How To Play: Aquarius

Overview

If you ever wanted a board game that mixes luck, sneaky moves, and a bit of chaos, Aquarius is your jam. I spent an evening battling my friends—one still refuses to talk to me—and learned a thing or two. This guide covers the basics on How To Play aquarius, outlines the rules, and shares the best strategies to snatch that sweet, sweet victory. Spoiler: don’t trust Dave with the wild cards.

What’s in the box

• 54 Aquarius cards
• 1 reference card
• 1 rulebook

How To Play Aquarius: Rules Summary

Game Setup: Ready, Steady, Shuffle!

1. Shuffle the deck of Aquarius cards like a pro. If someone drops the cards, make them host next time. (This is an unofficial rule, trust me.)

2. Deal one Goal card face down to each player. Don’t peek at anyone else’s unless you have psychic powers. (Or play the card that let’s you look!)

3. Give each player three cards from the main deck as their starting hand. The rest forms a draw pile.

4. Put a Starter card in the middle of the table. This is your game’s first patch of wild and weird elements.

Gameplay: Let the Mayhem Begin!

1. On your turn, play a card from your hand onto the table. Cards must connect to the growing patchwork by matching at least one element (Fire, Air, Water, Earth, or whatever that weird purple one is called…).

2. After playing, draw a card to return your hand to three. If you forget, expect silent judgment.

3. Use Action cards if you have them. Swap goals, move cards, or mess things up just because you can! These are legal game moves, not acts of friendship sabotage. (Well, maybe both.)

Winning: Fame, Glory, and Gloating

1. Your Goal card shows which element you love (like a secret crush but with more gloating).

2. The first player to connect seven squares of their Goal element in a single group wins! If two players do it at once, argue about it until someone admits defeat.

3. You may now do a humblebrag, or, in my case, a not-so-humble victory dance.

Special Rules & Conditions: The Spicy Stuff

1. If you play a card and it creates multiple groups, only the biggest connected one counts for winning. (It’s not quantity, it’s quality, folks.)

2. If the draw pile runs out, shuffle the discard pile to make a new one. If you run out again, consider a snack break.

3. Some Action cards swap goals, so don’t get too attached to your mission. Trust me, I once drew my element back after three swaps—it was like winning the lottery, if the lottery was made of cardboard.

And now you know How To Play aquarius! Grab some friends, shuffle up, and get ready for chaos. If you have any issues, just blame the game’s wild rules and play again. Good luck!

Best Aquarius Strategies

Mastering Card Placement: Aquarius Winning Moves

Control the Center

First, always keep your eye on the center of the table. If you control this spot, you get more options for connecting your goals. My friend Dave tried to go for the corners and paid for it when his goal stream dried up. Oops.

1. Place your cards so your element is near the middle of the layout.
2. Expand outward to give yourself room for later turns.

Watch for Flexible Connections

Next, use cards that offer multiple attachment options. This allows you to adjust your plans if someone blocks you. You never know when Sarah will swoop in with a last-second switch!

1. Choose cards with two or more matching edges.
2. Keep a backup route to your goal.

Break Up Opponents’ Paths

Finally, don’t be afraid to mess with your rivals! Look for spots where you can place a card to break someone’s sad little streak.

1. Block big clusters of matching elements not your own.
2. Cut off connections between the opponent’s cards.

Mastering Element Matching in Aquarius: Your Ticket to Victory

Choose Your Element Wisely

First, always pay close attention to your secret goal card. If you’re lucky, it might match the elements in your starting hand. When that happens, focus there from the start.

Spot Patterns Early

Next, keep one eye on the table and one eye on your cards. You want to see where big chains of your element might form. The sooner you spot an easy path, the better your odds.

1. Build long chains of your element while blocking opponents when possible.
2. Use wild cards to finish tricky matches or quickly connect islands of your element.
3. Pay attention to who’s close to their goal and adjust your moves as needed.

React to Goal Changes

Finally, sometimes goals will change. If that happens, don’t panic. Quickly pivot and hunt for fresh matches. Laugh it off if you can, like when my friend switched my goal and I accidentally helped him instead. Oops!

Messing With Rivals: Mastering the Block in Aquarius

I’ve learned the hard way that blocking opponents wins games in Aquarius. If you spot someone getting close to finishing their goal, act fast. Blocking is all about making them sweat and rethink their plans. As I found out last Friday, if you wait too long, you’ll watch them claim victory while you sit in regret. Here’s how to throw a wrench in their game:

Watch for Patterns

1. Track which cards your friends keep eyeing.
2. Keep tabs on what elements are growing fastest.
3. Don’t let big connections sneak by you.

Use Goal Cards Wisely

1. Swap a goal card just as someone’s about to win.
2. Distract rivals by making them focus on less useful goals.

Play Disruptive Cards

1. Drop a new card that breaks their best path.
2. Block their long chains by connecting with odd elements.
3. Force them to build around your mess.

Stay Flexible

1. Adapt your plans when you see an opponent get sneaky.
2. Always keep one eye on everyone else’s progress.

If you master blocking, you’ll win more often than not. Just ask my friend Tim—he’s still mad about it!

Go With The Flow and Outsmart Your Friends!

And that’s my crash course on winning Aquarius. I learned (the hard way) that you can’t just focus on your own goals. You have to peek at what your sneaky friends are up to and maybe drop a wild card or swap their goal card when they least expect it.

When we played, my buddy Sam tried to quietly build a giant water chain while I blocked him with fire. He still gloated when he won, but next time I’ll be ready! So if you want to master How To Play aquarius, pay attention to matches, keep your plans flexible, and try not to laugh too hard when your best friend accidentally helps you win. Good luck, and may the best element win!

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