Cirno! Lifts a Boulder

About

Cirno! Lifts a Boulder is a single player open world platformer game with fantasy and anime themes. It was developed by Alexander Golke and was released on March 11, 2026. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Help Cirno get back into her home! A chill, bite-sized 3D platformer in which you explore a frozen Misty Lake and gain boulder-lifting strength.

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98%

Audience ScoreBased on 566 reviews

music31 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

Charming and cozy 3D collectathon platformer with cute art style and relaxing music.
Well-designed progression system where collecting power-ups unlocks new movement abilities, making exploration enjoyable.
Short but polished experience offering satisfying gameplay and appealing to both Touhou fans and newcomers.

Game is quite short, with limited content and low replayability beyond completion and achievements.
Movement lacks horizontal options and can feel a bit limited or floaty; camera controls can be awkward.
Some collectibles, especially hidden frogs, are frustratingly camouflaged or placed, and invisible boundaries can be jarring.

music
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
37%
6%
The music in the game is consistently praised for its soft, relaxing, and fairy tale-like ambiance that perfectly complements the cozy, chill atmosphere and vibrant visuals. While some note repetition due to the limited number of tracks, the soundtrack’s charming Touhou-inspired arrangements and calming melodies elevate the overall experience, making it a key highlight that adds nostalgia and warmth.
- “I was also heavily drawn in by the fairy tale-like presentation with its soft musical score and very colorful world.”
- “Combined with the gentle pacing of the gameplay, the music contributes to a cozy experience that feels almost like a playful winter stroll through a magical landscape.”
- “As a fangame there are a lot of references here and there, the covers of the original Touhou OST are very chill, fit the mood and there is more than enough variety to last the game length.”
- “The only real complaint I have is the music is a bit repetitive, it's just three songs looped, but they're catchy enough that I'm not too bothered by it.”
- “It controls well, the music is chill and relaxing (albeit repetitive as it's just the same 2-3 tracks playing over and over).”
- “Adding a few more soundtracks would definitely help (although easier said than done).”
gameplay
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
73%
7%
The gameplay is praised for its fluid, charming 3D platforming mechanics reminiscent of classic titles like Mario 64 and Banjo Kazooie, featuring a satisfying collectathon progression that unlocks new abilities and encourages exploration. While generally enjoyable and accessible, some find it simple or shallow, with minor drawbacks such as the intrusive speedrunner’s clock affecting immersion. Overall, it offers a pleasant, cozy experience balanced between playful mechanics and a relaxed pace, appealing especially to fans of lighthearted platformers.
- “The controls and movement remind me of Mario 64 (albeit more locked down) and the gameplay reminds me of Banjo Kazooie, but you'll draw lines to basically any platformer of that era with this game.”
- “A super fun and charming little 3D Touhou fangame with cool visuals, chill tunes, fluid yet solid platforming mechanics, plenty of hidden secrets and references, and achievements that provide a satisfying amount of replayability.”
- “The mechanics of the game unlock as you collect the red ️ items (and also increase your stamina), which creates really good progression as it allows you to get to higher and harder to reach places the more you collect.”
- “There is something about being constantly reminded of how much time you have spent playing that takes you out of the experience; it ruins your ability to get lost in the gameplay as you always have this thought hanging over your head that you have spent too much time playing.”
- “Gameplay-wise, I will critique it does get boring.”
- “The gameplay is simple and easy to pick up, but maybe a bit shallow for some people.”
graphics
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
49%
48%
3%
The game's graphics feature a charming, low-poly art style reminiscent of classic 64-era platformers, creating a cozy and nostalgic aesthetic that perfectly complements its wintery, playful world. The visuals are praised for their cuteness, clarity, and detailed references to the Touhou franchise, enhancing the overall relaxing and enjoyable experience. While simple, the graphics are well-optimized, polished, and contribute significantly to the game's mood and appeal.
- “Absolutely stellar graphics that are on par with real life, and extremely optimized for that matter as well.”
- “The low-poly graphics reminiscent of the 64-era masterpieces and the atmosphere expressing the silence of winter are well-combined, and the existence of a "sit button" that lets you sit anytime will surely provide a moment of healing.”
- “Art style that feels like it just walked out of a PlayStation developer's dreams, cozy soundtrack, and so many wonderful hidden touches representing all facets of the Touhou Project franchise; there's just so much to take in wandering Misty Lake for those precious power items, appreciating all the little details referencing past and present Touhou entries.”
atmosphere
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
50%
17%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its cozy, relaxing, and immersive qualities, enhanced by snow-covered, fairy tale-like visuals and a soothing soundtrack. Players appreciate the calming, whimsical winter setting that encourages exploration and evokes warmth despite the chilly environment. Overall, the atmosphere strongly contributes to a charming and enjoyable experience that many find both healing and memorable.
- “The low-poly graphics reminiscent of the 64-era masterpieces and the atmosphere expressing the silence of winter are well-combined, and the existence of a "sit button" that lets you sit anytime will surely provide a moment of healing.”
- “The snow present is thick and fills the world with some fog which both is representative of the presentation of the lake from the mainline games but also adds to the fairy tale atmosphere mentioned earlier.”
- “Its minimalist design, charming atmosphere, and satisfying collectible-driven progression make it an enjoyable experience for players who appreciate cozy platformers and whimsical adventures.”
- “The game with this mode has a kinda depressing atmosphere with a feeling of loneliness.”
- “The game is pretty simple on its surface, essentially a 'find the objects' game, but it helps you out when you get stuck and the atmosphere around it feels cozy and chill.”
- “This approach allows players to immerse themselves in a relaxed atmosphere where exploration is the central focus.”
humor
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is charmingly cute and lighthearted, largely driven by playful references, such as Cirno’s mischievous antics and frog-related jokes. Fans appreciate the amusing, whimsical tone and funny character interactions that enhance the relaxed, enjoyable atmosphere.
- “Yeah, it's a really cute game with lots of funny references for Touhou fans.”
- “Really fun hour spent; you can tell the creator understands how your movement options let you move around in funny ways, and your access to items feels very intentional.”
- “Cirno’s mischievous personality and determination to solve her problem give the adventure a humorous tone, emphasizing curiosity and determination rather than danger or dramatic conflict.”
replayability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
The game offers a brief but enjoyable experience with moderate replayability mainly driven by achievements, collectibles, hidden secrets, and multiple endings. While some find it replayable through speedrunning, high score challenges, and exploration, others feel it lacks depth for extensive repeated play. Overall, it provides satisfactory replay value for completionists and fans despite its short length.
- “It's insanely replayable albeit quite quick to 100%.”
- “Great one-shot experience with some good replayability if you like collectathons, improving high scores, or speedrunning.”
- “A super fun and charming little 3D Touhou fangame with cool visuals, chill tunes, fluid yet solid platforming mechanics, plenty of hidden secrets and references, and achievements that provide a satisfying amount of replayability.”
- “I'll be honest, it's a collectathon that feels empty and has no real replayability.”
- “I wish it had more mobility options and more replayability to it, but hey, to have some more media of your beloved characters is such a privilege that I am grateful for.”
- “There is some replayability in that there are technically multiple endings, things to find that you might not find on a single playthrough, and even a challenge run few will probably consider doing, but I would be surprised if people give this more than one run on the majority.”
story
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
30%
The story is simple and lighthearted, centered on Cirno's humorous and personal quest to become the strongest. It serves mainly as a minimal motivation for exploration, emphasizing themes of overcoming challenges and the joy of creation and friendship. Some users feel it has potential for deeper development in future games.
- “With this suggestion, she is off on a mission to become the strongest.”
- “This simple premise is great for a story about Cirno as it ties in her personal quest to be “the strongest” and fits the silliness that Touhou fairies are known for.”
- “The story is simple.”
- “The game’s story is intentionally minimal, serving mainly as a lighthearted motivation for the exploration that follows.”
- “I ought to replay the game sometime to see if there were any signs of that plot development unfolding.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game evokes a range of strong emotions, from warmth and coziness through its atmosphere and soundtrack to moments of heartfelt relief and sweetness in its adorable, wholesome gameplay. Some players found certain parts deeply moving, while others felt a sense of emptiness after completing it.
- “Scary mode made me cry.”
- “The OST and atmosphere made me feel warm and cozy despite the game being 200% snow.”
- “I cried when she finally lifted the boulder.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game runs smoothly and is well-optimized, with no notable bugs or softlocks, delivering a polished and stable experience. Some challenges, like the "terrain expert" achievement and aerial navigation, are difficult but do not impact overall stability. Users praise its performance and reliable gameplay on various systems.
- “I give it a thumbs up because it is exactly as the store page portrays it, and the game is very polished in terms of options, graphics, sound, music, and being generally bug free, and I encountered no softlocks either.”
- “It runs great, plays great, the movement is awesome, the progress feels rewarding and not too slow, the map is big and also has a sense of progression to it, music is chill, art direction is great and all the small details add up.”
- “Also runs great on my laptop.”
- “The 'terrain expert' achievement is legitimately frustrating since I could not imagine completing it without exploiting bugs and glitches, which still took hours of trial and error. It feels like the game was designed to replicate a retro-gaming experience, but completing this without exploits requires endless repetitive precise movements.”
- “Trying to go for the terrain expert achievement is very difficult but manageable without glitches. However, the aerial section of the map is a huge pain to navigate, as even with maximum draw distance you can't see far enough to know where you're going.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in the game is generally engaging and supported by varied approaches like terrain expertise, but the large level size can make exploration feel tedious without faster movement options. Collecting items becomes repetitive toward the end, and upgrade progression is limited, mainly extending stamina.
- “The level is very large and having a dash or something to make running around less tedious would have been nice.”
- “My only two issues are collecting everything gets a bit tedious by the end (which isn't much of an issue, the game is only an hour long) and that there aren't any upgrades past the first few you get besides more stamina.”
- “Point is that it's good and it will accompany you while you're grinding hard, wandering around aimlessly trying to find that one power point you need to go super Cirno like it's Sonic.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is well optimized, offering smooth performance and quick load times even with its high-quality, realistic graphics. Its efficient design also supports speedrunning, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
- “Really simple and cutesy platformer, about an hour long, with a ton of polish and well optimized.”
- “Absolutely stellar graphics that are on par with real life, and extremely optimized as well.”
- “Very short, but optimized for speedrunning for people who are into that.”

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Frequently Asked Questions

Cirno! Lifts a Boulder is a open world platformer game with fantasy and anime themes.

Cirno! Lifts a Boulder is available on PC, Steam Deck, Windows and Linux.

Cirno! Lifts a Boulder was released on March 11, 2026.

Cirno! Lifts a Boulder was developed by Alexander Golke.

Cirno! Lifts a Boulder has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked Cirno! Lifts a Boulder for its music but disliked it for its story.

Cirno! Lifts a Boulder is a single player game.

Similar games include GROW UP, Tinykin, Grow Home, Cavern of Dreams, A Short Hike and others.

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