Neo Aquarium: The King of Crustaceans

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Neo Aquarium: The King of Crustaceans is a single player survival fighting game with fantasy and comedy themes. It was developed by Calappa Games and was released on June 8, 2015. It received positive reviews from players.

TWO FISH ENTER, ONE FISH LEAVES. This is a competitive 3D shooting game based on crustaceans. Yes, you read that right. You get to control unique creatures like lobsters, crabs and barnacles, in a wild water world that exceeds all human sense. Experience intense battles that take place in “NEO AQUARIUMS,” dimensionally linked aquariums that promote the evolution of organisms, and use skill…

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Single-Player

Neo Aquarium: The King of Crustaceans screenshot

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80%

Audience ScoreBased on 270 reviews

gameplay10 positive mentions

stability4 negative mentions

Unique and absurd concept of laser-firing crustaceans with surprising mechanical depth and distinct character movesets.
Entertaining and energetic soundtrack blending jazz and Japanese rock that complements the gameplay.
Multiplayer mode (local and online) offers chaotic, hilarious fun especially with friends, enhancing replayability.

Controls are clunky, unintuitive, and difficult to master, negatively impacting gameplay experience.
Camera angles and UI are frustrating and poorly designed, adding to player confusion during battles.
Game suffers from technical issues such as crashes, lack of tutorials, and repetitive content limiting long-term engagement.

gameplay
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
64%
12%
The gameplay of Neo Aquarium is uniquely quirky, featuring laser-firing crustaceans with surprisingly deep mechanics like limb damage and meter management, though it often suffers from poor controls, lack of clear explanations, and repetitive combat. While some find the gameplay compelling and enjoyable through trial and error or multiplayer, others criticize its clunkiness, inconsistent pacing, and limited depth beyond a short two-hour experience. Overall, it offers an innovative but flawed combat system that may appeal more to niche players willing to invest time in mastering its odd mechanics.
- “Neo Aquarium is one of those rare games that somehow manages to be both completely absurd and genuinely compelling — laser-firing crustaceans shouldn't work as a combat system, but the limb damage mechanics, meter management, and wildly distinct movesets for each creature give it a surprising amount of depth.”
- “While it might sound like a novelty—or even a joke—there’s a surprising amount of effort and mechanical depth beneath its offbeat premise.”
- “The animals will aid you during battle by shielding you, shooting lasers, etc. This adds some depth to the gameplay, as you can use the (money/points/credits) you gain on each match to purchase more offensive or defensive assistance.”
- “Aside from being a typical joke disguised as a video game from Japan, this product can be beaten in under two hours as gameplay comprises dodging dozens of projectiles, wasting power to get close and personal with enemies, and retreating in order to recover power while the AI somehow regenerates it at a much more effective, and almost unfair, degree.”
- “The controls are abysmal, none of the mechanics are explained properly, little to no graphics options.”
- “The issues that do prevent me from recommending this game, beyond the silly premise, is the 4:3 aspect ratio stretch (game does not look right in 16:9), clunky controls and difficult to understand gameplay.”
story
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
59%
8%
The story mode is a quirky, loosely connected series of missions characterized by surreal humor, odd dialogue, and a parody-like tone that some find charming while others see as nonsensical or repetitive. Though not designed to be taken seriously, it offers emotional moments and a unique backdrop involving battling sea creatures, with the narrative serving mainly as a framework to unlock characters and customization elements. Overall, the story is brief and occasionally buggy, but it provides an engaging, if unconventional, experience that complements the game’s style.
- “The story mode adds an extra layer of surreal charm.”
- “Incredible, the storyline takes you on an emotional roller coaster and, combined with the beautiful graphics, makes it extremely immersive.”
- “Rather than a cohesive plot, it offers a loosely connected series of missions with strange dialogue and an overarching narrative that barely makes sense—and yet, that’s part of the appeal.”
- “Repetitive: from what I was able to play of the story, you have to play the same stage repeatedly until you complete the campaign and unlock a new one, unlike most fighting game arcade modes where you get a variety of locations throughout each play-through.”
- “There's a rough attempt at hanging a story on the gameplay, but it doesn't make much sense.”
music
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
50%
14%
The music is widely praised for its energetic, eclectic blend of smooth jazz and Japanese vocal rock, perfectly complementing the game's quirky, intense gameplay. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack as one of the standout features, often calling it a major reason to play and repeatedly listen to the game. Overall, the music is described as vibrant, fitting, and sometimes surprisingly exceptional for the game's niche concept.
- “The soundtrack is legitimately great, swinging between smooth jazz and Japanese vocal rock in a way that somehow fits perfectly.”
- “For reasons unexplained this game has one of the best soundtracks I've ever heard; for that reason alone it's worth picking up.”
- “It also has an amazing soundtrack to boot, really gets you hyped up for some laser crustacean action.”
- “A few songs also try way too hard to sound like Japanese 'Engrish' covers.”
- “The menu and soundtrack bring a very large eyebooger to the corner of my eye.”
- “I thought it was loading, but music was playing.”
humor
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is quirky, offbeat, and heavily influenced by 2000s internet and Japanese game culture, delivering a mix of cringy randomness and genuinely funny moments. While some find its forced typos, non sequiturs, and "bad translation" style amusing and unique, others—especially older adults—may find it more frustrating or unappealing. Overall, its humor is hit-or-miss but adds a distinctive, creative charm that complements its unusual premise.
- “It’s weird, janky, occasionally frustrating, but also creative, hilarious, and unlike anything else on the market.”
- “There's a funny story mode that's a kind of send-up of other Japanese over-the-top games and I get a distinct Ikaruga-esque vibe from the little story blurbs.”
- “The story obviously isn’t meant to be taken too seriously, and while it does have some cringy jokes, it also genuinely made me laugh a few times.”
graphics
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
48%
14%
The graphics of Neo Aquarium are a mix of charming low-budget aesthetics and detailed, scientifically inspired design, often praised for their unique style and immersive quality despite some glitches and dated visuals. While not high-end or polished, they effectively complement the game's quirky, surreal atmosphere and story. However, some users note that the graphics may feel rough or outdated, making the game less appealing for those seeking modern visual fidelity.
- “Graphics, level design and absolutely everything about this game is really well made.”
- “Incredible, the story line takes you on an emotional roller coaster and compared with the beautiful graphics make it extremely immersive.”
- “Beautiful graphics, compelling story and amazing and unique characters.”
- “The graphics are really bad, the sounds will make your ears bleed, the gameplay is the worst thing in this and the camera doesn't know what it's supposed to do.”
- “The controls are abysmal, none of the mechanics are explained properly, little to no graphics options.”
- “This is not a game for you if you want high levels of polish, fancy graphics or simple controls.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from frequent crashes and freezing, especially around level 4 of the story mode and multiplayer lobbies. Additionally, graphical glitches and language barriers contribute to a frustrating and unstable experience for many players.
- “The game would always crash during or when restarting level 4 of the story mode.”
- “The game offers some nice graphics, although some ugly glitches appear here and there.”
- “Try to get into a lobby and it just freezes; I don't even know what's going on because it's all in Japanese.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's optimization is mixed, with innovative mechanics like body part targeting adding tactical depth, but overall performance, graphics, and controls are criticized as subpar. While the gameplay offers engaging dynamics and combos, technical issues may limit its lasting appeal.
- “What sets the combat apart is the use of body part targeting—players can specifically damage and dismember enemy limbs, which affects performance and adds a layer of tactics to the otherwise chaotic action.”
- “This is not a game with a long shelf life, but it is a fun game as you discover the different dynamics, characters, offensive and defensive mechanisms and their optimized combinations.”
- “Crabb graphics, crabb performance, crabb controls.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's replayability is enhanced by its sandbox elements, variety of creatures, and a customizable "create a map" mode, offering depth for completionists. However, some players may lose interest after a few playthroughs.
- “Still, for completionists or those who enjoy weird, sandbox-like elements in their games, this feature adds a layer of depth and replayability.”
- “Aiding replayability, the game contains a 'create a map' mode where you can customize your aquarium, and choose the location for flora and fauna.”
- “A variety of crustaceans makes for some extended replay value, but if you're like me you'll probably lose interest after beating the boss a couple of times.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game delivers a surprisingly emotional and heartwarming story of perseverance through the journey of a determined pistol shrimp, creating an immersive experience enhanced by beautiful graphics. Players find themselves emotionally invested in the unexpected depth and action-packed battles against various crustacean foes.
- “A heartwarming tale of triumph, where one small but steadfast pistol shrimp overcomes all odds to defeat the snow crab, hermit crab, and barnacles in back-to-back victories.”
- “Incredible! The storyline takes you on an emotional roller coaster and, combined with the beautiful graphics, makes it extremely immersive.”
- “Never did I think a crustacean-based battle game could be so action-packed and yet highly rewarding on a deep emotional level!”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in the game is often seen as a tedious and unenjoyable task, especially when required to unlock new classes. Additionally, camera behavior during combat can add to the frustration, making the grinding experience feel more confusing and less smooth.
- “Even if I like a game, I don't feel I'm enjoying it as much when I'm grinding painfully in order to unlock new classes.”

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2h Median play time

2h Average play time

2-2h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Neo Aquarium: The King of Crustaceans is a survival fighting game with fantasy and comedy themes.

Neo Aquarium: The King of Crustaceans is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 2 hours playing Neo Aquarium: The King of Crustaceans.

Neo Aquarium: The King of Crustaceans was released on June 8, 2015.

Neo Aquarium: The King of Crustaceans was developed by Calappa Games.

Neo Aquarium: The King of Crustaceans has received positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its stability.

Neo Aquarium: The King of Crustaceans is a single player game.

Similar games include Ace of Seafood, Fight Crab, NEXT JUMP: Shmup Tactics, Aquaria, E.Y.E: Divine Cybermancy and others.

Neo Aquarium: The King of Crustaceans

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