Tadpole Tales

About

Tadpole Tales is a single player casual action adventure game. It was developed by Pinnical Studio and was released on March 12, 2021. It received very positive reviews from players.

"Tadpole Tales" is a 2D hand-drawn "clean 'em up" game where you play as a tadpole cleaning rivers and fighting pollution. As you progress, you'll transform into different froggy forms and face wave-like patterns of enemies. The game features score tracking, achievements, and encourages friendly competition with friends. It's a love letter to retro gaming with hand-drawn animations and a focus on a pleasant experience. Follow the developers on Twitter and Instagram for updates.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 532 reviews

graphics73 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

Charming art style and engaging music that enhance the overall experience.
Fun and challenging gameplay that keeps players coming back for more.
Completely free with no hidden costs, making it accessible to everyone.

Difficulty spikes can be frustrating, especially with no checkpoints after bosses.
Hitboxes are inconsistent, leading to unfair deaths and confusion during gameplay.
Movement feels sluggish, making it hard to dodge projectiles effectively.

graphics
107 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
29%
3%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the charming and cute art style, vibrant hand-drawn visuals, and smooth animations that enhance the overall experience. However, some users criticized the quality of the 2D assets, suggesting they appear outdated for a 2025 release. Overall, while the visuals are generally well-received, there are concerns about their technical execution and the gameplay mechanics associated with them.
- “The visuals are lovely and the music really compliments its adorable atmosphere.”
- “Gorgeous visuals with smooth and challenging gameplay, coupled with a meaningful awareness.”
- “Beautiful graphics, funky background music, and challenging levels that keep you totally engaged!”
- “On the topic of visuals, the weak-looking 2D retro assets seem like they'd be more at home in a browser game or a mobile app.”
- “3D graphics accelerators hit the mainstream of PC gaming in the mid-1990s with cards like the ATI Rage and Voodoo3D; there's no excuse for such poor 2D graphics in 2025.”
- “And the devs didn't even bother putting in the option to lower graphics.”
gameplay
83 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
44%
4%
The gameplay of "Tadpole Tales" is generally praised for its charming art style and engaging mechanics, though opinions vary on its difficulty and pacing. Many players find the controls intuitive and the gameplay satisfying, while some criticize the character's hitboxes and movement speed as hindrances. Overall, it offers a fun, albeit challenging, experience that is accessible for newcomers to the shoot 'em up genre, with a strong emphasis on replayability and visual appeal.
- “Beautiful art style, intuitive gameplay, and a good message behind it 10/10.”
- “Tadpole Tales is a wonderfully crafted shoot-em-up style game, with very basic and yet engaging gameplay. It has addictive replayability and a wonderful soundtrack.”
- “The art is staggering, gameplay is exactly what it should be: tight, responsive, and fun, and the soundtrack glues everything together into a wholesome bowl of whimsy and fun.”
- “It's gameplay is hindered by your character's big hitboxes and awkwardly slow movement speed.”
- “Terrible hitboxes ruin gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is a little slow and infuriating at times but the visuals keep the game pleasant and fun.”
music
79 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
72%
24%
4%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its upbeat and engaging quality, enhancing the overall experience with a nostalgic yet fresh sound reminiscent of classic chiptunes. Players appreciate how the soundtrack complements the charming art style and gameplay, creating a delightful atmosphere that keeps them immersed. Despite some comments on repetitiveness, the music is generally described as enjoyable and fitting for the game's theme, contributing significantly to its appeal.
- “The art style is very charming, the music is great, and it has a way of pulling you back in for more because of the challenge it poses.”
- “The music and sound effects hit so right, the art has such a strong pleasing style and the movement just feels right.”
- “The soundtrack, the art style all culminate into this wonderful, charming, side-scroller shoot 'em up.”
- “The music is very repetitive with little variation, but that's fine.”
- “Many potential problems like the game's responsive but limited controls, and catchy but short music selection coupled with the game's repetitive nature never felt boring due to the short run-time.”
- “Great art and music but it's really hard.. too bad I can't manage to finish the game :(”
story
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
25%
17%
The game's story is described as simple yet charming, complementing its vibrant art style and engaging gameplay. While some players appreciate the cute and wholesome narrative, others find it confusing or lacking depth. Overall, the story adds a lighthearted touch to the challenging bullet hell experience.
- “Amazing bullet hell game with a cute story.”
- “It's challenging, it has a great art style, a great soundtrack, and a simple yet lovable story.”
- “The game is small but the story is massive.”
- “And speaking of story, the story doesn't even make sense!”
replayability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
28%
43%
Tadpole Tales offers strong replayability despite its short length, thanks to its engaging gameplay, unlockable expert mode, and achievements that encourage players to improve their skills and chase high scores. The combination of a charming aesthetic and challenging modes makes it a game players are likely to return to.
- “While it can feel somewhat short, Tadpole Tales is a wonderfully crafted shoot-em-up style game with very basic and yet engaging gameplay. It has addictive replayability and a wonderful soundtrack.”
- “Despite the game being short, the replay value with high scores and achievements will make you want to test your side-scrolling shooter skills.”
- “There's not a lot of extra content, but there is a surprising amount of room for mastery and replay value in the form of an unlockable expert mode after beating the game.”
- “Despite the game being short, the replay value with 'high scores' and achievements will make you want to test your side-scrolling shooter skills.”
- “There are also achievements and an expert mode for replay value.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its emotional depth, featuring a wholesome message, beautiful art, and a captivating soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Players find the challenges particularly moving, often evoking tears, while the gameplay remains engaging and enjoyable. Overall, it is celebrated as a heartwarming and whimsical journey that resonates with players.
- “S do the challenges if you want to cry.”
- “Beautiful art and music, great gameplay, and a wholesome message, what more could we want?”
- “The art is staggering, gameplay is exactly what it should be: tight, responsive and fun, and the soundtrack glues everything together into a wholesome bowl of whimsy and fun.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by charming visuals and uplifting music, creating a delightful and positive environment that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the cute and fun vibe, which serves as a pleasant contrast to the gameplay, leaving them eager for what comes next.
- “The visuals are lovely and the music really complements its adorable atmosphere.”
- “I love this positive atmosphere!”
- “The game has this cute, fun atmosphere to it that is a nice contrast to the gameplay.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted as a standout feature, with players finding it both funny and engaging, particularly through its quirky animations and unexpected challenges. The combination of amusing gameplay elements, such as the absurdity of boss attacks and the charming design, contributes to an overall enjoyable experience. Despite some gameplay frustrations, the humor remains a key aspect that enhances the game's appeal.
- “I haven't felt this feeling in years with a video game, and out of all games, it's the funny tadpole game.”
- “Funny, clean, and well-done design.”
- “I especially like the peaceful scenery and the duck's hilarious animation.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users report that the game's stability is inconsistent, with some describing it as feeling "buggy" and difficult to navigate, which detracts from the overall experience.
- “It's not for me; the game feels hard in a buggy way rather than a fair way.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
- “I experienced constant lag and glitches that ruined the overall experience.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game, particularly during boss fights, to be tedious and lacking in enjoyment.
- “Boss fights are tedious and not really fun.”
- “The grinding feels endless and lacks any real reward.”
- “Leveling up takes too long, making the experience feel like a chore.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers appreciate the straightforward character designs, noting that they effectively communicate when characters are about to attack, enhancing gameplay clarity. However, there is no mention of deeper character development or growth, suggesting a focus on functionality over complexity.
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is criticized for being poorly optimized, with users noting it suffers from typical issues associated with Unity engine titles.
- “Another unoptimized Unity game.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its charming art style and is notable for being free of any DLC, ads, or in-game purchases, making its monetization model highly favorable.