Aquatica Coral Reefs Expansion by Cosmodrome/Arcane Wonders is the second expansion to the Aquatica Game. There are new components and modules, which may be mixed and matched with the base Aquatica game and its Cold Waters expansion. After playing Coral Reefs, my main observation is that it brings more depth and features to the game and extends the average playtime by about 15 minutes. This made my overall experience of Aquatica more fulfilling because I was able to accomplish more in the game before it ended.
This expansion includes a new two-sided main board, which substitutes for the original board by providing a dedicated side when using goals and the other when using tribes. Also added are new goal tiles and more tribe cards with the Southern Tribes module, which can both play with components from the base game and the Cold Waters expansion.
The largest new module is Coral Reefs, which includes tokens that are placed directly beneath character cards on the main board. When a player obtains a character card, they also take the token and immediately place it at the top of one column on their player board, above a location card slot. These tokens have effects that influence the location cards adjacent to or underneath them. Some examples are: “After you place a location card worth 3 points or less in an adjacent slot, seed it.” Or: “+1 coral when you spend a coin from a location here.” What are seeding and corals? Corals are little coral miniatures included with this expansion. Seeding refers to placing these corals on a location card that is in a slot on the player board. Once location cards have fully risen and are placed in the scored pile, corals are placed next to them and are worth 1 point each at game-end.
The smallest module included with this expansion is turn order mantas, which each have a turn order number on them and provide better rewards for those who have later turns. They also provide a slightly new game-end tracker and add one additional turn for each player after the final round.
I own Aquatica and its expansions and have always enjoyed it. After adding Coral Reefs, I plan to always use it along with some of the modules that I enjoy the most. Personally, I like using the coral tokens and miniatures along with the goals rather than the Tribes module. I like the extra challenges and awards provided with this combination.
Like the base game, gain points from scored location cards, goals met, and character cards remaining in your hand. If using the tribes instead of goals, score any cards with game-end points you have achieved With this expansion, also count coral miniatures above your game board. The person with the most points wins! For 1–5 players with solo mode instructions included. Aquatica plays in 60 minutes. ~ Marsha