Skip to main content
Bargain Basement Bathysphere box art

Bargain Basement Bathysphere

Game ID: GID0037711
Game Info
Year
2022
Collection
Rating
Mechanic profile
Not enough video data yet
Vibe profile
Not enough video data yet
Description

You have recently become the owners of the leakiest bathysphere this side of Beachside Bay, but that doesn't stop your sense of adventure when it comes to exploring the depths! Well, unless you don't make it back to the surface....

Bargain Basement Bathysphere, designed for the 2018 solitaire print-and-play contest on BGG, is a campaign-styled roll-and-write game with legacy elements; the game becomes more complex as you work your way through the maps. It's designed to be a "no build" game (at least initially), so once you print out the pages you can immediately jump in and play — but try not to look ahead!

—description from the designer

Description

You have recently become the owners of the leakiest bathysphere this side of Beachside Bay, but that doesn't stop your sense of adventure when it comes to exploring the depths! Well, unless you don't make it back to the surface....

Bargain Basement Bathysphere, designed for the 2018 solitaire print-and-play contest on BGG, is a campaign-styled roll-and-write game with legacy elements; the game becomes more complex as you work your way through the maps. It's designed to be a "no build" game (at least initially), so once you print out the pages you can immediately jump in and play — but try not to look ahead!

—description from the designer

Ask a Rules Question
All mentions
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 2
This page: 2
Sentiment: pos 2 · mix 0 · neu 0 · neg 0
Mentions per page
Showing 1–2 of 2
Video 3t969YV2OGw Watch It Played Playthrough at 0:08 sentiment: positive
video_pk 64273 · mention_pk 157725
Watch It Played - Bargain Basement Bathysphere video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:08 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Engaging underwater exploration theme with a campaign structure
  • Varied mechanics including salvage, divers, and mini-games
  • Upgrade system via Salvage Rama adds long-term progression
Cons
  • High risk and heavy luck elements can be stressful
  • Complex rules may be challenging for beginners
Thematic elements
  • Salvage and diving campaign
  • Underwater exploration in Beachside Bay
  • Campaign-based, scenario-driven exploration
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Aqua Museum (mini-game) — A side mini-game where discovered aquatic life is tracked; completing tanks grants a one-time re-roll.
  • Campaign — Campaign unfolds over multiple scenarios with upgrades unlocked via Salvage Rama.
  • Campaign progression — Campaign unfolds over multiple scenarios with upgrades unlocked via Salvage Rama.
  • Dice pool management — Start with a pool of dice; dice are spent to move along tracks and to resolve actions; re-rolls reduce the pool and increase risk.
  • diver rescue and scoring — Rescuing divers yields points and divers have specific values; some divers can perish if not saved in time.
  • Hazard mechanics — Hazards include stress, oxygen loss, and damage; certain spaces trigger hazards or whirlpools that complicate movement.
  • map/path progression — Traverse a map with designated spaces; backtracking is not allowed; landing can activate hazards.
  • mini-games — A side mini-game where discovered aquatic life is tracked; completing tanks grants a one-time re-roll.
  • Point Salad — Salvage spaces award points; salvage value is determined by dice spent; accumulating salvages can trigger upgrades via Salvage Rama.
  • salvage and scoring — Salvage spaces award points; salvage value is determined by dice spent; accumulating salvages can trigger upgrades via Salvage Rama.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Bargain Basement bathysphere is a solo Roland right campaign
  • load up our oxygen tank put on some flippers and uh see how many points we can get from the bottom of this ocean
  • divers are always getting lost in Beachside Bay under the water it's a problem and you're going to have to go down and rescue some of these divers
  • it's not for the fan of heart
  • 42 points
  • the Salvage Rama is the way that the Harbor Master is going to help us upgrade our bathysphere through the rest of the game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video GIBNq6AuHCg AzureDeath | Solo Board Gaming Top List at 19:36 sentiment: positive
video_pk 9448 · mention_pk 27909
AzureDeath | Solo Board Gaming - Bargain Basement Bathysphere video thumbnail
Click to watch at 19:36 · YouTube ↗
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Great introduction to Legacy games
  • Low-cost starting point with accessible print-and-play origins
Cons
  • Free prints may require additional printing effort
  • Some players may prefer finished physical production
Thematic elements
  • Legacy evolution with campaign-based changes
  • Undersea exploration with legacy elements
  • Educational, gradual reveal of mechanics
Comparison games
  • Legacy games like Risk Legacy
  • Sea-based exploration games
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Dice-driven diving and oxygen management — Roll dice to dive, manage oxygen and bathysphere integrity
  • Legacy-style campaign progression — Permanent changes across sessions as you explore deeper into the ocean
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • it's very thematic, basically a gamification of the process of creating a character in DND
  • the AI opponent is very smooth and doesn't take a lot of upkeep
  • it's one page front and back, that's it very, very simple rules
  • this is known as a raw and ripe game and it's a pretty beloved genre
  • the universe games come with mini expansion modules that add replayability
  • an 18-card masterpiece
  • print this right here to turn it into a flip and ride game
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Top
Showing 1–2 of 2
View on BoardGameGeek