Summary
Following its worldwide release two years after it initially came out in Japan,Suika Gamealso known asWatermelon Gamehas exploded in popularity after high-profile streamers such as Ludwig, LilyPichu, and QTCinderella expanded the game’s reach with Western audiences. Created by Alladin X,Suika Gamewas actually never intended to be a game released for typical gaming audiences as it was originally developed to be played on the company’s digital projectors. However,Suika Gameproved so popular and successful that it was released by Nintendo on itseShopwhere it continued to thrive with Japanese gamers.
Now that same success has been replicated with players worldwide asSuika Gamewas finally made available outside of Japan still via Nintendo’s eShop. Yet despite being comparable to the likes of mobile games from a cute, colorful aesthetic to its easy-to-understand but difficult-to-master gameplay,Suika Gamehas received millions of downloads already within a month of its worldwide launch and has becomeone of Nintendo’s most downloaded gamesoutpacing even its own games such asPikmin 4andThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Its most recent rise in the gaming community, however, is thanks to streamers and VTubers boostingSuika Game’s profile.
RELATED:It’s Time to Bring Virtual Console to the Nintendo Switch
While its recent success can be traced back to popular streamers with large audiences bringing attention to the game, it wouldn’t be fair to suggest thatSuika Gamewould never have made it big on its own. Proven by the fact thatSuika Gamewas madeexclusively available via Nintendo’s eShopin Japan after it was praised by Alladin X’s customers who bought its digital projectors, it’s clear the game was most likely going to be popular with or without any external help. Like other mobile games that saw sudden popularity such asFlappy Bird,Suika Gamehad an appealing design with simple fruit-merging mechanics all at a very affordable price.
How Suika Game Became a Viral Streaming Sensation
UnlikeFlappy Birdwhose rise gave way to its infamous fall,Suika Gameis better compared to games likeAmong Uswhen considering how streaming played a role in its resurgence in popularity years after its original release. Just asAmong Usbecame a hit on Twitchduring Covid-19 due to its simple, distinctive design and broad accessibility,Suika Gamehas similarly been picked up by Western streamers after its release outside of Japan for these same reasons. After all, it’s a testament toSuika Gamebeing so easy and entertaining to play despite the fact it does not currently support English translation.
So whileSuika Game’s family-friendly design and simplistic but competitive gameplay ensured the game would be well-received by casual gamers, its renewed surge of success two years after its release is fundamentally down to streamers andVTubers on platforms like Twitchraising the game’s notoriety. Likewise, its design and gameplay are also what brought those same streamers to playSuika Gamein the first place, and together they led the game to become a viral sensation. While Alladin X reported thatSuika Game’s Switch sales have exceeded those from its original release, it remains to be seen how long its recent success will last.
Suika Gameis available now on Nintendo Switch.
MORE:The Wii U/3DS eShop Closure Makes Another Great Argument for Preservation Efforts
