Insaniquarium Deluxe

I love it when I get to talk about a weird game such as Insaniquarium-Deluxe here. There are many of you probably wondering just what the heck this is. Well it was originally released in the early 00s, but it has had a few releases since then, most notably a mobile one not all that long ago. The game was brought to us from the good folks at PopCap Games and if you have ever played one of their games before (chances are you have) then you will know exactly what to expect here.

Feed Fish, Fight Aliens!

The premise of the game is super freaking weird, but it is one that I really do like. In Insaniquarium-Deluxe are in charge of a fish tank and you need to take care of the fish and fight off the aliens that want to eat/kill the fish. Why an alien race wants to invade you fish tank I have no idea, but it is a fun premise and one that does put a smile on your face and give you the odd chuckle. I do feel it could have done with some animated cutscenes to really nail the story.

The main single-player mode is called Adventure Mode and here you have five tanks that you need to progress through. It is more challenging than you would think and each tank has multiple levels that you need to complete so it will last you a fair while.

Bright And Colorful

The presentation for me is what gives away the fact that this is a game made by PopCap Games. Insaniquarium-Deluxe has a kind of cartoon look to it that I really do like. The fish have a lot of personality to them, just by their designs. I do wish that the soundtrack was a bit better as it can kind of get on your nerves after a while as it feels like you are hearing the same thing over and over again.

Saving The Fish!

The gameplay is all done with the mouse and it is very easy to figure out. You start off with either two fish or a breeding machine that gives you fish. You need to take care of these fish by feeding them and also by blasting any aliens that come into the tank. You can collect money that the fish drop and you can use this to buy new fish, upgrades for your lasers, food and so on. It is a game that is very, very basic, but it is also quite fun and addictive. The kind of game where you can easily waste 30 or so minutes playing it and you will have a good time doing so.

More Fishy Modes

As well as the Adventure Mode, you also have a few other modes to keep you busy. Time Trial is all about clearing out a tank in the allotted amount of time. Challenge Mode gives you some specific tasks that you need to complete before moving onto the next challenge and Virtual Tank is exactly what it sounds like, you get to have a virtual fish tank. There is also a hidden sandbox mode that gives you access to everything the game has so you can screw around and do what you want.

While I will admit that on the surface Insaniquarium-Deluxe looks like a rather shallow experience. The fact of the matter is, this game is a lot of fun and very easy to get addictive too. I do feel that if you want to really get into the game, the newer mobile version might be the way to go. However, if you are looking for something that is fun and easy to get into on your PC, you can do a lot worse than this.

Pros:

• The whole game has that PopCap charm to it
• I liked blasting aliens
• The fact the game even has aliens is funny
• It can become very addictive
• There are many different game modes to enjoy

Cons:

• The game could have done with a bit more story
• The sound effects and music can get annoying rather quickly