Land of Mushrooms promises a whimsical adventure in a world of fungi, where players blend, merge, and connect mushrooms to create new ones. It’s marketed as a casual experience, with cheerful visuals and relaxing gameplay. In the land of fungi, though, not all is as enchanting as it seems, and I aim to make that clear in my Land of Mushrooms review. While the game does have adorable graphics and a calm atmosphere, its lack of originality, guidance, and a tendency to lock content behind paid DLCs make it feel more like a repackaged mobile game.
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Game Design – Cosy Appeal but Nothing New
At its core, Land of Mushrooms is a straightforward merging game. Players drop mushrooms into a pot and combine identical ones to watch them “evolve” into bigger, more unique fungi. The mechanics are simple, but that simplicity is part of what makes this game feel so familiar.

Mushroom-themed gameplay aside, it’s difficult to ignore the close resemblance to the widely popular Suika Watermelon Game and various free online adaptations, such as Watermelon GO! on Roblox. I could list many, many more games here in my Land of Mushrooms review, but we’d be here a while.
While the game would cater to anyone seeking cute and uncomplicated gameplay, it lacks the originality that could have set it apart from its many predecessors.
A Lack of Challenging Gameplay
In terms of challenges, players are given bombs to clear mushrooms that take up too much space and a rainbow mushroom that can merge with any other type, which is a nice touch. However, there’s no innovation in these mechanics that hasn’t been seen before. What we have here is essentially a re-skinned version of merging mechanics seen in countless other casual games. The game’s uniqueness lies almost solely in its mushroom theme and aesthetic appeal, which may satisfy a cosy gamer but doesn’t necessarily keep things exciting over time.

Adding to the sense of déjà vu is the limited range of achievements and the fact that 16 of them can be easily unlocked in a short 30-minute session. For a game that could benefit from a bit more depth, relying on nearly identical mechanics from other games makes Land of Mushrooms feel like a missed opportunity to innovate.
Gameplay – Fun, but Unclear and Buggy
Playing Land of Mushrooms is a straightforward experience, but not necessarily a smooth one. The game throws players into the fray with a hand icon holding a mushroom above a pot, but with no instructions or tutorial, the first few moments can feel bewildering. Dropping mushrooms into the pot, trying to align matching ones for upgrades, and dodging the risk of overflow become clear after some trial and error. The lack of guidance may frustrate players who appreciate a little hand-holding, especially in a game aimed at a more casual audience.
Some mushrooms show their full size while being held at the top of the screen, and others are deceptively small. I believe this is a bug, rather than a feature, and its incredibly unhelpful during gameplay.

A second very noticeable bug dampens the experience even more. After a game-over, the total score sometimes displays as zero, negating any progress you’ve made on your score.
A tutorial explaining the game’s mechanics, controls, and objectives would alleviate these minor annoyances and improve first impressions. Given that the mechanics aren’t groundbreaking, I expected a smoother, more polished experience from the start.
Despite these shortcomings, the gameplay becomes enjoyable once the mechanics are understood.
Audio and Visuals – Charming Yet Basic
Land of Mushrooms’ audio and visual design is easily one of its strengths, albeit with some caveats. The mellow soundtrack adds a soothing touch to the gameplay, making it an easy pick for winding down after a long day. Visually, the game goes for a minimalist look with an adorable touch — the mushrooms themselves are the true stars, each adorned with tiny, expressive faces. However, the game’s simplicity in design also feels like it borders on the generic, resembling the type of games often found on mobile platforms or free-to-play websites.

The game’s aesthetic appeal takes a hit with the presence of DLCs, which provide additional skins, backgrounds, and other cosmetic enhancements. While these extras aren’t essential, the fact that they’re locked behind paywalls leaves the base version of the game feeling somewhat bare.
Audio – Relaxing Background Music
The soundtrack in Land of Mushrooms aligns well with its minimalistic, cutesy theme, with pleasant tunes that loop quietly in the background. While pleasant, the music can start to feel repetitive after a while, especially since the gameplay doesn’t have the depth to keep you engrossed for hours. With the nature of the game being simple and casual, the audio complements it well, though a bit more variety could have helped to enhance the ambiance.

Truthfully, it sounds like mellow On-Hold music, but I don’t hate it. Actually, it reminded me a little of LeBlanc’s music from Persona 5. Nowhere near as catchy or detailed, but it had that “close your eyes and bob your head” kind of vibe. It’s something I could listen to for hours, like the tracks on Spirit City: Lofi Sessions. There’s nothing wrong with background music.
Visuals – Cute but Limited Without DLC
Land of Mushrooms has nailed the cottagecore aesthetic with its mushroom designs. The backdrop is intentionally minimalist, drawing all attention to the pot and its lively fungi occupants. The art style was what originally drew me to the game and made me want to write a Land of Mushrooms review.

However, the need to invest in the paid DLC packs for additional backgrounds and skins is a huge pet peeve of mine. While the DLCs are optional, they make the base version of the game feel somewhat lacking. Without the DLCs, the visual experience is a bit basic, resembling casual games you’d expect to find (and can find) for free on mobile or platforms like Roblox. I’m obviously not expecting anything like the customisation in Dress to Impress, but I think a game with so many extra DLCs needs to give its players more of a reason to spend more money.
Eight DLCs is too many, and feels like a money-grab. I am happy to see one of them being offered for free, but I can’t see why the devs didn’t just make the game cost a little extra and let players unlock the skins and backgrounds as rewards. That would have made a much more fulfilling gaming experience.
Verdict – A Cosy Yet Familiar Fungi Adventure
I am never unnecessarily harsh when writing reviews. I judge games on what they’re trying to be rather than pinning them against the entire gaming world. Although my Land of Mushrooms review may read a bit negatively, I only want my readers to be able to understand what a game is like before they spend any money on it.
As such, Land of Mushrooms does check the boxes for a light, cosy game with its endearing visuals and simple mechanics. But, its charm quickly loses ground to a lack of originality, a confusing start due to the absence of a tutorial, and an overall feeling of being a repurposed version of other merging games.

For those who love casual, no-stress games and don’t mind a bit of familiarity, Land of Mushrooms might offer an hour or two of mushroom-merging satisfaction. However, for players expecting something truly innovative or free of additional costs for extra features, this game falls short.
In the end, while Land of Mushrooms is a cute way to pass the time, it’s hard to shake the impression that it could have done more to bring something new to the table — especially given the multitude of similar games available online for free. It’s a 4.5/10 from me.
You can buy Land of Mushrooms on Steam from 31st October 2024. It will also be available on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4|5 from 10th November 2024.