I finally understand the hype around the Playdate game Root Bear

Root Bear is one of those games that seems to get recommended all the time to new Playdate owners looking for somewhere to start. After months of encountering the title on the internet and vaguely wondering what could be so great about a game where all you do is pour root beer for bears, I finally decided to give it a go this weekend. And, yup, I totally get it now. Root Bear is ridiculously fun — emphasis on ridiculous.

Root Bear is a $3 Catalog game in which your goal is to achieve the perfect pour from the root beer tap while picky customers (all bears, of course) judge your work. You can also get it on itch.io. The game requires precise use of the crank to get the root beer flowing at just the right rate, and cut it off at just the right time so it doesn’t go above or fall short of the desired fill line. There’s foam to consider too, and how it settles can really mess you up if you aren’t careful. The closer you get to a perfect pour, the more money you’ll earn.

It’s exactly the kind of design to bring out a person’s competitive streak. But the best part about Root Bear is the bears themselves. Or, their reactions. The first time I royally messed up a customer’s order, the bear let loose a Howie Scream that I was in no way prepared for — with a facial expression to match — and I was completely floored. So yes, Root Bear is a really good, really silly time.