Megaquarium
A business sim about managing an aquarium.
Megaquarium is a business simulation game developed and published by Twice Circled in 2018. It tasks players with managing an aquarium, balancing fish compatibility, staff oversight, and customer satisfaction.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Twice Circled
- Engine
- Unity
- Released
- September 13, 2018 (PC) (WW); October 18, 2019 (consoles) (WW)
- Genre
- Business simulation
- Modes
- Single-player
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
Players manage an aquarium, determining which fish can share a tank based on in-game information; predatory fish must be separated from prey. Technical issues like water filtration must be handled. Staff cannot be controlled directly but follow instructions. Customers require refreshment and dislike seeing machinery, so filters must be hidden within workable distance. The game offers campaigns acting as a tutorial and a sandbox mode. Zooming in closely lets players experience the aquarium like customers.
Development
Megaquarium was released for PC on September 13, 2018, and for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and Switch on October 18, 2019. The Freshwater Frenzy DLC, released for PCs on June 4, 2020, introduced freshwater with 30 new species including reptiles and the American manatee, new campaign levels, and breeding mechanics for hybrid fish color morphs; its console release was delayed to March 2022 due to technical issues. A third pack, Deep Freeze, a deluxe expansion released on October 18, 2023 for PC, introduced abyssal creatures like the goblin shark and pacific viperfish, polar animals such as the Arctic char, polar bear, and emperor penguin, 30 new species, eight new tanks, care items, and new campaign levels.
Reception
Fraser Brown of Rock Paper Shotgun described it as a breezy, upbeat management game with room for experimentation; the site later included it in their best simulation games list. Philippa Warr called it simple but fun, though some mechanics were opaque. Bit-Tech's Rick Lane recommended it as a neatly assembled management sim despite minor annoyances. Tyler TReese of GameRevolution called the PlayStation 4 port a simplified tycoon sim with heart that delivers what was promised. Sammy Barker of Push Square noted the gameplay may seem shallow at first but offers depth.
More in PlayStation 4 Game Library of the 2010s
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