- A healing simulation combining ecosystem restoration and animal collection rendered in pixel art
- Steam 89% ‘Very Positive’ · PC Gamer · Steam Deck HQ Praised… Official Korean Support
Publisher Slug Disco Studios and one-person developer inDirection Games will release the healing garden management simulation game ‘Horticular’ on Nintendo Switch on April 30.
The game has consistently received favorable reviews, recording a ‘Very Positive’ rating on Steam with 89% of its 361 user reviews being positive. It is sold on the Nintendo eShop for $19.99 (21,500 KRW domestically) and includes the main game and the full campaign DLC ‘Frozen Frontier’.
A journey to revive a neglected garden… gameplay centered on ecosystem restoration
Horticula is a healing simulation game that depicts the process of a player, summoned by mysterious Gnome Keepers, reviving a long-neglected garden. The core of the game goes beyond simply planting vegetation; it involves designing an environment where various creatures can thrive and gradually restoring the ecosystem.
Players must create habitats to attract animals to their gardens and protect nature from gradually expanding pollution. It features a combination of the management mechanics of RollerCoaster Tycoon and Zoo Tycoon with the creature collection and habitat design elements of Viva Piñata and Pokémon Pokopia.
The Aesthetics of ‘Healing’ Completed with Pixel Art
One of Horticula’s greatest strengths is its aesthetically rendered visual perfection. Various environments, such as deserts, lakes, and grasslands, are realized within the garden, and the increasingly beautiful scenery as the game progresses is a major reward. In particular, the warm-toned pixel art emphasizes a relaxing atmosphere and visually and convincingly conveys the genre’s characteristics as a “healing game.”
Overseas media outlets praised the game, stating that “pixel art itself is a joy,” and noted that the process of transforming landscapes and summoning new life forms using various tools is impressive. Additionally, the fact that it runs stably in a Steam Deck environment without separate settings is also cited as a strength.
PC version stands out for its community scalability… Steem 89% ‘Very Positive’
The PC Steam version also offers various extension features. Through Twitch integration, viewers can engage in unique interactions, such as naming creatures or gnomes that appear in the garden or sending in-game messages to the streamer.
In addition, active support for mods based on the Steam Workshop is also taking place. Another feature is the continued expansion of community-driven content, such as the emergence of large-scale mods that add new regions, stories, and hundreds of types of animals and items.
It has achieved a ‘Very Positive’ rating on Steam, with 89% of the 361 reviews being positive. Many players comment that while the beginning of the game unfolds somewhat slowly, they become immersed in the process of the garden being completed as time goes by.
In particular, opinions continue to express attraction to the depth of the habitat design and ecosystem construction systems, with the prevailing evaluation being that it is a “game good for leisurely enjoyment.”
A Solo Developer’s 5-Year Project That Dreamed of ‘Viva Piñata’
The developer inDirection Games is a studio founded by Sweden-based solo developer Robert Kaufmann. Robert has been developing this as a personal project for a long time, continuing with the goal of presenting a work of a quality that he himself is satisfied with.
Horticula, filled with the developers’ passion, began full-scale development in early 2021 and took about five years to complete. Following its official release on Steam in July 2024, it has expanded its content by releasing the ‘Frozen Frontier’ DLC in February 2025.
The leisurely sense of accomplishment from the process of caring for nature and restoring the ecosystem, and the joy of watching a garden gradually come to life. Horticula is announcing its release on April 30 to once again showcase the essential fun that a healing game can offer through satisfaction that builds slowly rather than quick rewards.
Horticular related information
| item | detail |
|---|---|
| Developer | inDirection Games (Sweden, solo developer Robert Kaufmann) |
| Publisher | Slug Disco Studios (Liverpool, UK) |
| Genre | Cozy Garden Management Simulation / Ecosystem Builder |
| Release platform | Nintendo Switch / PC (Steam·Epic Games Store) |
| Nintendo Switch release date | April 30, 2026 |
| PC release date | July 11, 2024 (Steam) |
| Nintendo Switch content | Main Game + Frozen Frontier DLC provided simultaneously |
| Steam rating | Very positive (89% positive out of 361) |
| Korean language support | Official support |
| price | 21,500 won (Nintendo Switch) |
| PC-exclusive features | Twitch integration, Steam Workshop, and full mod support |
| Inspired game | RollerCoaster Tycoon · Zoo Tycoon · Viva Piñata · Pokémon Pokopia |
| Steam Page | https://store.steampowered.com/app/1928540 |
