# Insaneaquarium Deluxe: a Critique **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 2, 2004, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insaneaquarium-deluxe-a-critique/262717 "2004-09-02T03:52:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Little\_Bird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Little\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Bird)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2004, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insaneaquarium-deluxe-a-critique/262717/1 "2004-09-02T03:52:43Z")
As I’m sure anyone who has ever played Pop Cap Games’ Insaneaquarium knows, they’ve been working on a downloadable Deluxe version for some time now. They promised all sorts of nifty graphics, new tanks, and a neat “virtual fish tank” to tend and make into screensavers. Yesterday I got the long-awated email pronouncing its completion and readiness for play. With baited breath I downloaded the file (it was quite large taking well over a minute on my cable modem)(had I mentioned I got the cable modem and my new, very-fast, and highly awesome computer in a large part just to be able to play Insaneaquarium without all the fish jerking around the screen during their feeding frenzies?) and installed the game. And there was a reason it was so big, it was loaded with cool new stuff! I couldn’t wait to play it, get fully addicted, and shell out the $19.95 to buy. Except, there was one huge problem. Let my letter to tech support explain: > [@Little Bird](#): > > This comment concerns the new Deluxe version of. I personally loved Insaneaquarium and played it into the ground. So when I first heard you were planning a deluxe version for download, I wan understandably excited. It took an entire year before I was actually able to download it and play it, but I figured it would be worth it. Turns out, not so much. > > Only one hour of demo play? You must be insane. One hour of play was enough to get me through the first tank, a few games of time trials, and add about three or four fish to the virtual tank. Granted, I didn’t exactly speed through the levels, I’m sure if I had I could have completed both of the first tanks in this amount of time. But then, what would that have gained me? I still wouldn’t have gotten to see any of these fancy new tanks you spent a year developing, and since it takes a week to see the virtual tank fish to grow, I wouldn’t have had time to enjoy that either. All I got to see were the tanks I get to play for free online any day of the week. > > Please re-think this one hour time limit. In order to get people to pay money for your extras, you need to actually show them the extras. I can’t see myself getting addicted to the new levels of tanks without at least playing them first—and there’s no way to get attached to your virtual pets in a mere 60 minutes. Give us at least a week to preview your new game. I know after tending even virtual fish for a week will get me emotionally attached enough to shell out $20 to keep them happy. One hour was just enough to leave me wondering what else was new in the game, but not enough for me to pay actual money to find out. > > Sincerely, > Little Bird So you see my dilemma. There is no way I’m paying them money for this if all they give is one measly hour of play time. How do I know if the other tanks are any good? How do I know if the virtual tank is gonna be fun if it takes a week for the fish to grow, as stated in the help? Please Insaneaquarium-loving dopers, unite with me. My email alone will be ignored, but many together may convince these people to give us a longer demo time! I would even be happy with a $5 trial month, especially if the $5 was taken off the price of the game once purchased. You must all download this game and then write firm emails to Pop Cap Games telling them just how wrong they are and how many more people will buy this game with a longer trial period. Or, you can just write the firm email. Or you can ignore me and go have an actual life. 😃 But I’d rather you do the email thing. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2004, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insaneaquarium-deluxe-a-critique/262717/2 "2004-09-02T05:25:57Z")
Or we could get a Doper to take one for the team, pay for it, and tell the rest of us if it’s worth it. Not it! ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2004, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insaneaquarium-deluxe-a-critique/262717/3 "2004-09-02T15:17:53Z")
I paid for it a couple of days ago. As you saw in your hour, the first two tanks are more or less like the original game but with better graphics. There are a few other tweaks but they’re not even worth mentioning other than that there is a bonus level between each tank where you collect money for the virtual tank. The two new tanks are better, and harder, than the first two. I don’t want to give anything away but if you like the first two, you will like this. There are new fish types which make things a bit more challanging to get to the end and harder aliens to fight. There are also new friends to use but I always ended up making my three choices from the old guys (usually whale, octopus and mermaid.) After you finish the fourth tank, there is a “final boss” level which is very tough. I haven’t beaten it yet. You need to finish this before you can play the Challange Game. I haven’t even looked at the virtual tank yet so I can’t help you there. Haj ---
**Author:** ![Jayn\_Newell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jayn\_Newell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayn_Newell)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2004, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/insaneaquarium-deluxe-a-critique/262717/4 "2004-09-02T19:52:00Z")
It’s out? Finally! _runs to download_ An hour trial is pretty standard for most games, but you’re right, sometimes it isn’t anywhere near enough. This is one of the few games I’m seriously considering plunking down the money for. But you have to see the extras before you know if they’re worth paying for, since from what you’ve described, you get to finish the online game before time runs out and that’s probably about it.