- BGG rank
- BGG #5,048
- BGG rating
- 6.2
504
- 2–4 players
- 30–120 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 2015
- BGG rank
- BGG #20,837
- BGG rating
- 6.1
Aquanauts
2023
Rules assistance for Aquanauts
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 2–4 players
- 45–60 min
- 10+
- Complexity 2.7/5
Rules assistant for Aquanauts
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Aquanauts is a board game released in 2023 for 2–4 players, 45–60 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Michael P. Lee and its main mechanics are Set Collection, Push Your Luck, and Tile Placement.
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About the game
In Aquanauts, players take the role of deep sea researchers scouring the depths of the darkest reaches of the ocean for insights into life beneath the waves. You'll share a research base at the bottom of the ocean with your rivals, as well as set up your own laboratory systems to extract the right samples. After coordinating your robotic assistants and your specialist Aquanaut to extract the best from the labs, you'll send your findings to the surface to cash in on the fame of publishing a paper of your findings - but be careful, your rivals are also trying to do the same thing! Plan your research carefully and get to the surface first. Aquanauts features an accessible engine building and resource management puzzle wrapped in a worker placement system, providing a great introduction to euro style gaming as well as giving an entertaining experience to veteran gamers who want to explore the deep ocean. —description from the publisher
Designers
Publishers
- Inside the Box Board Games LLP (ITB)
Questions and answers
Aquanauts supports 2–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Aquanauts is 45–60 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Aquanauts for ages 10 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Aquanauts has a complexity rating of 2.7 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Aquanauts belongs to these categories: Economic, Exploration, and Nautical. Its main mechanics are Set Collection, Push Your Luck, and Tile Placement. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Aquanauts are: Michael P. Lee. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Aquanauts as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.