Shallow Sea Rulebook

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

• Credits
• Components
• Game Setup
• Goal of the Game
• Turn
  • 1. Select 1 Tile and 1 Fish from the Pool
    • Refresh a Pool
  • 2. Place the Selected Tile and Fish in Your Ocean
  • 3. If Any Tile Meets Its Condition, Complete and Gain a Seashell
    • 3-1. Completing Coral Tiles
    • Coral Tiles
    • 3-2. Completing Sealife Tiles
    • Detailed Completion Conditions for Sealife Tiles
    • Icons Summary
  • Rules for Completing Sealife Tiles
  • Partial VPs for Incomplete Sealife Tiles
• Spend 2 Seashells to Move an Incomplete Fish
• Seashells
• End of the Game
• Scoring
  • Scoring Example
• Solo Mode
  • Game Setup
  • Gameplay Changes
  • End of the Game
  • Scoring
  • Ranking
• Family Mode
  • Game Setup
  • Scoring
• Achievement Mode
  • Achievement Record Sheet
  • Achievement Mode - Scenario
  • Achievement Mode - Standard Game Rules
  • Achievement Mode - Modified Game Rules
• Appendix
  • Orange Ecosystem Cards
  • Blue Ecosystem Cards
  • Special Rules for Refilling the Pool
• Shallow Sea Encyclopedia
• Sealife Tiles Setup Guide

Credits

• Game Designer: c.w yeom
• Artist: sophia kang
• Game Developers: jaewoo bang, gunho kim
• Art Director: hani chang
• Editor: lucya lee
• Captains: brett thomason, greg sherman, h.c. harrington, jan adam, lola & sean o'brien, matt hillman & hp gaming

Components

• 4 Ocean Boards
• 20 Seashells
• 96 Fish (24 Fish per color)
• 76 Coral Tiles
• 88 Sealife Tiles
• 1 Fish Pouch
• 1 Coral Pouch
• 1 Sealife Pouch
• 14 Ecosystem Cards (7 Orange, 7 Blue Cards)
• 1 Score Pad
• 1 Lionfish Card (Solo mode)

There are 4 of each type of Sealife Tile. Use the included plastic trays to store each set of 4 identical Sealife Tiles in its individual slot (4 Tiles stacked).

NOTE When all Sealife Tiles are stored, 4 slots across the 2 trays will remain empty.

Game Setup

1. Shuffle all the Coral Tiles and place them into the Coral Pouch. Ensure the Coral Pouch is within easy reach of all players.

2. Refer to the table below for the required number of Fish based on player count. Add the specified amount to the Fish Pouch and mix well. Place the Fish Pouch below the Coral Pouch and return any unused Fish to the box.

No. of Player	No. of Fish
1 Player	9 of each color x 4 colors (36 total)
2 Players	14 of each color x 4 colors (56 total)
3 Players	19 of each color x 4 colors (76 total)
4 Players	24 of each color x 4 colors (96 total)

3. Set up the Sealife Pouch in the following order:

• Refer to the "Sealife Tiles Setup Guide" on page 20 to select 10 types of Sealife Tiles to use in the game.

  NOTE For your first game, use the provided Sealife Tile setup below: A1, A4, B1, C2, C4, D1, D4, E1, E4, F2.

• Refer to the table in the following section for the required number of Sealife Tiles based on the player count. Add the specified amount to the Sealife Pouch and mix well.

No. of Player	No. of Sealife Tiles
1-2 Players	2 of each type x 10 types (20 total)
3 Players	3 of each type x 10 types (30 total)
4 Players	4 of each type x 10 types (40 total)

• Place the Sealife Pouch below the Fish Pouch and return any unused Tiles to the box.

4. Set up the Pools in the following order:

• a. Coral Pool: Draw 5 Coral Tiles from the Coral Pouch and lay them face up next to the Coral Pouch.

• b. Fish Pool: Draw 5 Fish from the Fish Pouch and place one below each Coral Tile in the Coral Pool.

  TIP If this is your first game, draw Fish from the pouch that match the colors of the Coral Tiles in the Coral Pool and place them below the corresponding Coral Tiles.

• c. Sealife Pool: Draw 5 Sealife Tiles from the Sealife Pouch and lay them face up next to the Sealife Pouch.

5. Select 1 card from each of the Orange and Blue Ecosystem Cards and place them face up next to the Pools. Return unused cards to the box.

NOTE For your first game, we recommend using Cryptic Coloration (Orange #1) and Bountiful Caves (Blue #2).

6. Each player places an Ocean Board in front of them.

7. Each player takes 5 Seashells. Place 2 Seashells on the Ocean Board and keep the other 3 nearby, outside the Ocean Board. Return any unused Seashells back into the box.

8. The player who most recently saw a fish in the ocean takes the first turn. Play proceeds clockwise. Starting with the last player, each player selects a Sealife Tile from the Sealife Pool and places it face up in any empty space on their Ocean Board. Once every player has taken a Sealife Tile, refill the empty Sealife Pool and begin the game.

Goal of the Game

The goal of the Shallow Sea is to be the player with the highest Victory Points (VPs) at the end of the game, which are represented by the victory point icon.

Turn

Each player takes a turn, clockwise, until the end of the game. During your turn, perform the following actions in the order:

1. Select 1 Tile and 1 Fish from the Pool
2. Place the selected Tile and Fish in your Ocean
3. If any Tile meets its condition, complete and gain a Seashell

At any point during your turn, if necessary, you can perform the following as a Free Action:

• Spend 2 Seashells to move an incomplete Fish

At the end of your turn, refill the empty spots in the Pools with new Tiles and Fish, ensuring that there are 5 Coral Tiles, 5 Sealife Tiles, and 5 Fish available in the Pools. Once fully refilled, the next player takes their turn.

1. Select 1 Tile and 1 Fish from the Pool

On your turn, choose a Fish from the Pool and a Coral or Sealife Tile that pairs with the selected Fish.

NOTE Each of the 5 Fish in the Pool is paired with 2 different Tiles, providing 10 possible combinations for players to choose from each turn.

Before selecting a Tile and Fish from the Pools, if there are 4 or more Coral Tiles of the same color in the Coral Pool or 4 or more Fish of the same color in the Fish Pool, you can choose to refresh that Pool. This could happen multiple times in a single turn. After refilling the pool, proceed to select a Tile and Fish pair from the Pools as usual. E.g., there are 4 green Coral Tiles in the Pool below. In this case, you can choose to refresh the Coral Pool.

The "color" of a Coral Tile refers to the color of the center of the front side of the Coral Tile. This color corresponds to the color shown on the back side.

Refresh a Pool

1. If you decide to refresh a Pool, you must discard all 5 of the Fish or Tiles in that Pool.
2. Draw 5 new Tiles or Fish from the corresponding pouch and fill the Pool. Refill the Pool from the space closest to the pouch.
3. Return the discarded Tiles or Fish to the corresponding pouch and shuffle the pouch well.

NOTE In the rare event that no Sealife Tiles are left in the pouch, please refer to the Appendix on page 17.

Typically, you must select a Tile and Fish according to the available combinations in the Pools. However, before making your selection, you can spend 1 Seashell to perform 1 of the following 2 actions:

1. Choose to refresh either the Coral Tile Pool, Fish Pool, or Sealife Tile Pool. You can choose to refresh a Pool as many times as your Seashell count allows. After refreshing, select a Tile and Fish pair from the refilled Pool as usual.

   NOTE Once you have selected a Tile and Fish, you can no longer refresh the pool in that turn.

2. Select a Tile and a Fish of any combination, without adhering to the usual pairing rules. You must take exactly 1 Tile and 1 Fish; taking 2 Tiles or 2 Fish is not allowed. E.g., taking the example on the upper lefthand side, you can use 1 Seashell to choose a Coral Tile (a) and a Fish (b).

   NOTE Seashells on the Ocean Board are available for use, while Seashells outside the board are not yet acquired and cannot be used. When a Seashell is acquired during the game, it is moved onto your Ocean Board and becomes available for use.

There is no limit to the number of Seashells you can spend on your turn.

2. Place the Selected Tile and Fish in Your Ocean

Place the Tile and Fish selected from the Pools in your Ocean according to the following placement rules:

1. The order in which you place the Tile and Fish does not matter.

2. Tiles are always placed front side up.

3. Tiles must be placed in any space neighboring your existing Tiles in the Ocean.

   IMPORTANT Tiles are considered "neighboring" if they are adjacent to each other or share a corner. E.g., You can only place a new Tile on the checkmarked spaces which are neighboring your existing Tile (a).

4. Tiles can be rotated in any direction when placing them.

5. Fish must be placed on a bubble that is surrounding any of your existing Tiles. E.g., You can only place the new Fish on the circled bubbles.

6. Only 1 Fish can be placed on each bubble.

3. If Any Tile Meets Its Condition, Complete and Gain a Seashell

When you meet any Tile's completion conditions, complete the Tile by flipping it to its back side. Each time you complete a Tile, you gain a Seashell. Place the gained Seashell in the Seashell space in your Ocean.

• If the completion conditions are met, you MUST complete the Tile before the end of your turn.
• You can complete multiple Tiles in a single turn if the conditions are met. If you complete multiple Tiles simultaneously, you can choose the order in which to complete them.

3-1. Completing Coral Tiles

1. A Coral Tile is completed when Fish matching the color on the corners of the Coral Tile are placed in the corresponding positions.

2. Flip the Coral Tile to its back side.

3. Choose one of the Fish used to complete the Coral Tile and place it on top of the Coral Tile. Fish that are not used to complete the Coral Tile cannot be placed on the Coral Tile.

   STORY Coral provides a precious habitat for fish.

4. Gain 1 Seashell.

Coral Tiles

Front

• The front side represents an Incomplete Tile and shows necessary fish conditions needed for completion.
• Incomplete Coral Tiles do not provide any VPs.

Back

• The back side is the completed state of the Tile, also called a Completed Tile. Completed Coral Tiles come in four colors: red, yellow, green, and purple.
• Completed Coral Tiles provide VPs at the end of the game, valued at 5, 7, or 9 VPs. Higher-scoring Tiles require more Fish to complete.
• Completed Coral Tiles always have a Completed Fish placed on them.

Completed Fish: Refers to the Fish placed on the Completed Coral Tiles. Completed Fish cannot be used to complete other Coral Tiles.

Incomplete Fish: Refers to Fish placed on bubbles, not on Coral Tiles.

You are able to complete multiple Coral Tiles simultaneously by placing a single Fish. In that case, you can complete those Coral Tiles in the order you prefer. If, however, placing a Fish on a Completed Coral Tile causes another Coral Tile to no longer meet its completion conditions, you cannot complete the other Coral Tile any longer.

TIP The order in which you complete Coral Tiles and the Fish you place on them can create or break combos. Strategize carefully to complete as many combos as possible in your Ocean!

E.g., You place Fish (a) and meet the completion conditions for Coral Tiles A, B, and C simultaneously.

Scenario #1: You choose to complete Tile B first and place Fish (a) on the Completed Coral Tile B. This causes the completion conditions for Coral Tiles A and C to no longer be met, so you cannot complete Coral Tiles A and C anymore. As a reward for completing Coral Tile B you gain 1 Seashell.

Scenario #2: You choose to complete Tile A first and place Fish (b) on the Completed Coral Tile A. As a reward, you gain 1 Seashell. Next, you complete Tile C and place Fish (c) on the Completed Coral Tile C. As a reward, you gain 1 Seashell. Finally, you complete Tile B and place Fish (a) on top of Tile B. As a reward, you gain 1 Seashell.

Unlike Scenario #1, all 3 Coral Tiles were completed due to the difference in which Tile was completed first.

3-2. Completing Sealife Tiles

1. A Sealife Tile is completed if Coral Tiles or Fish that meet its conditions are present in your Ocean.
2. Flip the Sealife Tile to its back side.
3. Gain 1 Seashell.

STORY A harmonious sea with coral and fish attracts a variety of Sealife.

Detailed Completion Conditions for Sealife Tiles

• A1, C1, D1 — Completed if each of the designated spaces is filled with a Completed Coral Tile of the SAME COLOR. (Indicates Completed Coral Tiles. Incomplete Coral Tiles do not count.)
• A2, C2, D2 — Completed if each of the designated spaces is filled with a Completed Coral Tile of a DIFFERENT COLOR.
• A3, D3 — Completed if each of the designated spaces are filled with a Completed Fish of the SAME COLOR. The color of the Coral Tiles where the Fish are placed does not matter. (Indicates Completed Fish. Incomplete Fish do not count.)
• A4, D4 — Completed if each of the designated spaces is filled with a Completed Fish of a DIFFERENT COLOR. The color of the Coral Tiles where the Fish are placed does not matter.

Completed if the indicated direction(s) contain Completed Coral Tiles or Fish that meet the condition. As long as the conditions are met in the indicated direction(s), it does not matter if there are other Tiles in between, even if they do not meet the conditions.

NOTE When two directions are indicated, the condition can be satisfied entirely in one direction or shared between both directions.

• B1 — Completed once there are 4 or more Completed Coral Tiles of the same color in one or both of the indicated directions.
• C3 — Completed once there are 2 or more Completed Coral Tiles of the same color in one or both of the indicated directions.
• E1 — Completed once there are 3 or more Completed Coral Tiles of the same color in the indicated direction.
• B2 — Completed once there are 4 or more Completed Fish of the same color in one or both of the indicated directions.
• C4 — Completed once there are 2 or more Completed Fish of the same color in one or both of the indicated directions.
• E3 — Completed once there are 3 or more Completed Fish of the same color in the indicated direction.
• B3 — Completed once there are 4 Completed Coral Tiles of all different colors in one or both of the indicated directions.
• E2 — Completed once there are at least 3 Completed Coral Tiles of different colors in the indicated direction.
• B4 — Completed once there are 4 Completed Fish of all different colors in one or both of the indicated directions.
• E4 — Completed once there are at least 3 Completed Fish of different colors in the indicated direction.

E.g., Since there are 3 or more Coral Tiles of the same color in the direction indicated by Tile A, Tile A is completed. The green Coral Tile (a), which is a different color, is in the indicated direction but does not affect the completion of Tile A. Similarly, since there are 2 or more Coral Tiles of the same color in the directions indicated by Tile B, Tile B is completed.

Completed if the Completed Coral Tiles meeting the condition are present anywhere in your Ocean. The positions of the Coral Tiles do not matter.

• F1 — Completed once there are 4 or more Completed Coral Tiles of the same color anywhere in your Ocean.
• F2 — Completed once there is at least 1 Completed Coral Tile of each color: red, yellow, green, and purple anywhere in your Ocean.

Icons Summary

• Completed Coral Tiles of the same color.
• Completed Coral Tiles of different colors.
• Completed Fish of the same color.
• Completed Fish of different colors.

Rules for Completing Sealife Tiles

1. The conditions for Sealife Tiles only count Completed Coral Tiles and Completed Fish.

E.g., Since Coral Tile A is not completed, Sealife Tile B cannot be completed.

2. A single Coral Tile or Fish can be used to fulfill the conditions for multiple Sealife Tiles.

E.g., You complete Coral Tile (a), and it satisfies the conditions for Sealife Tiles C, D, and E simultaneously. As a result, you complete all three Tiles and receive a Seashell for each completed Tile, C, D, and E.

NOTE When multiple Tiles are completed simultaneously, you may complete them in any order you choose.

Partial VPs for Incomplete Sealife Tiles

The front (Incomplete) side of a Sealife Tile shows both the Partial VPs and the VPs earned if completed. The back (Completed) side shows the VPs earned at the end of the game.

• Completed Sealife Tiles provide VPs at the end of the game.
• Unlike Coral Tiles, Incomplete Sealife Tiles provide partial VPs based on the conditions met.

E.g., Sealife Tile F requires 3 Fish of the same color in the designated spaces. However, there are only 2 Fish of the same color (yellow) in those spaces, so you earn 2 Fish x 3 VPs = 6 VPs at the end of the game from Sealife Tile F.

Sealife Tile G requires 2 Coral Tiles of the same color in the designated spaces. However, there is only 1 Completed Coral Tile in the 2 designated spaces, so you earn 1 Tile x 2 VPs = 2 VPs at the end of the game.

NOTE If multiple types of Coral Tile or Fish satisfy the conditions of an Incomplete Sealife Tile, only the type that best meets the conditions is counted.

Spend 2 Seashells to Move an Incomplete Fish

During your turn, if you'd like, you can spend 2 Seashells to move an Incomplete Fish to a different Bubble. This action is a Free Action and can be performed at any time during your turn, as many times as you like.

• When moving an Incomplete Fish, you must follow the placement rules (see page 5): Fish must be placed on a bubble that is surrounding any of your existing Tiles and only one Fish is allowed per Bubble.
• Completed Fish cannot be moved under any circumstances.
• After moving an Incomplete Fish, if it satisfies the completion conditions for a Coral Tile or Sealife Tile, you must complete that Tile before the end of your turn.
• You can move a Fish at any point during your turn if you spend Seashells.

E.g., You spend 2 Seashells to move the Incomplete Fish (a). This move completes Coral Tile (b). Flip Coral Tile (b) over to its completed side and place one of the Fish used to complete the Tile on it. You receive 1 Seashell as a reward for completing the Coral Tile (b).

Seashells

• You receive a Seashell each time you complete a Coral Tile or a Sealife Tile.

• You can hold up to 5 Seashells at a time. If you already have 5 Seashells, you cannot earn additional Seashells even if you complete more Tiles.

  TIP If you already have 5 Seashells and are unable to gain more by completing a Tile, you can use 2 Seashells to move a Fish first and then complete the Tile to earn the Seashell. However, if moving the Fish causes the Tile's completion conditions to be unmet, you won't be able to complete that Tile.

• During your turn, you can use as many Seashells as you want.

• Used Seashells are placed outside the Ocean Board. When you earn Seashells, they are added back to your board.

• You can use Seashells to perform one of the following actions:

  1. Before choosing a Tile and Fish from the Pool, spend 1 Seashell to refresh one of the 3 pools. (See page 4.)
  2. Before choosing a Tile and Fish from the Pool, spend 1 Seashell to take 1 Tile and 1 Fish freely, regardless of the combination. (See page 4.)
  3. At any point during your turn, spend 2 Seashells to move an Incomplete Fish. (See above.)

End of the Game

The game concludes as soon as there are only 4 empty spaces left on each player's Ocean. This rule ensures that all players have an equal number of turns, totaling 17.

When the game ends, calculate the scores on the score pad. The player with the highest score wins. In the event of a tie, the player with the most remaining Seashells will be the winner. If the tie remains unresolved, celebrate the shared win of crafting a beautiful sealife ecosystem!

Scoring

In Shallow Sea, players can score VPs in various ways. Not only are VPs earned from Completed Tiles but they are also based on how well players fulfill the conditions of Ecosystem Cards, diversity of Sealife Tiles, as well as the placement of their Incomplete Fish. Scores are calculated in the following order:

1. Ecosystem Cards: Calculate the VPs based on the conditions specified on the Ecosystem Cards.

2. Tiles: Calculate the VPs for the Completed Tiles and Incomplete Sealife Tiles from the top row down.

NOTE Incomplete Coral Tiles do not provide any VPs.

3. 2 VPs per Differing Completed Sealife Tile: Earn 2 VPs for each DIFFERENT Sealife Tile you have completed.

STORY Represents the vibrant diversity of the ocean, embodying the richness and vast array of marine life that thrives beneath the surface.

4. Incomplete Fish: Each Incomplete Fish earns 1 VP for every adjacent Completed Coral Tile.

NOTE Coral Tiles can be used multiple times to score for different adjacent Incomplete Fish.

Scoring Example

E.g., Let's assume that you have built the following Ocean at the end of the game.

• Orange Ecosystem Card: Gain 2 VPs for each Completed Coral Tile in your Ocean with a Completed Fish of the same color placed on it. You score 2 VPs x 7 Tiles = 14 VPs.
• Blue Ecosystem Card: Gain 3 VPs for each Completed Sealife Tile located within the 10 inner spaces of your Ocean. You score 3 VPs x 3 Tiles = 9 VPs.
• 1st row: 9 + 6 + 7 = 22 VPs.
• 2nd row: 5 + 7 + 7 + 7 = 26 VPs.
• 3rd row: 2* + 10 + 7 + 7 = 26 VPs.
• 4th row: 7 + 5 + 7 + 9 = 28 VPs.
• 5th row: 7 + 5 = 12 VPs.

*NOTE Sealife Tile A requires 2 Coral Tiles of different colors. However, there are 2 Coral Tiles in only 1 color, so you earn 1 Tile x 2 VPs = 2 VPs.

• Differing Completed Sealife Tiles: With 5 different Sealife Tiles completed, you gain 2 VPs x 5 Tiles = 10 VPs.
• Incomplete Fish: You score (a) 2 + (b) 2 + (c) 2 + (d) 3 + (e) 1 + (f) 2 + (g) 1 = 13 VPs.

Total: 160 VPs.

Solo Mode

Try the Solo Mode to test your skills or challenge friends to see who can achieve the highest score! For a richer experience, consider using the Achievement Mode - Scenarios to enrich your solo play! (See page 14)

Game Setup

Prepare as you would for a standard game (see page 3). Then, place the Lionfish Card next to your Ocean Board.

Gameplay Changes

Whenever you need to spend a Seashell, you may instead draw a random Fish from the Fish Pouch and place it on the Lionfish Card.

• This can be done at any time during the game, as many times as you like.
• When placing Fish on the Lionfish Card, place the first 2 Fish in the two empty spaces at the top of the card (a). Any additional Fish should be placed in section (b) of the card.

E.g., to move a Fish that costs 2 Seashells, you can: (1) Spend 2 Seashells, (2) Spend 1 Seashell and draw 1 random Fish to place on the Lionfish Card, or (3) Draw 2 random Fish and place them on the Lionfish Card.

End of the Game

As with multiplayer games, the game ends when there are only 4 empty spaces left on your Ocean.

NOTE In the rare event that there are no more Fish left in the Fish Pouch, the game ends immediately.

Scoring

After the game ends, you will lose VPs based on the number of Fish on your Lionfish Card. The first 2 Fish do not result in any point deduction. However, starting from the 3rd, you lose 2 VPs for each additional Fish.

E.g., If there are 6 Fish on the Lionfish Card at the end of the game, exclude the first 2 Fish, then subtract 4 Fish x 2 VPs = 8 VPs from your final score.

STORY Lionfish are skilled ambush predators of the reefs, utilizing their superb camouflage and stealth to await the approach of unsuspecting prey.

Ranking

Score	Rank
130+ VPs	Swimmer
145+ VPs	Diver
160+ VPs	Mariner
170+ VPs	Merfolk
180+ VPs	Nymph
190+ VPs	Poseidon

Family Mode

Family Mode offers a simplified version of Shallow Sea, stripping away complex rules for a more casual gameplay experience.

Game Setup

Prepare a standard game (see page 3) EXCLUDING Ecosystem Cards.

NOTE For your first game, use the provided Sealife Tile setup below: A1, A3, C1, C3, C4, D1, D3, E1, E3, F1.

Scoring

Only count the VPs for Tiles. Do not calculate the following scores:

• Ecosystem Cards
• 2 VPs per Differing Completed Sealife Tile
• Incomplete Fish

Achievement Mode

In Shallow Sea, you can earn achievements whether you're playing solo or with multiple players. Use the Achievement Record Sheet below to track accomplishments for up to 4 players. Complete all achievements to reach Legendary Mariner and make your name shine! Follow these steps to play in Achievement Mode:

1. Write your name in the designated space on the Achievement Record Sheet.

2. Each time you play, choose one of the 3 Achievement modes:

   • Scenario (page 14)
   • Standard Game Rules (page 15)
   • Modified Game Rules (page 15)

3. For the achievements you earn in your chosen mode, mark the corresponding coral under that mode. Then, return to this page and, in order, check off the boxes in the Achievement Record Sheet below.

   NOTE In multiplayer Achievement Mode, achievements are recorded based on individual accomplishments, regardless of who wins.

Achievement Record Sheet

The Achievement Record Sheet tracks progress through these ranks: Sea Explorer, Reef Adventurer, Ocean Voyager, Master Diver, Legendary Mariner.

Achievement Mode - Scenario

Each scenario offers players unique missions and goals. To successfully complete a scenario, you must achieve both the minimum score and any specific objectives set for that scenario. If you do not meet both the minimum score and the objective, the scenario is considered failed. You may choose to play scenarios in any order, but we recommend that you start with Scenario 1 and progress sequentially, as each subsequent scenario increases in difficulty.

No	Difficulty	Sealife Tiles	Orange Ecosystem Cards	Blue Ecosystem Cards	Objective	Minimum Score
1	Easy	A1, A3, C1, C3, C4, D1, D3, E1, E3, F1	01 Cryptic Coloration	02 Bountiful Caves	None.	140
2	Easy	A1, A4, C1, C3, C4, D1, D4, E1, E4, F1	04 Mismatched	03 Underwater Community	None.	145
3	Easy	A2, A4, B3, C1, C2, D2, D4, E2, E4, F2	02 Coral Duo	04 Spotlight	None.	150
4	Easy	A2, A3, B2, C2, C4, D2, D3, E2, E3, F2	07 Trios	05 Sealife Duet	Complete 2+ Coral Tiles in each of the 4 colors.	155
5	Easy	A1, A3, B4, C3, C4, D1, D4, E2, E4, F1	06 Colossal Coral Reef	06 Radiant Caves	Complete 5+ Coral Tiles of the same color.	160
6	Normal	B3, B4, C3, C4, D1, D2, D3, D4, E1, E3	02 Coral Duo	07 Borders of Diversity	Complete 4+ different Sealife Tiles within the 12 outer spaces of your Ocean.	165
7	Normal	A1, A2, B1, B3, C1, C3, D1, D2, E1, E2	03 Symphony of Fins	01 Rich Depths	At the end of the game, choose one color. That color must have only one Completed Fish.	170
8	Normal	A3, A4, B3, B4, C3, C4, D3, D4, E3, E4	04 Mismatched	04 Spotlight	Complete 4+ different Sealife Tiles.	170
9	Normal	A1, A3, B2, C1, C2, C3, C4, E1, E3, F1	02 Coral Duo	07 Borders of Diversity	At the end of the game, choose one color. That color must have between 1 and 5 Completed Fish.	175
10	Normal	A2, A3, A4, B2, C2, D3, D4, E3, E4, F2	06 Colossal Coral Reef	06 Radiant Caves	Complete 5+ different Sealife Tiles.	175
11	Hard	A2, A4, D2, D3, D4, E1, E2, E3, E4, F2	04 Mismatched	02 Bountiful Caves	Complete 6+ different Sealife Tiles.	180
12	Hard	A3, A4, B1, B2, B3, B4, C1, C2, C3, C4	01 Cryptic Coloration	04 Spotlight	Score 30+ VPs with Ecosystem Cards.	180
13	Hard	A1, A4, B1, C2, C4, D1, D3, E2, E4, F2	05 Depths Alike	01 Rich Depths	End the game with 2+ Seashells.	185
14	Hard	A1, A2, B4, C3, C4, D1, D2, E3, E4, F1	07 Trios	05 Sealife Duet	Earn double VPs for Orange Ecosystem Card (07 Trios). Complete 5+ Fish of the same color.	185
15	Hard	A2, A4, B2, C2, C4, D2, D4, E2, E4, F2	03 Symphony of Fins	04 Spotlight	At the end of the game, choose one color. Completed Corals of the chosen color will not award VPs.	190

Achievement Mode - Standard Game Rules

Play using the standard game rules. You can achieve multiple achievements in a single game!

No	Objective
1	Score 130+ VPs.
2	Score 145+ VPs.
3	Score 160+ VPs.
4	Score 170+ VPs.
5	Score 180+ VPs.
6	Score 190+ VPs.
7	Complete all Coral Tiles in your Ocean.
8	Complete all Sealife Tiles in your Ocean.
9	Complete all Tiles in your Ocean.
10	End the game with 5 Seashells.
11	Score 20+ VPs with Incomplete Fish.
12	Complete 6+ different Sealife Tiles.
13	Complete 8+ Sealife Tiles.
14	All Completed Sealife Tiles are different.
15	Score 20+ VPs with Orange Ecosystem Card.
16	Score 15+ VPs with Blue Ecosystem Card.
17	Achieve the same score for Orange and Blue Ecosystem Cards.
18	Have Completed Coral Tiles in no more than 3 colors.
19	Have Completed Fish in no more than 3 colors.
20	Have Completed Fish in no more than 2 colors.
21	Have Completed Fish and Coral Tiles in no more than 3 colors.
22	Empty spaces are not neighboring each other when the game ends.
23	Fill all 12 Outer Spaces of your Ocean with Completed Tiles. (See Outer Spaces on page 17.)
24	Complete 9 VP Coral Tiles in all 4 colors.
25	Complete 3 Coral Tiles in each of the 4 colors.

Achievement Mode - Modified Game Rules

Play using these modified game rules. If you break any of the modified rules during the game, you cannot complete the Achievement.

No	Modified Rules
1	Coral Tiles must be placed neighboring another Coral Tile(s), excluding the first Coral Tile.
2	Decrease the Tile and Fish Pool from 5 of each to 3 of each.
3	You can no longer spend 2 Seashells to move a Fish. Instead, use 2 Seashells to move or rotate an Incomplete Coral Tile.
4	The cost to "Refresh a Pool," "Freely Choose a Tile and Fish Combination," and "Move a Fish" increases by 1 Seashell.
5	Instead of putting the Fish into the Fish Pouch, place them in a pile and take a desired Fish along with a Tile.
6	Refresh is not allowed under any circumstances.
7	Use 2 Orange Ecosystem Cards and 2 Blue Ecosystem Cards. At the end of the game, choose 1 Orange and 1 Blue Ecosystem Card to calculate VPs.
8	There are no Pools available. Always draw 1 random Tile and 1 random Fish from the pouch. When placing a Tile or Fish on the Ocean, it does not need to be neighboring your other Tiles.
9	At the end of the game, for each Incomplete Fish, earn an additional 1 VP for each adjacent Completed Coral Tile that matches the color of the Incomplete Fish.
10	Completed Sealife Tiles cannot be placed adjacent to another Completed Sealife Tile. NOTE Completed Sealife Tiles cannot be placed adjacent to each other, but they may share a corner.

Appendix

Orange Ecosystem Cards

#01. Cryptic Coloration: Earn 2 VPs for each Completed Coral Tile in your Ocean that has a Completed Fish of the same color.

#02. Coral Duo: Earn 3 VPs for each pair of Completed Coral Tiles of the same color in your Ocean. The placement of these Coral Tiles is irrelevant.

E.g., if you have 2 red, 5 yellow, 1 green, and 2 purple Completed Coral Tiles, you have 1 pair of red Coral Tiles, 2 pairs of yellow Coral Tiles, and 1 pair of purple Coral Tiles. This totals to 4 pairs x 3 VPs = 12 VPs.

TIP Think of it as completing each color of Coral Tiles in even numbers.

#03. Symphony of Fins: Earn 3 VPs for each Completed Fish of the color you have the most of in your Ocean (max 18 VPs). If there is more than 1 color with the same highest number, count only one of them.

E.g., if you have 4 yellow, 2 purple, 1 green, and 2 red Completed Fish in your Ocean, you gain 4 Fish (yellow) x 3 VPs = 12 VPs.

#04. Mismatched: Earn 2 VPs for each Completed Coral Tile in your Ocean that has a Completed Fish of a different color.

#05. Depths Alike: Earn 4 VPs for each horizontal row with 2 or more Completed Coral Tiles of the same color.

E.g., in the Ocean below, there are 3 horizontal rows with 2 or more Corals of the same color. Therefore, you earn 4 VPs x 3 horizontal rows = 12 VPs.

#06. Colossal Coral Reef: Earn 2 VPs for each Coral Tile in the largest grouping of adjacent Completed Coral Tiles.

E.g., in your Ocean below, grouping (a) forms the largest cluster of adjacent Completed Coral Tiles, consisting of 7 Coral Tiles. Thus, you earn 7 Tiles x 2 VPs = 14 VPs. Tile A is not part of the group as it is not adjacent to group (a). Tile B is excluded from the group as it is an Incomplete Coral Tile.

NOTE Tiles marked as "adjacent" to Tile (b) share a full edge with it; tiles marked as "neighboring" Tile (b) are adjacent to it or share a corner.

#07. Trios: Earn 4 VPs for each color with 3 or more Completed Fish in your Ocean.

E.g., if you have 2 red, 9 yellow, 3 green, and 3 purple Completed Fish, you will earn VPs for 3 colors (yellow, green, and purple), totaling 3 colors x 4 VPs = 12 VPs.

Blue Ecosystem Cards

NOTE For clarity, Completed Sealife Tiles will be represented by a marker icon.

#01. Rich Depths: Earn 4 VPs for each horizontal row in your Ocean that has 2 or more Completed Sealife Tiles.

E.g., 2 out of the 5 rows have 2 or more Completed Sealife Tiles, therefore, you gain 2 rows x 4 VPs = 8 VPs.

#02. Bountiful Caves: Earn 3 VPs for each Completed Sealife Tile located within the 10 inner spaces of your Ocean.

E.g., if there are 3 Completed Sealife Tiles in the inner spaces of your Ocean, you gain 3 Tiles x 3 VPs = 9 VPs.

#03. Underwater Community: Earn 2 VPs for each Completed Sealife Tile in your Ocean that is neighboring at least 1 other Completed Sealife Tile.

E.g., if there are 5 Sealife Tiles in your Ocean that are neighboring at least 1 other Sealife Tile, you earn 5 Tiles x 2 VPs = 10 VPs.

NOTE Tiles are considered "neighboring" if they are adjacent to each other or share a corner.

#04. Spotlight: Earn 2 VPs for each column in your Ocean that contains exactly 1 Completed Sealife Tile. Incomplete Sealife Tiles do not count and Coral Tiles are irrelevant. Therefore, if a column with 1 Completed Sealife Tile has incompleted Sealife Tiles and/or Coral Tile(s), this column gains 2 VPs.

E.g., 3 out of 9 columns contain exactly 1 Completed Sealife Tile. Therefore, you earn 3 columns x 2 VPs = 6 VPs.

#05. Sealife Duet: Earn 4 VPs for each pair of adjacent Completed Sealife Tiles. A single Sealife Tile cannot be counted in more than one pair.

E.g., you have 2 Completed Sealife Tile pairs, earning 4 VPs x 2 pairs = 8 VPs. Sealife Tile (b) is adjacent to both Tile (a) and Tile (c), but can only be counted for 1 pair. Sealife Tiles (d) and (e) are not adjacent, so they do not form a pair.

#06. Radiant Caves: Earn 2 VPs for each different type of Completed Tile in the 10 inner spaces of your Ocean. Different Types of Tiles refer to either Corals of different colors or different types of Sealife Tiles.

E.g., if you have 3 different Coral Tiles (yellow, purple, red) and 3 different Sealife Tiles completed in the inner part of your Ocean, you will earn 2 VPs x 6 different Tiles = 12 VPs.

#07. Borders of Diversity: Earn 2 VPs for each different type of Completed Tile in the 12 outer spaces of your Ocean. Different Types of Tiles refer to either Corals of different colors or different types of Sealife Tiles.

E.g., if you have 4 different Coral Tiles (red, yellow, green, purple) and 3 different Sealife Tiles in the outer spaces of your Ocean, you earn 2 VPs x 7 different Tiles = 14 VPs.

Special Rules for Refilling the Pool

When refilling the Sealife Pool, if there are no more Sealife Tiles in the Sealife Pouch, draw a Coral Tile from the Coral Pouch and place it in an empty space of the Sealife Pool.

Once a Coral Tile is placed in the Sealife Pool, the Sealife Pool can no longer be refreshed.

NOTE If the Coral Pool contains 4 or more Coral Tiles of the same color, you can choose to refresh the Coral Pool (see page 4). Coral Tiles in the Sealife Pool do not count towards the refresh condition.

NOTE When the Coral Pool is refreshed, any Coral Tiles in the Sealife Pool are not included in the count. Only the 5 Coral Tiles in the Coral Pool are considered for the refresh.

Shallow Sea Encyclopedia

Foxface Rabbitfish — Typically bright yellow in color, the Foxface Rabbitfish can camouflage into dark brown when threatened. It can grow up to 25 cm in length, though it generally reaches a size of around 20 cm. This fish is popular for its beautiful color and primarily feeds on algae and animal plankton.

Orange Spotted Filefish — Also called the Harlequin Filefish, this species is easily identified by its distinctive orange-spotted pattern. It has a highly selective diet, feeding exclusively on Acropora Coral polyps. Often observed in pairs in the wild, this fish can grow to a maximum length of 12 cm.

White-edged Lyretail — The White-edged Lyretail is born female but undergoes a natural sex change within its social hierarchy as it matures. This large fish can grow to over 60 cm in length. Although known for its excellent taste, its relatively low population density means it is not a primary target for fishermen.

Clownfish — Clownfish share a strong symbiotic relationship with sea anemones. The sea anemones provide protection from predators, while Clownfish offer food and defend them from parasites. Clownfish communities have a strict hierarchy, with the dominant female serving as the leader.

Leaf Plate Montipora — This coral is known for its distinctive shape and growth pattern, spreading out in flat, plate-like or leaf-like forms. Thanks to its structure, it can absorb sunlight efficiently. It exhibits a wide range of colors, including purple, green, pink, and red, making it visually striking.

Tubastraea — Commonly referred to as Sun Coral due to its sun-like appearance, Tubastraea is unique in that it does not rely on photosynthesis. Instead, it is nocturnal, extending its tentacles at night to catch plankton. This adaptation allows it to thrive in the darkness of deep waters.

Branching Vase Sponge — Although not a coral, the Branching Vase Sponge is an intriguing organism. Unlike corals, it lacks tentacles, nerves, or muscles and is considered a simple multicellular life form. Predominantly found in the Atlantic, this species was included in the game for visual balance.

Montipora Digitata — This coral species is recognized for its tree-like branching growth pattern. It primarily derives energy through photosynthesis via symbiotic dinoflagellates, supplementing its diet with plankton. Its branch-like structure offers shelter to small marine creatures and fish.

Whale Shark (A1) — The Whale Shark, the largest fish in the world, can grow between 10 to 18 meters long. It has a long lifespan, maturing in 30 years and living 70 to 130 years. Despite its enormous size, the Whale Shark is remarkably gentle and is known to interact playfully with divers.

Great White Shark (A2) — The Great White Shark is the apex predator of the ocean. This massive shark measures 4 to 5 meters long and is infamous for occasional attacks on humans. It has 300 razor-sharp teeth that regenerate as old ones are damaged, ensuring its fearsome bite remains lethal.

Epaulette Shark (A3) — The Epaulette Shark is notable for its unique ability to "walk" using its fins. Although it can swim, it is more commonly seen walking along sandy sea floors or coral reefs using its fins. With a body length of just 70 to 90 cm, this small shark is admired for its charming appearance.

Hammerhead Shark (A4) — Distinguished by its hammer-shaped head, the Hammerhead Shark has eyes positioned on the edges of its "hammer," granting it an exceptionally wide field of vision. It preys on various marine life, including fish, squid, octopuses, and crustaceans.

Dugong (B1) — A marine mammal, the Dugong can dive as deep as 39 meters and hold its breath for up to 6 minutes. It mainly feeds on seagrass, consuming up to 40-50 kg daily, earning it the nickname "sea cow." Known for its strong maternal instincts, it takes great care of its young.

Common Bottlenose Dolphin (B2) — This highly intelligent dolphin communicates through sound, using unique whistles to identify one another, like humans use names. With a brain larger than a human's, it is capable of self-recognition and engaging in complex tasks requiring advanced cognitive abilities.

Humpback Whale (B3) — Male Humpback Whales sing long, complex songs during mating season. These songs can last anywhere from 4 to 33 minutes and travel over 10 km. Adult Humpback Whales measure between 14 and 17 meters in length, and once fully grown, they have no natural predators.

Migaloo (B4) — Migaloo is a completely white Humpback Whale, first discovered in 1991. Scientists believe Migaloo's white color is due to albinism. The name "Migaloo" comes from the indigenous language of the Queensland region in Australia, meaning "whitefella."

Reef Manta Ray (C1) — The Reef Manta Ray is a massive ray, typically measuring 3 to 3.5 meters in size, but can grow up to 5 meters. It is highly intelligent with the highest brain-to-body weight ratio among fish and is known for its social communication. It has a long lifespan, living at least 50 years.

Hawksbill Sea Turtle (C2) — Hawksbill Sea Turtles are known for their unique beak-like mouths, which allow them to access food in crevices of the reef that other marine animals can't reach. Like other sea turtles, it usually leads a solitary existence, meeting others only for mating.

Yellow-lipped Sea Krait (C3) — This sea snake spends much of its time hunting in the sea but comes ashore to digest and rest. It is a dangerous snake with potent venom, but its nature is generally docile, and it avoids humans unless provoked. The females are larger than the males.

Spiny Seahorse (C4) — The Spiny Seahorse is a small marine animal with a unique reproductive trait: males carry and birth the young. After the female deposits her eggs into the male's brood pouch, he protects them until they hatch. This seahorse can also change its color to blend with its environment.

Pom-Pom Crab (D1) — This crab earns its nickname, "Cheerleader Crab" from its habit of carrying sea anemones in its claws. When threatened, it waves the anemones to deter predators using their stinging cells. In return, the anemones benefit from mobility, making this a symbiotic relationship.

Hermit Crab (D2) — Hermit Crabs protect themselves by using abandoned seashells as homes. As they grow, they need larger shells, leading to competitions and even fights among crabs for the best shells. Without a suitable shell, a Hermit Crab's growth slows, and it becomes vulnerable to predators.

Reef Lobster (D3) — Reef Lobsters are known for their vibrant colors, ranging from red and orange to purple and white, often adorned with stripes or spots. Their stunning appearance makes them popular in aquariums. At 10 to 13 cm in length, Reef Lobsters are much smaller than typical marine lobsters.

Mantis Shrimp (D4) — Renowned for its powerful punch, the Mantis Shrimp can deliver blows strong enough to shatter glass or break through hard coral. Despite being only about 10 cm long, its punch reaches speeds of 23 m/s and generates shockwaves capable of stunning or killing small prey.

Greater Blue-Ringed Octopus (E1) — Measuring only 10 cm, the Greater Blue-Ringed Octopus is one of the most venomous marine creatures in the world. It can bite or spray venom to attack its prey. Typically camouflaged and hard to spot, it reveals its bright blue rings when threatened, using them to warn predators.

Cuttlefish (E2) — Known as the "chameleon of the sea," the Cuttlefish has the ability to change its body color at will. It can alter its hue within a second, using this for camouflage, communication with its peers, or to threaten predators. Highly intelligent, the Cuttlefish also has an excellent memory.

Anna's Magnificent Sea Slug (E3) — This marine gastropod can grow up to 5 cm in length. Its vibrant and colorful appearance, though beautiful, serves as a warning to predators, indicating that it is toxic. This sea slug stores specific chemicals within its body, which can give predators an unpleasant experience.

Box Jellyfish (E4) — Some species of the Box Jellyfish possess potent venom in their tentacles, which can be dangerous to humans. It can swim at a rapid pace of 1.5 to 2 m/s and quickly change direction in the water. A skilled predator, it actively hunts small fish.

Nautilus (F1) — The Nautilus, often called a "living fossil," has remained largely unchanged for hundreds of millions of years. Despite its shell-like appearance, it is classified as a cephalopod, related to squids and octopuses. Depending on species and sex, Nautili can have 50-90 tentacles.

Giant Clam (F2) — The Giant Clam can grow up to 1.2 meters and weigh over 200 kg. It is an incredibly long-lived species, with some surviving over 100 years in the wild. Typically found in flat coral sands or broken coral environments, the Giant Clam is endangered with a rapidly declining population.

Charonia — The Charonia is a natural predator of the crown-of-thorns starfish; a species that can harm coral reefs by feeding on them. By preying on these starfish, the Charonia helps maintain the delicate balance of the reef ecosystem. It can live for over 20 years in the wild.

Lion Fish (Solo Mode Card) — As voracious predators, Lion Fish feed on small reef fish and invertebrates, which can disrupt the delicate balance of the ecosystem. This predation can reduce populations of fish that play critical roles in maintaining the health of coral reefs, such as algae-eating fish.

Sealife Tiles Setup Guide

The base game includes a total of 22 types of Sealife Tiles, from which players select 10 to use in the game. Players can freely choose their desired combination of Sealife Tiles, but for a more balanced gameplay experience, we recommend following the guide below. Use this guide to create a unique puzzle set for yourself!

1. Select the Tiles based on the recommended quantities for each Class. Ensure at least one Type from Class F is included.
2. Include a balanced mix of Sealife Tiles that require Coral Tiles and those that require Fish.

Class	Sealife Tiles	Min	Max
A	A1, A2, A3, A4	-	2 Types
B	B1, B2, B3, B4	-	2 Types
C	C1, C2, C3, C4	-	3 Types
D	D1, D2, D3, D4	-	2 Types
E	E1, E2, E3, E4	-	3 Types
F	F1, F2	1 Type	1 Type

NOTE This guide is just a recommendation and does not have to be strictly followed. If you have created your own unique puzzle set, feel free to share it on our BGG forum!