104) Mika and the Witch's Mountain (2025)

After an incredibly successful Kickstarter campaign, the most successful ever for a Spanish developed game, Mika and the Witch's Mountain released in early 2025. With heavy inspiration from Wind Waker and, most prominently, Studio Ghibli's Kiki's Delivery Service, the game puts us in the role of Mika, a young aspiring witch who travels to small island in order to receive training from the witch that resides at the top of the mountain in the center.

The story begins as Mika, at her mother's instruction, arrives at the summit of the titular mountain seeking to become the apprentice of the powerful witch, Olagari. Unimpressed with Mika's enthusiasm, she tosses our young witch off the mountain, telling her that her first lesson will be to make her way back to the summit with her now damaged broom. Angry but undeterred, Mika soon meets a kind woman named Allegra, who offers to help fix her broom in exchange for money that Mika doesn't have. Suggesting that we get a job, Mika soon finds herself employed delivering packages around the island.

Thus we find ourselves in a steady loop of exploring the island, meeting the inhabitants, delivering packages to earn money, and then using that money to upgrade our broom. Each upgrade allows us to explore a bit more, allowing us to explore the island more as we deliver yet more packages. It's a simple yet effective and satisfying loop that makes each upgrade feel significant and well earned. Delivering items is never really hard, though a few will have restrictions on how many times you can bump into the environment, time constraints, or simply avoiding water.

Though we have a very clear goal, reaching the mountain's summit, the game is decidedly laid back and downright cozy. Though a few of the island inhabitants are either frustrating or outright antagonistic, the vast majority have an undeniable charm that makes solving their problems satisfying and rewarding. For her part, Mika is not content to remain a silent observer, often speaking her mind and getting frustrated with some of the more annoying characters. The writing is charming and engaging while rarely crossing into the realm of being too saccharine for its own good, which is pleasant to see in a game geared toward a younger audience.

In addition to our main objective, there are a variety of secrets and side objectives to find. Most are either fun or humorous, though I admit that a particular series of challenges, included as a stretch goal from Kickstarter, seems counter to the game's chill vibes. I can't knock the game too much for it, as they are completely optional and are intended to be more challenging, but they stick out a bit compared to everything else one display.

Though not an especially long or hard game, Mika and the Witch's Mountain is a delightful experience that serves well as a game for younger audiences as well as a cozy game for adults to relax with. With clever writing that doesn't shy away from some more complex topics and gameplay that offers just the right amount of challenge, I highly recommend the game for anyone eager to experience either a witch delivery or Wind Waker themed experience. Though I found myself struggling with the controls a bit initially, they soon felt natural and the few times I did lose control were due to my own folly and often led to more exploration. The game does an amazing job of capturing the cozy vibe or just floating around a small island, and serves as a good reminder to slow down and enjoy the world from time to time.