Overview
At a glance
Is this game right for my group?
ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.
Harder to teach
High replayability
Highly interactive
Scales well
Deep strategy
More strategic control
How it plays
How does it play?
Expand a shared undersea research station, hire scientists, launch submarines, harvest resources, and search the ocean floor for treasure and lost Atlantis.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Grid Movement
Move pieces between adjacent spaces on a regular grid.
Income
Receive recurring resources according to your position, assets, or development.
Movement Points
Spend a movement allowance across spaces with different costs.
Hidden Victory Points
Some scores remain concealed until a reveal or the end of the game.
End Game Bonuses
Earn additional points for meeting conditions evaluated when the game ends.
Read the full game description
Nautilus is a substantial economic exploration game set on the ocean floor. Players jointly expand a network of research-station modules, paying costs determined by water depth and positioning scientists in laboratories that improve specific actions. Submarines travel away from the station to survey new sectors, extract raw materials, recover treasure, and pursue the hidden location of Atlantis. Income and development are tightly linked: spending heavily on modules can establish long-term advantages, but expeditions are required to convert the map’s opportunities into points. Because the station is shared, one player’s construction may open efficient routes or valuable spaces for everyone else. Hidden victory information and endgame bonuses make exact standings difficult to read, rewarding balanced development rather than a single obvious engine.
