Diatoms is a puzzly tile-placement and pattern-making game. Players create their own microscopic mosaic inspired by an obscure Victorian art form.
Hidden in water all around us are tiny lifeforms called diatoms. These microscopic algae come in exquisite geometric shapes and patterns. Their outer layer is made of silica, which gives them a glass-like appearance. At the Society for the Microscopic Arts, these diatoms are carefully collected and arranged on slides. As part of your induction, you will create your own piece for today’s Exhibition of Microscopic Mosaics.
In Diatoms, you compete with other players to collect and place diatom shapes into a growing mosaic. Players take turns placing tiles that represent algae colonies. Each placement earns diatoms of different colors and shapes. You then arrange these diatoms on your personal board. Careful planning matters, as scoring is evaluated at the end of the game. Base scoring rewards matching colors, shape variety, and symmetry along the mosaic’s central lines. Each game may also include a guest judge card that adds a unique scoring rule.
Diatoms also features a solo mode. In this variant, you collect diatoms as usual while completing specific mosaic commission objectives.
