Nintendo’s behemoths may reign supreme in many markets, but in the 2023 landscape of Japan’s Switch eShop, a tiny watermelon cracked the top. This game dethroned the likes of Zelda, Mario, and Pikmin, among others. Suika Game is the unlikely champion, a downloadable title that took the nation by storm.
At its core, Suika Game is a deceptively simple concept and seems unlikely to have been the David to beat these Goliaths. All you do is drop fruits onto the ground and merge those that look the same as others. It requires you to think because fruits can block others, and they grow as they merge, making things harder.
Suika Game’s popularity can be attributed to several factors. Its easy-to-grasp yet addictive gameplay loop makes it perfect for quick bursts of fun, ideal for an audience on the go. This would be a huge piece of the Switch audience. It’s especially helpful that it works will with the touch screen, because you can just press where you want the fruit to end up.
Here is the full list of 30 games for those who are interested (via Nintendo Everything):
- Suika Game
- Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
- Pikmin 4
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder
- Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
- Splatoon 3
- Overcooked 2
- Super Mario RPG
- Fire Emblem Engage
- Monster Hunter Rise
- Zelda: Breath of the Wild
- Pokemon Violet
- Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection Vol. 2
- Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons
- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy
- Minecraft
- Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection Vol. 1
- Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe
- Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
- Human: Fall Flat
- Persona 4 Golden
- Among Us
- Momotaro Dentetsu World: Chikyuu wa Kibou de Mawatteru
- Pikmin 2
- Pokemon Scarlet
- Nintendo Switch Sports
- Pikmin 1
- Momotaro Dentetsu: Showa, Heisei, Reiwa mo Teiban
You cannot deny that the likes of Zelda and Mario offer expansive worlds and intricate narratives, but sometimes you want something quick and easy. That’s where the success of Suika Game may come in. It dominated Japan’s Switch eStore by having a simple idea executed with wit and polish. If anything, this game may be great for users in the western territories to try. We’d recommend trying this game out, especially because it beat all the others.
If you’re interested, there’s a free version online. It’s not as good as the real version, but it gives you a good idea of the game.
