Discover Exciting Variations for Underwater Cities
1. Multiplayer Madness
Have you ever wanted to dive into the depths of oceanic strategy alongside your friends? Well, you’re in luck! With the Multiplayer Madness variant, you and your pals can take on the challenge of building underwater cities together. Coordinate your efforts, share resources, and compete against other teams in an exciting battle for dominance. It’s a whole new level of strategic gameplay that will leave you craving more.
2. Solo Expedition
If you’re a lone adventurer looking for a thrilling challenge, the Solo Expedition variant is perfect for you. Take on the role of a solitary architect, braving the depths of the ocean to construct a magnificent underwater city. Test your skills and overcome obstacles as you navigate the treacherous waters on your own. Will you emerge victorious, or will the pressure get to you?
3. Time Trial Tension
Are you a fan of adrenaline-pumping races against the clock? Then the Time Trial Tension variant will be right up your alley. In this fast-paced version of Underwater Cities, you must race against time to build your city before it’s too late. Every decision counts as you try to optimize your construction strategy and complete your city before the timer runs out. Can you handle the pressure?
4. Card Combo Craze
If you love the thrill of combining cards to create powerful effects, you’ll be delighted by the Card Combo Craze variant. In this version, each card you play can trigger a chain reaction of abilities, allowing you to unleash devastating combos. Plan your moves carefully and strategize your card plays to maximize your combo potential. It’s a mind-boggling, combo-building extravaganza!
5. Resource Roulette
Are you a risk-taker who loves unpredictable gameplay? Then Resource Roulette is the variant for you. In this version, the availability of resources is determined by a spinning wheel of fortune. Every turn, the wheel spins, and you must rely on luck to determine which resources you will receive. Will fortune favor you, or will you be left empty-handed? Spin to find out!
6. Extreme Expansion
If you’re all about grand-scale development and conquering new territories, the Extreme Expansion variant will provide the perfect challenge. In this version, you’ll have access to additional expansion boards, allowing you to build multiple underwater cities. Expand your empire, establish trade routes, and dominate the ocean depths. It’s a grand adventure of epic proportions!
These variant rules offer exciting twists to the original Underwater Cities gameplay, providing endless opportunities for discovery and exploration. Whether you’re playing with friends or going solo, there’s a variant that suits your style. So, grab your scuba gear, dive in, and let the underwater adventures begin!
Hey there, let me tell you about these cool cards that can add some extra excitement to your gaming experience. These cards are called contract cards, and they provide players with intermediate goals to compete for. Here’s how they work:
First, shuffle the deck of contract cards and then draw three of them at random. Place these cards on the spaces of the main game board at the start of the game. The remaining cards can be put back in the box for later.
Now, during the game, any player can claim a government contract as soon as they meet all the requirements listed on the card. When you claim a contract, you get to keep the card and immediately enjoy all the benefits it offers. But remember, once a contract is claimed, it’s not replaced with a new one.
2. The Flip Side of the Player Boards
Now, here’s something for the experienced players. The other side of the player boards is designed to provide a bit of a challenge. On this side, the cities have varying numbers of building sites. You’ll notice some black-and-red sites on the board – these are places where you need to pay extra resources, called surcharges, in order to build.
The good news is that these surcharges can give you some nice immediate bonuses or even boost your production. If you’re up for a challenge, I recommend giving this alternate board a try. Just remember that if someone in the game decides to use it, everyone should use it too.
Surcharges
Hey there! Let me break it down for you. Some websites might charge you extra when you choose to build on them (but don’t worry, this doesn’t happen in your first game). This extra charge, known as a surcharge, is added on top of any discounts or cost reductions you might have. So, even if you get to build for free because of a special ability, you still need to pay the surcharge if you pick a site that has it.
Now, here’s the thing – the surcharge only applies when you’re building on a site, not when you’re upgrading it.
Multiplying Your Production
Hey there! Let’s talk about production multipliers! They’re pretty cool because they show how much extra stuff is produced. You see, if we have a two-times multiplier, it means the usual amount gets produced one more time. How awesome is that?
Let me explain with an example. Imagine we have two upgraded desalination plants in a city that’s all connected. Normally, they produce 3 credits and 2 biomatter. But if one of them has this multiplier, it’s gonna produce an extra 1 credit and 1 biomatter. So, in total, we’ll get 4 credits and 3 biomatter. Bam! That’s a sweet boost, right?
Look at this example. The multiplier is used when creating an upgrade, but not for any additional production that comes with the site.
You can’t use multipliers outside of the Production phase. Let me give you an example. If you use a Trial Run to get the production from an upgraded desalination plant, the multiplier won’t apply. So instead of getting 2 credits and 2 biomatter, you’ll only get 1 credit and 1 biomatter. However, during the Production phase, the upgraded plant will produce the full 2 credits and 2 biomatter.
When you decide to construct a city in this location, you will need to pay an extra fee of 3 steelplast and 3 credits. However, if you choose to build a city that is symbiotic with the surroundings, you will reap the benefits. A symbiotic city in this area will generate 6 points during the production process, whereas a non-symbiotic city will not produce any points on its own and will not receive any bonuses on this site. It’s worth noting that the production bonus does not extend to buildings or tunnels.
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Building a tunnel on this site comes with a cost of 1 credit. But here’s the catch: if you connect the tunnel to a city, it will produce three times during Production. That’s a significant boost!
To put it simply, a regular tunnel would give you 3 credits. But if you upgrade it, you’ll get both 3 credits and 3 points. Now that’s a deal worth considering!
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Did you know that there’s a special bonus you can get in the game when you build tunnels? It’s called the production bonus, and it can really help you out. But here’s the catch – you only get this bonus if you have built both tunnels. And that’s not all, it also applies only if the tunnels are next to a connected city.
Here’s how it works: when the tunnels produce during Production, you earn an additional 2 credits. It doesn’t matter if the tunnels are upgraded or not, you still get the extra production. Pretty cool, right?
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When you decide to construct a tunnel on this particular location, you’ll need to pay a fee of 1 credit and 1 steelplast. And here’s the exciting part – once the tunnel is completed, the bustling city it connects will generate an extra 2 points during the Production phase. What’s even better is that this bonus is not dependent on the tunnel’s own production capacity. Pretty cool, right?
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Building a city in this location comes with an extra cost: 2 science and 2 credits. However, the benefits are worth it. By constructing a city here, you instantly earn 6 points, regardless of whether the city is connected to anything else or not.
The Third Game: Sold
To play Underwater Cities alone, you can use the advanced side of your player board and the two-player side of the main board. Unlike the regular game, there is no limit to the number of symbiotic domes you can have in this variation. Just set up the game as you would for two players, but don’t include this metropolis tile.
Grab three tiles in a different color and use them to fill the rightmost action slot (the first one if you’re going around clockwise) of each color. As you progress, you can start occupying the second, third, and so on action slots of each color. Since you’re going “first” in this solo game, put your marker below space 4 on the Federation track. You won’t need your player-order track marker.
Now it’s time to start playing! Go through your round as you normally would. At the end of each round, you take back your action tiles and move all the non-player action tiles one space clockwise. Keep going until the game is over.
Hey there! If you didn’t move forward on the Federation track, here’s what you need to do for your next round:
- Flip over the top card of the deck for the current era. Add up the digits on the card to get a number.
- Starting with the first green action slot, count clockwise until you reach that number. Put the new action tile on that slot if it’s empty. If it’s not, move the action tile to the first empty slot, going clockwise.
The three non-player tiles of the same color always move one space clockwise. As for the fourth tile, it’s placed randomly, but only if you didn’t advance on the Federation track this round.
The Game Ends
You win if you manage to have at least 7 cities connected to each other and score at least 100 points. Keep track of your score and aim to beat your personal best!