95% positive: Surprisingly complex aquarium sim drops below $8 on Steam

In Megaquarium, players take charge of a public aquarium and gradually turn it into a massive underwater attraction. Over time, more and more marine creatures move in, including exotic fish, sharks and jellyfish. Before visitors can admire these aquatic attractions, however, suitable habitats need to be created. That means building tanks, decorating them with plants and rocks and installing the necessary equipment. But the work doesn't stop there. Players also need capable staff and efficient organization. After all, keeping the fish happy is only half the battle – the aquarium also needs to turn a profit.

In terms of gameplay, Megaquarium is reminiscent of classic management sims like Zoo Tycoon, but places greater emphasis on the animals' needs. Its nearly 100 different species have very different requirements. Some need plenty of space or specific water temperatures, while others don't get along – or simply eat their smaller tankmates. There's also a surprising amount of technical equipment to manage. Filters, pumps, heaters and cooling systems all need to work together properly. Neglecting these systems can quickly lead to sick fish or, in the worst case, empty tanks. A campaign featuring ten scenarios and a sandbox mode, where players can freely design their own aquarium, provide additional variety.

PC Gamer awarded Megaquarium 86 out of 100 points, praising its highly engaging gameplay. According to the review, the constant cycle of building, expanding and optimizing the aquarium becomes surprisingly addictive. The publication particularly appreciated how the different needs of the fish continually create new challenges, giving the management systems unexpected depth despite the game's accessible introduction. Criticism, meanwhile, focused on poorly explained mechanics, cumbersome controls and missing quality-of-life features.

On Metacritic, the reception is considerably more reserved, with a Metascore of 69 and a user score of 7.6. Common complaints include gameplay that becomes somewhat repetitive over time and occasionally awkward controls. However, the Metascore is based on just ten critic reviews, most of which date back to the game's original release in 2018. On Steam, the picture looks much better: An impressive 95% of more than 3,800 user reviews are positive.

70% off on Steam

Megaquarium was developed by British indie studio Twice Circled and normally costs $25.49 on Steam. A 70% discount brings the price down to just $7.49 until November 1. According to SteamDB, that matches the game's previous all-time low, last reached during the Steam Autumn Sale. Megaquarium is rated Playable on the Steam Deck. For a glimpse of everyday life running an aquarium, the official trailer is worth checking out:

The official trailer offers a little taste of day-to-day life at the aquarium:

Disclaimer: Notebookcheck is not responsible for price changes carried out by retailers. The discounted price or deal mentioned in this item was available at the time of writing and may be subject to time restrictions and/or limited unit availability.

As a child in the 90s, my Gameboy was my steady companion. After school, the PlayStation was fired up. When I finally got my first PC, I was completely hooked. My passion for gaming has never waned since. For me, writing for Notebookcheck means reporting on topics that are really close to my heart - in addition to gaming, I also like to write about e-mobility, photovoltaics and innovative gadgets. When I'm not sitting at my computer, I'm probably on water rescue duty on the Baltic coast or trying to counteract the downsides of my geek life - namely sitting for long periods - at the local swimming pool.