There are plenty of aquarium games where you choose the fish. Drawquarium would rather hand you a pencil. Solo developer Kaleb Lechowski’s cosy sandbox launched on Steam on 13 November 2026, inviting players to sketch their own underwater creatures, plants and decorations, then watch them inhabit a living virtual tank.
It is an idea with a lovely origin: Kaleb, who works as a 3D artist in the film industry, wanted to bring his children’s drawings to life. The project has since attracted substantial attention online, with publisher rokaplay reporting more than 200,000 wishlists around launch. That figure is a publisher claim, not an independently audited sales number, and the difference matters.
Not just a fish-drawing tool
Once your drawings are in the aquarium, the creatures can interact, develop relationships and, according to the official description, even have offspring. Fish need feeding and care, while golden scales unlock more decorations and customisation options.
Players can draw aquatic plants and objects or import their own PNG images. Templates and ready-made creatures are available for anyone whose artistic ambitions exceed their ability to draw something that looks recognisably like a fish. Frankly, some of our imaginary aquarium residents would probably need labels.
There is also a Desktop Wallpaper Mode that lets the aquarium keep moving while you work. A journal, task manager and focus timer add a light productivity element, giving the game a role beyond a conventional sit-down simulation.
The most interesting part is the developer’s restraint
Kaleb’s Steam page is unusually clear about what the game is not. This is not a high-end professional drawing suite, an action game or a deep progression treadmill. The drawing tools are intentionally simple, and there is a free demo so prospective players can see whether the experience suits them before buying.
We appreciate that approach. A small indie project is often stronger when it knows exactly what it wants to be, rather than trying to bolt on every imaginable feature.
How to try Drawquarium
Drawquarium is available on Windows PC via Steam. The publisher lists a regular UK price of £9.99 and an introductory 20% discount; regional pricing and promotional availability should be checked on the store before purchase. A free demo remains available.
Coloured Static Press has now received a review key, and we’ll be playing the full game for a proper hands-on assessment. This first report covers the launch and the developer’s pitch, not a finished verdict. We’ll find out for ourselves how the drawing tools, aquarium interactions and desktop wallpaper mode hold up once we’ve spent time with them.
For an independent game born from children’s drawings, seeing those drawings swim around a digital aquarium feels like a fitting destination.
Try it: Drawquarium on Steam (demo available).
Sources: the official Drawquarium Steam listing, the developer’s Steam development updates and rokaplay’s launch announcement, 13 November 2026. Images are official game screenshots; this is launch reporting rather than a completed review.