How to Play Oasis

Strategy Tips

• Invest in mines early. They build technology over the entire course of the level once they are started.
• Invest in as many mines as possible. The more mines you have, the harder your miners work.
• Build roads as early as possible. Only cities that are connected together increase in population. The more cities that are connected together, the faster they all grow.
• Search cities for treasures. There are more treasures on the Hard and Insane levels of play. Since weapon treasures always appear in ascending order, you can often deduce which cities might still have treasures in them.
• During your 10 seconds of troop movement, try to concentrate your forces at the city the barbarians will strike first. You’ll also want to take advantage of the city treasures you find, so you may have to make a tough choice between a close city and a city with lots of treasures.
• Don't be too greedy and try to take too many Oasis tiles. It's a sure way to lose! Always focus on a military victory first, then, if you're confident that you're going to win, grab the low-hanging fruit.
• If you have enough turns, finish the Oasis. There’s a big scarab power bonus, and a chance to get to the Bonus Level.

Notes from the Designers

• Oasis was designed to be played fast. Although players can ponder their every move, Oasis is a game of risk taking and exploration.
• Take chances. Generally, your Scarab Power and the Glyph will defeat the barbarians. You have a safety net.
• If you’re winning the game on Normal or Hard, try Insane. It’s designed to be very challenging, but there are also more treasures and greater opportunities for more technology.
• Oasis was designed around the central principle that there should be no such thing as a “bad click.” The idea was to see what it would be like to play a game with lots of carrots, and only one, very big stick.
• Try watching other people play Oasis. It’s fascinating to see other strategies. Much like a card game, you’ll see many approaches to play.