Água: The Water Cycle (2011)

This game is about the water cycle: that it evaporates from the sea, rivers, lakes, etc, into the air, where it forms clouds, the clouds move with winds, when they pass over mountains it starts raining, the rain will supply rivers, lakes and underground water, and from here it goes to the sea.

What it’s not so obvious that they learn is that the quantity of water in the planet, in it’s different forms, does not increase or decrease over the centuries. The population is increasing fast, and that this is originating problems in the water cycle all over the world. This is leading to shortages of water in some regions and to very difficult life conditions.

In this game, players can influence the water cycle. The board represents the water cycle, with all the elements described above, each of them is numbered (from 1 to 6). Players throw dices and each of them choose a movement (one dice) that they want to do. Then they will have to move their water (colour cubes for each player) between those elements. The board also has the population, that is increasing at the same time it’s fed with water, and players will try to ensure the population gets the water that it needs. Only this way can they get points. If a player cannot do the movement for the die they chose (or were forced to choose), they LOSE 1 point

The player who can ensure the best balance of water between the different elements of the water cycle, whilst being able to give it to the population whenever there is an opportunity, will make more points and win the game.