A few years ago, I came across a quirky but addictive puzzle game. It was a matching game, but instead of pairing colored blocks, you combine fruit to make larger ones. The game is Suica Game. Now in 2026, the developers of that game have released a follow-up, Suica Game Planet. It’s still as addictive, even though the change isn’t that significant.
Get that Watermelon
Suica is the Japanese word for Watermelon. In the Suica duo of games, you are combining fruits in the hopes of evolving them into a Watermelon. So, you take two cherries, which transform into a strawberry. Then, mix two strawberries to form a bunch of grapes. The process continues until you get to the Watermelon.
In the first game, you dropped fruit into a jar to match them, but also not causing them to spill out. In Suica Planet, the playing surface is different. This time, the playing field is a “planet” environment, and you’re firing the fruit into the middle. Your goal is still the same: evolve the fruit without them spilling outside of the “planet” play area.
“Gravity,” and yes, I put those in quotations, plays a part here. Items drop to the center of the play area, but weight also plays a role. This is where the game is both fun and frustrating. Since you have to factor in the weight of these fruits, placement matters. Physics plays a part in how the fruit interacts, and it can lead to a game over.
Not always clear on weight
But this weight aspect can cause frustration. The gravity doesn’t act in the way that you’d think. This is obvious as you begin developing or placing fruits of different sizes. I noticed that even when you have larger fruit on the stage, they don’t ‘overpower’ the smaller ones. This leads to your larger fruit being more likely to spill out of the stage instead of being in the center.
The game wants you to aim to spread the fruit as best you can. So, let’s say you have an apple in the middle. If you get a strawberry, you should aim for one side. Then, if the next fruit isn’t the same fruit, then try to place it on the opposite side. If you put too many fruits on one side of that Apple, even if it’s a cherry, you will push the Apple away from the centre.
An aspect of the first game that was annoying was that you could have a run end too soon because of the game’s physics. It was a common occurrence that fruit would bounce out of the stage, and your run would end immediately. They adjusted this facet of the game for Suica Planet. Fruit can cross the playing surface, and your game won’t end immediately.
Too big or too small
Two things will happen. If the fruit is only a bit over, nothing happens, and you’re able to continue playing. But, if a certain amount of the fruit is off the stage, you’ll get a warning. If nothing changes, a timer begins, and you’re given five seconds to try to save yourself. I appreciate this change, but it’s unclear how much of a fruit can spill outside of the playing surface. I’ve tried to examine each piece of fruit, but it doesn’t feel like there is a clear percentage of what can cross.
Also, the game doesn’t let you spam fruit. You have to wait for a fruit to land before you can fire the next one. So, if you’re hoping to pair a few fruits in the hopes of saving a run, that’s not possible. This prevented me from saving a few runs. So be aware of this when you’re hoping to string a few combos.
Like the first game, once you reach Watermelon, you will see how small the playing surface is. I haven’t been able to get beyond Watermelon, getting close on a few attempts. But once you have the last two or three largest fruits, you will have to hope that the game’s physics work in your favor.
Limited but addictive
Suica Game Planet isn’t a revolutionary follow-up. It’s more or less the same game played on a new surface. The game doesn’t have any other features. While that would be a bad thing, this is a $5 game, so you’re getting exactly what you’d expect. I’m not sure what they could do for the next game. If they plan on doing another, I know I’ll still end up putting in way too many hours into it.
