El-Fish Download (1993 Simulation Game)

Co-designed by the creator of Tetris, El-Fish is an aquarium simulator that lets players catch, breed, and evolve their own fish. Aesthetics such as gravel, backgrounds, ornaments, animated objects, and plants can be selected to customize the aquarium. Randomly generated fish are first "caught" from a pond, then bred with other fish and "evolved" over a span of seconds or minutes, depending on the computer's processing speed. Size, shape, scale color, fin type, and hundreds of other traits ensure no two fish are exactly the same. Once a fish has evolved, the computer automatically renders it in 3D with a custom animation sequence. Players can then watch their fish swim in the tank while listening to a computer-generated soundtrack. Fish and aquariums can also be shared with other owners of El-Fish.

A fish and aquarium simulator, El-Fish lets your catch, breed, evolve, and even mutate tropical fish, then render them and let them loose in an aquarium that you design.

Except for a few pre-canned graphics and animations, all fish, plants, and even backdrops and floor gravel in El-Fish are generated by the user using genetic algorithms that simulate real life in both appearance and movement. Even the music you want to play in the background can be generated with one of eight musical styles.

A unique and refreshing simulation, El Fish lets you breed -- err-- fish and watch them live in a virtual aquarium. Every aesthetic factor involved in aquarium design is at your disposal, including tank decorations, types of water, etc. The program does not profess to create a realistic ecosystem: rather, it is aimed at simulating different types of fish you create (which are virtually unlimited, thanks to an ingenious and robust fish design interface). After you're done with designing, there's not a whole lot to do, but watching your creation on screen is quite relaxing :)

How to run this game on modern Windows PC?

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