A quirky arcade game for the Playdate
Birds and Beans for Playdate is a free arcade game created by an indie developer named madvogel. It’s a port of the classic title on the Nintendo DSi to the Playdate portable handheld console. Players take on the role of a small bird trying to eat as many falling seeds as they can.
Together with titles like Sprout and Pulpmon, Birds and Beans for Playdate joins an ever-growing list of games being actively developed for the retro portable console. It features one-bit graphics and simple controls to go along with its simple, yet fun gameplay.
Falling for you
In Birds and Beans for Playdate, you are a little bird named Pyoro, and you are trying to eat as many seeds as you can falling from the sky. In order to do that, you will comically extend your tongue (like a frog would) to catch them while getting the timing right as they fall. At the same time, though, you need to be wary of a couple of things.
The first is that any seed that gets past you will fall and destroy the ground that you’re moving on, limiting where you can go. The second is that you need to be alert and avoid getting hit as it would mean game over for you. Eating black seeds to score points, while catching white seeds will restore a random spot of the ground that has been destroyed.
Additionally, this game gives you the option to use the Playdate signature crank to control the action of extending your tongue—for an added challenge if you want it. Now, as is the case with these types of arcade games, your playthroughs will be short ones. Some players might find an issue with this, but it will really vary from person to person.
Get your fill
With Birds and Beans for Playdate, another classic game has made its way to the hands of today’s gamers with the help of the Playdate portable gaming console. It’s a faithful port that retains most of what people loved about the original, while still taking advantage of the device’s screen and unique hardware. This is an easy recommendation for any owner to add to their library.
