How To Play: Aquarius

Overview

If you’ve ever ended a game of Aquarius by flipping the table (or just your drink), you’re in the right place. I’ve played this psychedelic card game more times than I can count, and my group is still talking to me—mostly! This guide covers both an outline of the game rules and, more importantly, the best strategies for winning. Prepare for sneaky swaps and some serious table talk.

What’s in the box

• 80 Aquarius cards
• 3 Reference cards
• 1 Rules sheet

How To Play Aquarius: Rules Summary

Setup

1. Shuffle all Aquarius cards. Make sure you mix them well—my shuffling once released a mini tornado of cards across the living room.
2. Deal three cards face down to each player. Don’t peek at your friend’s cards unless you want a stern glare.
3. Place the Starter Card in the center. This card has all five elements, so it’s ready for action.
4. Hand out one Goal Card to each player, facedown. Keep it secret! I once forgot and gave my opponent a huge grin—bad poker face.
5. Put the rest of the deck nearby as the draw pile.

Gameplay

1. On your turn, draw a card from the deck. You should now have four cards—unless you have the memory of a goldfish, like me some days.
2. Play one card to the table, connecting it to an existing card, making sure elements match at least one side.
3. You may play an Action Card instead. These let you swap goals, trade hands, or do other sneaky things. I once swapped goals at just the right time and felt like a genius—until I lost, spectacularly.
4. Replace any used Action Card by drawing from the deck, so you always end with three cards after your turn.
5. Play passes clockwise. Try not to look suspicious if you just played a wild card.

Winning

1. Check after each turn: Has someone made a connected line of seven panels of their goal element?
2. If so, that player wins! You may celebrate with a triumphant chair spin or victory dance. Unless, of course, your pet looks alarmed—then maybe just a polite clap.

Special Rules & Conditions

1. If you can’t play a card, discard a card and draw a new one. Trust me, it happens—sometimes all you have are useless Rainbows and one lone Action Card.
2. Rainbow panels match any element. Use them wisely! They’re like wildcard socks on laundry day—always helpful.
3. Action cards are chaos in a card. Use them to swap hands, goals, or rearrange the board. Last time we played, chaos won (again).

Now you know How To Play aquarius! The game is fast, sneaky, and occasionally hilarious. I lost track of who was winning halfway through, but that’s part of the fun. Enjoy the madness, and always keep an eye on your friends. They’re plotting. Probably.

Best Aquarius Strategies

Card Placement Magic: The Secret Sauce to Winning Aquarius

Maximize Your Matches

When playing Aquarius, matching cards gets you closer to your goal. Place cards so they connect with as many matching elements as possible. This opens up more options on your next turn.

1. Choose spots where your element spreads out in more than one direction.
2. Plan so new cards can match future pieces you place.
3. Watch for chain reactions—one good placement often leads to another.

Block Opponents Smartly

Sometimes, the best move is to stop your rivals. Block their matches by adding cards that break their streaks, but still work for you!

1. Place cards that separate the element your opponent is collecting.
2. Keep an eye on everyone’s goal; block when needed.

Take the Wild Approach

Wild cards change everything! Use them to match tricky spots and link huge areas together.

1. Save wild cards for gaps you can’t match with normal cards.
2. Surprise friends by building big matches out of nowhere.

Mastering card placement and matching is the key answer to ‘How To Play aquarius’ like a champ.

Master Your Hand: Winning Hand Management in Aquarius

Watch Your Opponents

1. Keep an eye on what cards your friends play. If everyone grabs fire, save up water for a sneaky win later.

2. Spot patterns and avoid helping the leader build their element chain.

Plan Ahead

1. Always think two turns ahead. Hold onto cards that create big moves, but don’t wait too long or you might get stuck.

Swap Wisely

1. Use your action cards to shake things up, but only when it gives you the upper hand. Don’t waste a swap to block someone unless you also gain.

How To Play aquarius With Smart Hands

1. Balance risk and reward. It’s tempting to hoard wild cards, but sometimes you have to play them to avoid clogging your hand. In my last game, I waited too long, and my dog started judging me. Don’t be like me.

Snatch Victory with Goal Swapping in Aquarius

Know When to Swap

1. Watch your friends closely. If someone gets too close to winning, swap your goal right away.

2. Keep your own progress a secret when possible. Surprising friends with a sudden swap always feels great.

Swap for Disruption

1. When you see an opponent set up big combos, grab their goal. They will groan, and you laugh. Classic move.

2. Always swap with the player who has the most matching elements, not just whoever complains loudest.

Plan Ahead

1. Keep track of what goals have come up. This way, you won’t swap for a goal that’s been stuck all game.

2. Use goal swapping to line up a win, instead of just blocking others. Sometimes you get lucky and do both!

Ready to Win, or at Least Blame Your Friends?

Look, after testing every sneaky move and wild swap in Aquarius, I can promise you this: most of your wins will feel clever, and all your losses will feel like someone else cheated (they didn’t, probably). Keep your goals secret, mess with your mates, and don’t forget to laugh when your plan falls to pieces. Oh, and if you ever need to remember How To Play aquarius, just reread this guide—or call me. Preferably not at 2am again, Ben.

Want to know what we think of Aquarius? Read our detailed review of Aquarius here