Row 01 · Exploration · adamgryu, 2019
A Short Hike
A bird called Claire climbs a mountain to get phone signal. Two to four hours of pure joy, and the warmest small game we know.
Edition reviewed: A Short Hike (2019).
Official artwork © adamgryuWhat you do
Explore a little island park, glide, climb, fish, chat to hikers and help people on your way to the summit.
Who it suits
Absolutely everyone. A perfect first game for someone who has never played.
01First evening
You arrive at the park with nothing to do but get to the top. Within minutes you are gliding off a cliff, finding a shortcut and chatting to a hiker who has lost something.
02A few weeks in
There are no weeks in it: the whole thing is a lovely afternoon. You can finish quickly or wander for hours collecting feathers that let you climb higher.
03When to stop
Reaching the summit is a perfect ending, and then you are free to keep wandering. One or two sittings is all it needs.
Why it works
- Pure, wordless joy to explore
- Funny, kind writing
- Short and complete
Watch out for
- Over in an afternoon
- Little challenge
The score
Overall 4.8 out of 5 · Perfectly ripe · how we score
Our verdict
The best small game we know. One afternoon, one mountain, one big smile.
Written by the Pixel Orchard desk. Updated 22 October 2026. Facts were checked against the publisher and store pages at that date; prices and platforms can change.