Underwater Cities (2018)

Overview
How to Play
Videos
Play Now
Awards & Honor
Ratings & Comments

About the Game

In Underwater Cities, which takes about 30-45 minutes per player, players represent the most powerful brains in the world to establish the best and most livable underwater areas possible due to the overpopulation of Earth.

As overcrowded metropolises spread across the earth, humanity has realized it is time to establish a new home on the ocean floor. Kelp farms can provide food. Desalination plants can provide water. And laboratories can provide the technology needed to build a network of underwater cities.

Players direct the founding of their own underwater nations. They collect resources to build cities, a transportation network, and the facilities necessary to support life under the sea. You can accomplish everything by playing cards to choose various actions.

If the card matches the action, the player also gains a benefit from the card. At times, the action may be so important that the player will choose it even with a non-matching card. At other times, the benefit of the card may be so good that any action is acceptable as long as the card matches it. Balancing these choices is the key to building an underwater habitat in which humanity can thrive.

Underwater Cities board game | Source: riograndegames.com

How to Play Underwater Cities

The main principle of the game is card placement. Three colored cards are placed along the edge of the main board into 3 x 5 slots, which are also colored. Ideally, players can place cards into slots of the same color. Then they can take both actions and advantages: the action depicted in the slot on the main board and also the advantage of the card.

Actions and advantages can allow players to intake raw materials; to build and upgrade city domes, tunnels and production buildings such as farms, desalination devices and laboratories in their personal underwater area; to move their marker on the initiative track (which is important for player order in the next turn); to activate the player’s “A-cards”; and to collect cards, both special ones and basic ones that allow for better decision possibilities during gameplay.

All of the nearly 220 cards — whether special or basic — are divided into five types according to the way and time of use. Underwater areas are planned to be double-sided, giving players many opportunities to achieve VPs and finally win.

How to Play Underwater Cities | Source: riograndegames.com

Underwater Cities Review

“To conclude, Underwater Cities is a game with more than solid foundations. The worker placement mechanic combined with card play is excellent and offers players plenty of brain puzzles. The theme is interesting, although not perfectly executed, and the components are satisfactory. The main issues are the low player interaction and long playing time, so I would suggest it for lower player counts, even solo.”

Vasilij, victoryconditions.com

“Underwater Cities is a solid game that I enjoy more each time I pick it up. There are so many options and strategies to take. It’s a shame it only goes up to 4 players but, actually, I think 4 or more players is a tough game. The number of slots is limited and more people vying for the same spots makes the game even more restrictive.

Overall, the quality and value for money is a bit hit and miss. The player boards are going to deteriorate pretty quickly without careful handling, there’s no insert and not enough baggies. But the box has a great rolled texture when you pick it up and the rest of the components are great. I think I’ll forgive the player boards and lack of any sort of insert for this reason, and because it’s such a good game to play regardless.”

Florentyna Butler, board-game.co.uk

“Underwater Cities took me by surprise. I was initially scared of long play times and analysis paralysis, but the game is captivating in its decisions, in its trade-offs, in its combos, and in its opportunities for clever play. It is tense and interactive, and despite the long playtime, in my estimation it justifies every minute it’s on the table…”

FarmerLenny, islaythedragon.com

The content of this article is originally from Board Game Geek. For more information and a better understanding of the game, you can watch the videos below.

Videos

Review

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Awards & Honor

Year	Award Ceremory	Result
2018	Golden Geek Best Strategy Board Game	Nominee
	Golden Geek Board Game of the Year	Nominee
	Meeples' Choice	Nominee
	Swiss Gamers Award	Winner
2019	Goblin Magnifico	Nominee
	International Gamers Award - General Strategy: Multi-player	Nominee
	Jogo do Ano	Nominee
	JUG Adult Game of the Year	Finalist
	JUG Adult Game of the Year	Winner
	Tric Trac	Nominee
2020	Kennerspiel des Jahres	Recommended
2021	MinD-Spielepreis Complex Game	Winner