Review of Tempopo: Charming Puzzles and Catchy Tunes

Are you feeling stressed? Like, if life was a TV show, I’d be on some drama series—lost in a plot twist. Why do I even think like this? Anyway, point is, stress levels are high.

When my week feels like it turned into a survival game, last thing I wanna do is just “chill.” Cozy games? Never my go-to. I crave something that challenges the mind. Something to match life’s chaos with a different kind of chaos, if you get what I mean.

Then there’s Tempopo. Perfect blend—like having coffee and ice cream together. Ever tried that? From the brains behind Unpacking, it’s a musical puzzle game. You guide these cute radish-like buddies through 3D puzzle mazes. There’s a story somewhere in there, sort of: Hana, this maestro, lost her tonal flowers across some sky islands. And only her magical radish pals can bring ’em back. Sounds wild, right?

Keep your ramen facts straight though—Tempopo isn’t Tampopo the movie. Haven’t seen it? Apparently, it’s a ramen masterpiece on film. But back to Tempopo—feels like if Toad’s Treasure Tracker and meditation had a brainy baby. Puzzles that are just tricky enough but won’t leave you feeling like you need a PhD. Remember when games required notebooks? No need here if you’re coming off some mind-bending stint with Blue Prince.

Each Tempopo map is its own quirky dance. Picture radish-robots, shifting and shaking to your commands to grab flowers, dodge perils. Like a mini-engineering problem mixed with choreography. One moment, turning into a block; the next, sprouting a leaf and taking flight like Totoro. You plan it all out first, then see what sticks—trial and error all the way. Kids and future computer whizzes? This game’s practically coding in disguise.

Oh, and let’s not skip the soundtrack—my ears practically hugged me. Jeff van Dyck’s work elevates the game beyond just puzzles. Witch Beam’s knack for mood-setting shines, bringing tracks that hit like retro gold. Seriously, one minute I’m prepping radish moves, the next, I’m bopping to some tune and thinking—is this Frou Frou or am I time-warping?

Once you snag enough of those lost blooms, it’s off to Hana’s garden you go, swapping thumb cramps for dirt-under-nails fun. Not much to unlock, really, but planting those flowers turns into its own little serenade—strangely fulfilling, in a dreamlike way.

Visuals and sounds scream cozy, but the brainwork reminds me more of The Incredible Machine. Or maybe Lemmings? It’s in that vicinity. When stress is clinging on like clingy cling wrap, Tempopo was my focus fix for a few hours.

Dropped onto the scene April 17, Tempopo’s here for Steam, Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. Got one of those? You’re all set to dive into this quirky, radish-filled escapade.