Summer, Sun, Sand and Sea Off

By Peter Neugebauer

A break at the coast is pure relaxation. On and in the water, there is so much to discover. For some, the beach becomes an unexpected treasure hunt. For others, snorkeling over a reef opens a window into exotic worlds. True adventurers venture further still, down into the deep, where scuba diving delivers the ultimate leisure kick. It is no surprise that board games invite us to dive into these holiday scenarios.

On the beach

Sanibel Island is a little natural paradise off Florida’s southwest coast. It is one of the world’s best-known places for shelling. In Sanibel from Hasbro, players set off on an extended beach walk and discover a variety of shells along the way. These finds must be placed in your own beach bag. In addition to shells, you will come across stingray teeth, sea glass, and more. Once your pawn reaches the lighthouse, you head back to where you started. Because the different finds come in different tile shapes, you need to sort and fit them cleverly into your beach-bag tableau to score well. That is the core challenge. Sanibel is a relaxed, walk-and-collect game.

Designer: Elizabeth Hargrave, Illustration: Dahl Taylor

Crabs scuttle along the sand, birds wade through the shallows, and waves lap the shore. Strandgut from Edition Spielwiese, distributed by Huch!, turns this scene into a game using 70 wooden discs. The turn structure feels refreshingly new. Draw a disc from the bag, look at both sides, and choose. If the blue side faces up, place it in the sea in the middle of the table and take another turn. If the white side faces up, place it on your own beach and your turn ends. You can seed the center to set up a big capture later. For example, the sandpiper pecks as many isopods from the sea as are currently there. The conditions are unusual, and bold play can trigger surprising twists. Beyond the smart idea, the tactile wooden components shine, all packed neatly into a small seaside-style sack.

Designer: Bryan Burgoyne, Illustration: Fanny Saulnier

At the reef

Coral reef die-off is one consequence of global warming. Reef Gardens from dlp games pushes back against that trend. As marine conservationists, players dive into the dazzling world of coral gardens. On the seabed, they plant new corals, always in matching colors. That costs money, and money is tight. Divers need to resurface in time, abandon their current gardens, and gain fresh capital. Points are awarded for majorities around stations once they are enclosed. Mechanically, it is area control and the theme could have been anything. The underwater feeling still comes through thanks to shells that trigger special powers. Sea anemone, octopus, and turtle enable tactical interventions. You really do feel like a savior of the seas, preserving the ocean’s most precious treasures for future generations.

Designer: Jeffrey D. Allers, Illustration: Dennis Lohausen

Die Riffretter from Giant Roc also centers on protecting fauna and flora along the reef’s edge and confronting the threat of coral bleaching. Players set sail and assemble efficient crews, stopping at islands that offer different opportunities. Each player marks dive spots in the water with buoys. Together, these help clean pollution from the lagoon floor and create a compelling layer of interaction. Completing missions yields various benefits, such as upgrading your diver or researcher. Ultimately, you need to keep your end-game goals in view, because they decide the win. The gameplay is intricate, and the first playthrough is about getting your bearings. Lavish components and atmospheric artwork invite you in and leave you with the feeling you have contributed something to ocean conservation.

Designers: Martino Chiacchiera & Federico Pierlorenzi, Illustration: Zuzanna Kolakowska & Piotr Sokolowski

Flossenschlag from Feuerland is a journey through the ocean’s zones, from the sunlit surface layer to the twilight zone and down into the black depths. First, players play fish cards from their supply into matching depth slots, which costs resources. Later, they send divers down the columns of their tableau to claim bonuses. Fish lay eggs, or fry hatch. There are four interim scorings. Many cards interact or depend on each other in the context of the depth zones. A shark might cost you two fry, and a smaller fish may need to be covered, essentially eaten. Each phase emphasizes different levers. With 125 unique fish, the deck feels like a compendium, so no two games are the same. The descent from lagoon and reef edge down into the abyss gives the flow something almost majestic.

Designers: David Gordon & Michael O’Connell, Illustration: Ana María Martínez, Catalina Martínez & Mesa Schumacher

On the ocean floor

Thesauros from Elznir Games feels close to a simulated treasure hunt. In a richly atmospheric setting, you head out by boat, then descend with dive gear, passing sharks that need shooing away. To succeed, you invest in technology, equipment, and personnel. The more efficiently you optimize everything, the more and better treasure maps you will secure. These are sold to the museum, earning money and boosting your reputation. The engine is the ever-popular worker placement system. A fresh twist is that you must budget every last coin, paying wages, funding research, covering expedition costs, and even keeping a slush fund, because yes, a touch of corruption is part of the game. It is complex, but every process follows the logic of the theme, which makes it easier to grasp. The board and components have excellent table presence thanks to strong illustration and graphic design.

Designer: Cédric Millet, Illustration: Yann Valeani & Oscar Manuel

Aqualuma from Spiel Das! brings a dash of fantasy underwater. Playing as a high-tech crab, toad, or dolphin, you must disperse dark, rolling clouds that threaten the realm using spheres of light. It is a cooperative challenge and everyone helps everyone. Support is ideal, dictating others’ turns is disastrous. As with many co-ops, alpha players need to keep themselves in check. Each character has a unique ability and a hand of spell cards. As you dive, you visit realms like Coralitha or Nepturion. Everywhere, dice and your manipulative magic cards help you push back the threat along magic tracks, ideally together or by sharing abilities. The setting is vibrant and well tailored to the theme, although it could have been applied to other worlds as well.

Designer: Michael Luu, Illustration: Christian Schaarschmidt

About the author

Peter Neugebauer is a playful child at heart. His parents introduced him to board games at an early age, and games were the default Christmas and birthday gift and always welcome. He never stopped playing, throughout his studies and professional career. He began reviewing new titles early on, first for specialist journals, then for daily newspapers, and for nearly 40 years for trade magazines. For him, life without games is simply unthinkable.