Megaquarium | VGC Score 88

Screenshots & trailers

Review sentiment over time

Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.

How this score was computed

The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.

Component	Positive	Quality (0-100)	Weight (pseudo-reviews)
Press reviews (OpenCritic)	–	75	15
All-time Steam reviews	95%	90	1000
Metacritic user ratings	–	–	0
Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted)	98%	94	130
Calibration prior (typical game)	–	72	50

Acclaim gate: the raw blend lands at 89.5, but scores above 88 must be earned in front of a mass audience; this verdict rests on 3,802 player reviews, a largely self-selected fanbase. As more players weigh in, the ceiling rises (full scale unlocks at 100,000 reviews).

Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Apr 16, 2026) · 125 reviews sampled · 130 total reviews in window · weighted 104 up / 1.8 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →

Press & Creators reviews (42)

Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.

70
Pure Nintendo
trust 80Oct 22, 2019
“Megaquarium is a solid simulation game with plenty of content. Its simple gameplay can get hectic quickly. If you're a fan of tycoon games, this is one to try.”
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75
cublikefoot
trust 79Sep 13, 2018
“Considering all of the low-quality tycoon games now on Steam, Megaquarium is definitely a breath of fresh air. It strikes a nice balance in terms of complexity and has a great soundtrack to match.”
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80
Gaming Professors
trust 76Feb 24, 2022
“Megaquarium has a lot to offer, especially when it comes to the variety of fish and sea creatures. The most fun part of this game is unlocking animals and new items that make the game easier, building different types of aquariums, and creating the most epic park that everyone would envy. The developers have done a lot of things right, and I can’t even think of anything I’d really criticize about the game. It’s just that after playing for a while, once you’ve unlocked almost everything, the game might start to get boring, but that’s a classic problem with tycoon games. I’d like to commend the developers for continuing to work on the game; their improvements and expansions, which are gradually being added, breathe new life into it and make it even more interesting. It’s a very entertaining economic simulator that I’d recommend to anyone who loves fish and wants to build their own park full of aquariums.”
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90
Hu3br
trust 75Sep 13, 2018
“A charmingly well executed management game that emphasizes good use of space, supply and demand, and visitors. Besides, fish are cute. What’s not to love?”
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70
PLAY Zine
trust 75Mar 11, 2019
“Interesting twist on a theme park management tycoon, with really good gameplay basics, but it lacks uniqueness and overall polish, especially in graphics department.”
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75
Fun Factor
trust 73Sep 13, 2018
“Megaquarium is far from perfect. Yet it's still one of the best sims out there right now. The freedom of the sandbox mode - opposed to its restrictive campaign - and the fluid gameplay keep the game fresh for hours. Although the AI and UI can be disruptive at times.”
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85
Nindie Spotlight
trust 70Oct 24, 2019
“Manage your own aquarium and try to "lure" in the public in this pleasant sim”
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60
Cubed3
trust 70Dec 10, 2018
“While Megaquarium is fun and challenging at times, it tends to become a little repetitive after a while. A few more different challenges would help, while at other points it would have been nice to see an overview panel to make it easier to organise things. The gameplay can easily get messy, which is a shame considering the idea and the colourful setup. Nevertheless, the game is enjoyable and relaxing, and a player may well find themselves playing for hours.”
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95
Nexus Hub
trust 70Oct 3, 2018
“I certainly will keep on playing. A game like this that has over 95 different species that need to be curated, hundreds of objects to research and decorations to be… decorated? There is still so much to be done! I'm ready to dive right back in.”
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70
Push Square
trust 69Oct 17, 2019
“There’s a great business management experience here; the gameplay may seem shallow at first blush, but plunge a little deeper and you’ll find plenty of depth.”
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80
Chalgyr's Game Room
trust 67Oct 15, 2018
“Megaquarium is a casual management game that challenges a player as they progress. In fact, it is a game that is suitable for all ages and is great to play after a stressful work day. It's relaxing, not taxing on computer systems, and amusing to play. I've dumped a good amount of time playing Megaquarium so, if casual management games are your jam, I highly recommend picking up this game!”
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80
FingerGuns
trust 66Feb 14, 2020
“Megaquarium is a tycoon/management game for those that like to take things slowly. There’s no running around or avoiding disasters. The most you’ll have to deal with is is some malfunctioning equipment and that’s more of an inconvenience than a stressor. Instead, this is a chill game about a chill topic that lets you get as creative as you can within its constraints and has done some admirably in its journey from PC to PS4. It won’t be for everyone, if you prefer your tycoon games with an element of danger then this one isn’t for you, but if you’re looking to kick back, look at some fish and make sure everything is ticking over while some cool tunes play in the background, this is one to put on your radar.”
read full review ↗

…and 30 more tracked reviews.

Patch history

v5.1.5 patch
Jun 5, 2026
v5.1.4 patch
Apr 19, 2026
v5.1.3 patch
Apr 16, 2026significant · resets scoring window
v5.1.2 patch
Apr 2, 2026significant · resets scoring window
v5.1.0 Replay the base campaign with collection DLCs plus other improvements
Mar 25, 2026significant · resets scoring window
v5.0.14 patch
Mar 16, 2026significant · resets scoring window
v5.0.X patches
Feb 25, 2026significant · resets scoring window
The Big Update - Gameplay Changes
Feb 18, 2026significant · resets scoring window
The Big Update - UI improvements
Feb 5, 2026significant · resets scoring window
v4.2.8 patch
Feb 2, 2026
v4.2.7 patch
Jan 30, 2026
v4.2.6 patch
Oct 3, 2025
v4.2.5 patch
May 26, 2025significant · resets scoring window
v4.2.4 patch
Jul 16, 2024significant · resets scoring window
v4.2.3 patch
May 7, 2024
Megaquarium v4.2.0 - Spring cleaning update!
May 1, 2024significant · resets scoring window
Megaquarium v4.1.0 - Quality of life update!
Nov 28, 2023significant · resets scoring window
Nominate Megaquarium for Steam's 'Labor of Love' award!
Nov 21, 2023significant · resets scoring window
v4.0.11 - v4.0.19 patches
Oct 18, 2023significant · resets scoring window
Megaquarium: Deep Freeze is out now! (Plus v4.0 update)
Oct 18, 2023significant · resets scoring window
Deep Freeze: Release date and quality-of-life update
Oct 11, 2023significant · resets scoring window
v.3.0.9 Staff gate added to Architect's Collection!
Mar 8, 2022
v3.0.6-v3.0.8 patch
Dec 8, 2021significant · resets scoring window
v3.0.5 patch
Nov 23, 2021significant · resets scoring window
v3.0.4 patch
Nov 13, 2021significant · resets scoring window
Megaquarium: Architect's Collection out now!
Nov 11, 2021significant · resets scoring window
Additional details about upcoming update revealed!
Nov 6, 2021
Major sandbox update launching alongside new DLC!
Oct 31, 2021significant · resets scoring window
v2.2.6 patch
Aug 2, 2021significant · resets scoring window
v2.2.5 patch
Jun 29, 2021
v2.2.4 patch
Jun 14, 2021
v2.2.3 patch
Jun 8, 2021
v2.2.2 Optimisation overhaul and more! (live for all players!)
Jun 3, 2021significant · resets scoring window
v2.2.2 patch
May 26, 2021significant · resets scoring window
v2.2.1 patch
May 7, 2021significant · resets scoring window
v2.2.0 Optimisation overhaul and more! (beta)
May 5, 2021significant · resets scoring window
v2.1.2 patch
Oct 22, 2020
v2.1.1 New features - designed by you!
Oct 18, 2020significant · resets scoring window
v2.1.0 Now live on the beta branch.
Oct 9, 2020
v2.0.13 patch
Jul 22, 2020significant · resets scoring window

…and 32 earlier patch announcements.