and Zoo Tycoon, but it's really buggy and won't run on my MacBook Pro.”
humor
13 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in Megaquarium is generally well-received, with players finding it entertaining and occasionally laugh-out-loud funny, particularly in the game's quirky mechanics and unexpected events. While many appreciate the existing humor, some suggest that additional comedic elements, such as more varied character interactions and animated behaviors, could enhance the experience further. Overall, the game strikes a balance between charm and lightheartedness, making it enjoyable for casual play.
- “In conclusion, Megaquarium is a hilarious and entertaining game that lets you become the ultimate fishy overlord.”
- “One of the quest texts made me laugh out loud.”
- “As it stands, it's kind of funny, keeps the difficulty down to a simple level, and does not detract from this game's charm.”
emotional
8 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players report a profound emotional connection to the game, likening their experiences to nostalgic feelings from childhood gaming. The loss of in-game creatures, such as fish and hermit crabs, evokes deep sadness, comparable to real-life losses, highlighting the game's ability to create strong emotional responses. Overall, the game is praised for its wholesome design and the emotional journey it offers, making it a compelling choice for those who appreciate immersive management experiences.
- “When fish die under my care, I feel great sadness and it hurts me on an emotional level to the point where I have had to take a break from the game after losing my cherished hermit crab, Reginald.”
- “In conclusion, this game has made me feel emotions that only the death of my childhood cat has, and I doubt I would find that kind of gut-wrenching pain anywhere else at such an affordable cost.”
- “This is a fantastic, hugely addictive little management game with a great learning curve, and somehow gives you an emotional attachment to your digital fish.”
atmosphere
7 mentions
29 % positive mentions
29 % neutral mentions
43 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its serene and whimsical qualities, providing a soothing escape from daily life. Many players appreciate its charming visuals and immersive environment, which evoke nostalgia reminiscent of titles like Zoo Tycoon 2. While some technical aspects may affect the overall experience, the overall ambiance remains a highlight.
- “The game has a lovely and absorbing atmosphere, which helps the hours pass by.”
- “Summary: wonderful game with lots of content, and a soothing atmosphere.”
- “It doesn't detract from the gameplay, but detracts from the atmosphere of the game.”
- “I was a big-time fan of Zoo Tycoon 2, and while this is obviously not quite the same, it successfully captures much of the atmosphere of that game.”
- “Although it is really hard to lose in this game (it could ruin some games), the serene atmosphere is truly remarkable, offering a much-needed respite from the daily hustle and bustle.”
monetization
3 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Users express frustration with the game's microtransactions, likening them to low-quality stock music, and suggest that alternative monetization methods, such as ads or charity events, could be more acceptable.
- “Microtransactions are everywhere!”
- “The monetization feels cheap and uninspired, like stock music from iMovie or a local access advertisement.”
- “I wouldn't mind if they implemented running ads or charity events, but the current monetization strategy is frustrating.”