Manatee Sanctuary – It’s All Fun and Games… Until the Manatees Get Too Hungry

Manatees are in danger, and it’s up to you to create the perfect sanctuary where they can swim, play, and munch on food without a care in the world. But you’re not the only one with this brilliant idea. Other players are working toward the same goal, and only one of you will build the most successful sanctuary.

👥 2-6 players, ages 8+
⌛ Playing time: 30 minutes
📝 Designer: Grayden Baker
🎨 Artwork: Andrew Bosley

🏢 Publisher: Warped Reality Games (preview copy provided)
Check out the Kickstarter campaign by clicking here

Gameplay Overview

Manatee Sanctuary plays out over three rounds, where you’ll expand your refuge and welcome these gentle sea cows into their new home.

Each round starts with five cards dealt to every player. You’ll split them into two piles, either two and three or one and four. Then, you hand both piles over to your neighbor, who picks one to keep and gives the other back. This means you could end up with as few as two cards or as many as eight before moving into the action phase.

Now comes the big decision: how to use your cards. Each card has two possible actions, one on the top and one on the bottom, but you can only choose one per card.

Building Your Sanctuary

If you use the bottom half of a card, you’ll expand your sanctuary. These cards show a number, which determines how much space you have for manatees, as well as parts of flowers. When you tuck the card under your starting tile or another previously placed card, you must complete at least one flower, which immediately gives you one food. Some cards won’t have a number at all but instead offer end-game scoring bonuses.

Attracting Manatees & Producing Food

If you use the top half of a card, you can attract manatees and/or produce food.

Manatees come in three types, and each one behaves a little differently. The gray ones are regular residents and don’t need anything special. The yellow ones are playful and take up extra space in your sanctuary. The pink ones are always hungry and eat twice as much food during the feeding phase.

Depending on the icons on your card, you’ll either randomly draw or search for specific manatees from the bag and place them in your preparation zone. If you already have at least one yellow manatee, you’ll need to draw an extra one since their playful nature attracts even more friends. Once you’ve drawn your manatees, you have to place them into your sanctuary, fitting them into the available space. If you can’t, you’ll have to return them to the bag, losing two points for each one.

The other option on the top half of the card is harvesting food. For each harvest symbol on the card, you’ll gain as much food as the number of flowers you’ve completed.

Feeding & Scoring

Once all the manatees have been placed and food has been collected, it’s time to feed your guests. Gray and yellow manatees each require one food, while pink manatees need two. If you don’t have enough food to go around, any unfed manatees must be sent back to the bag, and you’ll lose two points for each one.

At the end of the round, you’ll score points based on the color of your manatees and which round it is. For the next round, card drafting switches directions.

After three rounds, you’ll tally up any end-game scoring bonuses. Whoever has the most points wins and can proudly say they’ve built the best manatee sanctuary!

Game Info

Designed by Grayden Baker and published by Warped Reality Games, Manatee Sanctuary is a game for two to six players, ages 8+, with a playtime of around thirty minutes. If the publisher sounds familiar, that’s because they previously released Potions of Azerland, which was funded through crowdfunding a few years ago. This time, they’re bringing Manatee Sanctuary to Kickstarter, with the campaign set to launch on February 25.

Components & Artwork

We had the opportunity to try out a preview copy, so while some details may change in the final production, what we’ve seen so far gives a strong impression of what to expect.

The game comes in a small, portable box that makes it easy to bring along for game nights. Inside, there are player boards and starting tiles for up to six players, as well as screen-printed markers for food, flowers, and scoring. A drawstring bag holds the wooden manatee meeples, which you’ll be pulling from during the game. The deck consists of ninety sanctuary cards, and ten bonus cards are included to introduce additional goals.

Visually, Manatee Sanctuary makes an impression. The artwork, created by Andrew Bosley, has a warm and inviting style that suits the theme perfectly. If you’re familiar with his work, you’ll recognize the attention to detail and the way the illustrations bring the setting to life.

A Relaxed but Engaging Experience

At first glance, Manatee Sanctuary seems like a light and breezy game, and in many ways, it is. The rules are straightforward, and you can be up and running in about five minutes. But once you start playing, there’s a lot to think about.

The game combines card drafting with an “I split, you choose” system. Instead of picking from a shared pool, you decide how to divide your own cards before offering them to your opponent. This means you’re not just selecting the best option for yourself, but also trying to guide what your opponent takes. The challenge is finding a way to split your cards so that you still end up with what you need, without making it too obvious what you’re after.

Unlike traditional drafting games where players take a single card and pass the rest, Manatee Sanctuary keeps you engaged in your opponent’s choices as much as your own. You have to anticipate what they want, read their strategy, and adjust your decisions accordingly. This back-and-forth makes the game feel more interactive than many other drafting games, where players are often just focused on their own hand.

Some Luck, but Nothing Overwhelming

There’s a bit of unpredictability when it comes to drawing manatees from the bag. Sometimes you’ll pull exactly what you want, and sometimes you’ll get an unexpected challenge. If you’re already short on food and end up drawing a few pink manatees, you might find yourself in a tough spot, scrambling to feed extra guests.

That said, this element of chance never takes over the game. It keeps things from feeling too rigid, but it’s not something that will make or break a well-planned strategy. If anything, it creates small moments of tension that keep the game interesting.

An Extra Challenge with Bonus Cards

For those who like a bit more complexity, the game includes bonus cards that introduce additional scoring opportunities. At the start of each game, three of these cards are placed under the round tracker. As the rounds progress, these give players an extra way to score if they meet specific requirements.

The goals vary, from earning points for certain colors of flowers to collecting specific types of manatees or arranging your sanctuary in a particular shape. Because all three cards are visible from the beginning, you can work toward them throughout the game, rather than being caught off guard by last-minute scoring conditions.

Similarities to The Great Split

If you’ve played The Great Split, you’ll likely notice some familiar elements. The way players divide cards and try to influence what their opponents take feels very similar, but Manatee Sanctuary brings its own spin to the concept. The sanctuary-building aspect brings a different decision point, and the way you manage space and food means that choices feel connected beyond just drafting.

Final Thoughts

One of the most interesting things about Manatee Sanctuary is how much it makes you think without feeling overly complex. The “I split, you choose” mechanism puts you in a position where you need to balance your choices carefully. Sometimes it’s about creating a well-balanced split, but other times, it’s about trying to steer your opponent toward a decision that benefits you more than it benefits them.

When we played with our youngest kids, they needed a little time to get used to this type of decision-making, since it wasn’t as straightforward as simply picking the best card. But after a couple of rounds, they got the hang of it and really enjoyed trying to outguess each other.

If you’re looking for a game that is easy to learn but still makes you think, this one is worth checking out. It doesn’t have the deep, layered strategy of heavier games, but that’s not what it’s trying to do. Instead, it creates an interactive, engaging experience that plays quickly while still giving you meaningful choices.

The theme is a big part of its appeal as well. Not many games focus on marine conservation, and Manatee Sanctuary does a great job of making that concept feel engaging without turning it into a dry educational experience.

Is It for You?

This is a game that works well for players who enjoy light to medium strategy games, especially those who like games with interactive drafting mechanics. If you prefer highly competitive, cutthroat experiences, it might not be the best fit, but if you enjoy games where reading your opponent is just as important as your own choices, Manatee Sanctuary has a lot to offer.

It’s approachable, rewarding, and plays quickly without feeling shallow. Whether you’re playing with family, friends, or even younger players who are just getting into board games, it has the kind of gameplay that keeps things interesting without becoming overwhelming.

📝 We received a preview copy of the game from Warped Reality Games. Some elements may change in the final production.