Sweetest Comeback Award : Suika Game
2023 In Revue
Game : Suika Game
Developer : Aladdin X
Publisher : Aladdin X
Platforms : Nintendo Switch, Mobile
Release : 20/10/23 (EN)
What else could it be?
Originally released in Japan at the end of 2021, a surge of online popularity this past year gave Suika Game a second life and an English eshop release in October.
A physics-based puzzle game filled with cute fruit that takes minutes to play, the appeal of Suika is obvious. When two of the same fruit touch, they merge into a single bigger fruit until you reach the height of evolution : the titular Suika (watermelon). If the beaker you drop fruit into overflows or one fruit ricochets out of it, you lose. The goal is to keep merging ~~pears ~~pairs of fruit for as long as you can to rack up points. When you lose, you can see how your score compares to your past attempts that day and against the rest of the world, or just get right back in the beaker.
In light of its recent success Suika has enjoyed temporary Halloween and Christmas themes and an official Nintendo Switch Online Game Trial! Even if I feel the addictive game loop might verge on "ruinous" at times, its resurgence is well-earned.
This essay was originally written for my Twine game “2023 In Revue”, which you can play here https://citrusityy.itch.io/2023-in-revue. Thumbnail art by Game & Burger / . I’d also like to recommend ‘s review of Suika Game, which you can find here :
