Megaquarium Run the tanks, charm the crowds

The heart of Megaquarium is deciding who lives with whom. Almost 100 marine species, from small fish and crustaceans to sharks, jellyfish, corals and one turtle, each come with their own care requirements, and stuffing a single species into its own tank is a wasteful way to run an aquarium. A compatible mix in one tank earns more than three lonely fish in three tanks, and finding a combination that works is quietly satisfying every time.

Guests see fish; you see filters, skimmers, nitrate reactors, chillers, heaters and food boxes, over 100 objects in all. Where you put them matters: centralise your equipment in a hub fed by pumps, or spread it out and embrace zoning, and either way your staff have to reach it. Hiring is a decision too. Build a team of multi-skilled generalists who cover for each other, or a set of super-focused experts who are brilliant at one thing. You can even plan staff talks down to the subject, time and frequency, which keeps your guests learning and your research points flowing.

Every display your guests enjoy earns points, and you spend those points on new livestock and better equipment. That is the ladder of the game: start with a few basic tanks and humble fish, then work your way up to the most prestigious animals and displays in the aquarium industry. The catch is the bottom line. A glamorous new shark might need extra staff, pricey food or supplements, and the best tanks cost a fortune up front. Creativity and economics pull on the same fish net here, and the game is at its best when you weigh whether the latest cool animal is actually worth it.

If you like tycoon games, this follows the classic theme park formula with an aquatic spin, and the guests are your score. Hundreds of them wander your halls, and they need seating, food, drinks and toilets, or they get unhappy fast. You set up the facilities, watch the crowds move through your layout, and make sure they can actually find your tanks. Then comes the oldest trick in the attraction book: at the end of their visit, you route everyone through the gift shop, where balloon stands and souvenirs turn a good day out into a profitable one.

Nothing here rushes you. There are no timers breathing down your neck, and a slow afternoon spent collecting fish and arranging tanks is exactly what the game is for. The look helps: soft, rounded, colourful art with cheerful fish, and a soundtrack so pleasant that long sessions with it on repeat are a normal way to play. Watching a tank come together, seeing your fish grow and your halls fill up is a calm, low-stakes pleasure, and the game is happy to let you potter about it for days on end.