Chuchel

Chuchel is a comedic point-and-click adventure game from the creators of Machinarium and Botanicula. Players control Chuchel, a small, furry orange creature with an insatiable desire for a single cherry, which is constantly snatched away by a rival. Set in a whimsical, hand-animated fantasy world filled with quirky characters and absurd obstacles, the game is a series of humorous puzzles and interactive gags told without words, relying on visual comedy and expressive sound effects.

Chuchel: A Surrealist Cartoon Come to Life – An In-Depth Review

In the pantheon of video game developers, few studios possess a signature style as instantly recognizable and universally charming as Amanita Design. From the rusted, mechanical world of Machinarium to the lush, microscopic ecosystem of Botanicula, the Czech team has carved a niche defined by hand-crafted artistry, whimsical soundscapes, and a unique, often wordless, storytelling language. Released in 2018, Chuchel stands as perhaps their purest, most concentrated expression of this philosophy—a game that is less a traditional narrative adventure and more an interactive, surrealist cartoon strip. It is a title that defies conventional critique, trading complex puzzles for unadulterated, absurdist joy, and in doing so, cements its place as a unique curio in the indie game landscape.

Development History & Context

Amanita Design: The Studio of Whimsy
Founded by Jakub Dvorský in 2003, Amanita Design emerged from the Czech Republic’s vibrant art and animation scene. The studio quickly gained international acclaim with the Samorost series and the groundbreaking Machinarium, games celebrated for their intricate point-and-click puzzles and breathtaking, hand-drawn aesthetics. By the time development on Chuchel began in 2012, the studio had established a reputation for creating worlds that felt like living, breathing storybooks.

The Vision of Jaromír Plachý
Chuchel was primarily the brainchild of Jaromír Plachý, a designer and animator at Amanita who had previously worked on Botanicula. The initial concept was deceptively simple: to create an “interactive cartoon” centered on a single, highly expressive character. The titular Chuchel—a name derived from a playful combination of the Czech words “chumel” (clump/tangle) and “chuchvalec” (a tangled mass, like a dust bunny)—was born from a stream-of-consciousness drawing session. Plachý aimed to capture the essence of classic animated shorts like Tom and Jerry or Looney Tunes, where visual gags and physical comedy reign supreme, and the plot is merely a vehicle for chaos.

Technological Constraints & The Flash Era
Notably, Chuchel was one of the last major games built on Adobe Flash, a technology Amanita had used since its inception. While other studios were moving to more powerful engines, Amanita clung to Flash for its strengths in 2D vector animation, which was perfectly suited for the fluid, cartoonish style Plachý envisioned. This choice, however, came with limitations. The game’s structure—a series of short, self-contained vignettes—was partly a technical necessity, allowing the team to manage the asset-intensive animation within Flash’s constraints. The game’s release in 2018 was a final hurrah for a technology that had defined a generation of web-based indie games.

The Gaming Landscape of 2018
Chuchel entered a market dominated by sprawling open-world games, competitive multiplayer titles, and narrative-driven epics. Its commitment to short-form, purely comedic gameplay was a bold antithesis to industry trends. It was a throwback to the era of casual flash games, yet polished to a mirror sheen with AAA-level artistry. This juxtaposition made it a unique offering: a premium-priced experience that was unapologetically brief and focused on laughter above all else.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

The “Plot”: A Slippery MacGuffin
The narrative of Chuchel is brilliantly minimalistic. A hairy, orange creature named Chuchel desires a single, gleaming red cherry. A giant, disembodied hand (later revealed to be a larger creature named Chrchel) snatches it away, placing it perpetually just out of reach. This sets off a chain of approximately 30 vignettes in which Chuchel, often alongside or in competition with a rat-like rival named Kekel, attempts to reclaim his prize.

The game operates on the logic of a dream—or perhaps a sugar rush. There is no dialogue, only expressive gibberish and sound effects. The story progresses not through plot twists, but through a relentless escalation of absurdity. One moment, Chuchel is navigating a Pac-Man parody inside a snail’s shell; the next, he’s piloting a giant mech to battle Kekel or being swallowed whole by a pool monster. The narrative is a mere framework upon which to hang a series of brilliantly inventive gags.

Characters: Id, Ego, and a Rival
* Chuchel: He is pure, unadulterated id. A creature of instant, volcanic emotions—ecstatic joy, furious rage, and pathetic despair—all triggered by the presence or absence of the cherry. He is the embodiment of childish desire, and his single-minded pursuit is the engine of the entire game.
* Kekel: Officially described as a “newborn rat,” Kekel serves as both antagonist and reluctant partner. Their relationship is the heart of the game. They are Fire-Forged Friends, constantly betraying and assisting each other in equal measure, their dynamic echoing the classic rivalry of Coyote and Roadrunner. Their eventual cooperation and sharing of the cherry in the finale provides a surprisingly heartwarming conclusion to their chaotic journey.
* Chrchel: The giant hand is revealed in the final act to be a larger, grumpier version of Chuchel living inside a cavernous body. By accessing a control panel in its brain and switching its mood from “grumpy” to “happy,” Chuchel and Kekel not only get their cherry but are rewarded with a basketful, subverting the entire premise. Chrchel represents a higher power—a godlike entity whose whims dictate the rules of this bizarre universe.

Themes: The Absurdity of Desire
Beneath the slapstick surface, Chuchel offers a subtle commentary on the futility and comedy of desire. The cherry is a classic Slippery MacGuffin; the pursuit is everything, the attainment is brief and often leads immediately to a new desire (the game’s post-credits scene shows Chrchel chasing a giant pear). It’s a cartoonish reflection of hedonic adaptation—the idea that the chase is often more satisfying than the catch. The game argues that joy is found not in the destination, but in the hilarious, unpredictable, and often collaborative journey to get there.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

Deconstructing the Point-and-Click
Chuchel streamlines the traditional adventure game formula to its absolute bare essentials. There is no inventory. There are no multi-screen puzzles. Each vignette is a self-contained diorama, and progression is achieved by clicking on the correct elements, often in a specific order, to trigger a chain of events that ends with Chuchel getting—and then immediately losing—the cherry.

The Puzzle Philosophy: Trial, Error, and Spectacle
The puzzles are not designed to be logically complex. Their solutions operate on Surreal Humor and cartoon logic. For example, waking Chuchel up requires not one, but multiple increasingly loud alarms, culminating in an elephant trumpet. In another stage, the solution involves making Chuchel drink water so he can urinate on a mushroom to make it grow. The challenge isn’t in deduction, but in experimentation and embracing the game’s bizarre rules. This is a title that values the “aha!” moment of discovering a hilarious animation over the satisfaction of solving a intricate riddle.

The “Help” System
Acknowledging that its puzzles are often illogical, the game includes a generous help system. A permanent cherry icon in the top-left corner can be clicked to reveal the next step, ensuring players are never stuck for long. This design choice is crucial: it prioritizes the flow of comedy over any sense of hard-won achievement. The game is saying, “Don’t worry about getting it right; just enjoy the show.”

Mini-Games and Parodies
The gameplay is frequently broken up by brilliantly executed parodies of classic games:
* A Pac-Man clone where Chuchel is pursued by ghosts and must collect a power-up to freeze them.
* A Space Invaders tribute where he must shoot down aliens to reach the cherry.
* A Flappy Bird-esque section where he navigates a bird through pipes.
These segments provide welcome variety and showcase the team’s love for gaming history, all filtered through their uniquely absurd lens.

World-Building, Art & Sound

Aesthetic: Hand-Crafted Cartoon Chaos
Visually, Chuchel is a masterpiece of minimalist design. Jaromír Plachý’s art style is deceptively simple. Characters are designed with bold, clear shapes and exaggerated features, making them instantly readable and immensely expressive. Backgrounds are often sparse, using soft pastel colors or simple patterns to keep the focus entirely on the animated chaos unfolding in the foreground. This approach gives the game the feel of a classic cel-animated cartoon, where every frame is packed with personality.

The Animation: The Soul of the Game
The animation is where Chuchel truly shines. Every action, from Chuchel’s triumphant dance to his devastating tantrums, is fluid, weighty, and hilariously over-the-top. The game is a Mime and Music-Only Cartoon, relying entirely on this visual language to tell its story and evoke emotion. It’s a testament to Plachý’s skill that a character with no discernible facial features can so clearly communicate a vast range of feelings.

Sound Design: The Orchestra of the Absurd
The audio, provided by the Czech musical duo DVA, is inseparable from the experience. The soundtrack is a chaotic mix of upbeat jazz, quirky folk, and playful electronica that perfectly underscores the on-screen action. Sound effects are not mere accents but central to the comedy: the sproing of a spring, the glug-glug of drinking, and Chuchel’s own gibberish exclamations form a symphony of silliness. It won the IGF Award for Excellence in Audio for a reason—it is a foundational pillar of the game’s identity.

The Controversial Retcon: Art Meets Culture
A significant chapter in Chuchel‘s history was the post-release change to the protagonist’s design. Initially, Chuchel was a black creature with an orange hat and prominent lips. In December 2018, after feedback that this design could be perceived as evoking racist blackface caricatures, Amanita Design issued an apology and updated the game globally. Chuchel’s colors were swapped: he became an orange creature with a black hat and yellow lips.

This decision was met with a vocal backlash from a segment of players who accused the developers of “caving to SJWs,” but the studio stood by its choice, stating: “We acknowledge that due to significant differences in culture and history between Central Europe and other regions, we did not consider the possibility… We simply do not want any of our games and characters even remotely associated with racism.” This event highlights the challenges of global distribution and cultural sensitivity, even for well-intentioned creators. The original design remains accessible via a Steam console command, but the official, orange Chuchel is now the definitive version.

Reception & Legacy

Critical Reception: Praise for Joy, Critique for Depth
Chuchel was met with generally favorable reviews, holding a Metacritic score of 81/100 and an OpenCritic average of 80/100. Critics universally praised its artistry, humor, and infectious charm. Destructoid (90/100) called it “a great experience that is definitely worth a whirl,” while Rock, Paper, Shotgun hailed it as “a creation of pure joy, an absolute masterclass in silliness.”

The most common critique, echoed by outlets like Adventure Gamers and PC Gamer (80/100), was its short length—around 2-3 hours—and its relative lack of challenging puzzles compared to Amanita’s previous works. Some veterans of Machinarium found it too slight, while others appreciated its focused, streamlined nature. As Games TM (70/100) noted, “We would argue there is something of value to be found precisely in Chuchel’s defying of expectations.”

Commercial Performance and Lasting Influence
While not a blockbuster, Chuchel found a dedicated audience on PC and mobile platforms. Its true legacy is not in sales figures but in its artistic statement. It demonstrated that a video game could successfully function as a pure comedy delivery system, prioritizing gags and animation over narrative and challenge. It influenced a wave of shorter, more experimental “vignette-based” games that focus on a singular mood or mechanic.

Its most significant award win was the IGF Award for Excellence in Visual Art in 2018, a testament to its unique and impactful aesthetic. It also won multiple Aggie Awards from Adventure Gamers, including Best Character, Best Animation, and Best Sound Effects.

Conclusion: The Final Verdict

Chuchel is an anomaly. It is a game that willingly sheds the complexity and depth typically associated with the adventure genre to pursue a singular goal: to generate unfiltered, childlike joy. It is less a game to be “beaten” and more a toy to be experienced—a interactive cartoon where the reward for clicking is a laugh, not loot.

It is not without flaws. Its brevity and simplicity will undoubtedly leave some players wanting more. Yet, to judge it by those metrics is to miss the point entirely. Chuchel is a masterclass in animation, sound design, and comedic timing. It is a testament to the vision of its creators and a bold experiment in minimalist, emotion-driven gameplay.

In the grand history of video games, Chuchel‘s place is secure as a beloved cult classic—a brilliant, bizarre, and beautifully crafted burst of comic energy that reminds us that at its heart, gaming can be, and should be, simply fun. It is a perfect cherry on the sundae of Amanita Design’s incredible portfolio.