Chico’s Rebound Review – A Challenging Block-Breaking Puzzler That Will Hook You

Like many of you, there are times when I just crave a good puzzle game, and Chico’s Rebound satisfies that need wonderfully. Created by a small Massachusetts-based indie studio, Daikon Games, Chico’s Rebound takes the classic idea of block-breaking puzzlers and expands to add an interconnected tower full of mystery and adventure.

Puzzle games can be among the best cozy experiences you can have, but these days it can be hard to find any quality games that focus on simple, yet challenging, puzzle mechanics without overdoing it. Chico’s Rebound is fairly basic in the overall gameplay, but that works to its advantage. If you’re looking for a game that feels like an SNES game that you can get lost in, this is certainly one to check out.

Chico’s Rebound Offers Classic Brick Breaking With A Twist

And A Side Of Adventure Along The Way

Although there is an adventure narrative to the game, Chico’s Rebound is essentially just a block-breaker. Reminiscent of games like Arkanoid or even the original Breakout, its levels are challenging puzzles of bouncing a ball to break all the blocks. The more times you can volley the ball (or, walnut in this case), the higher your combos can get, which will then give you higher scores overall.

As the game goes on, you’ll be introduced to new elements such as blocks that can’t be destroyed without being blown up and even ghosts that make the blocks able to be passed through, as well as special power-ups. These all contribute to the game’s strategy and keep things fresh, despite the levels being pretty similar.

The Story Of Chico’s Rebound Could Use A Little More Substance

But Still An Interesting Background

The basic game of Chico’s Rebound is the block-breaking rebound puzzles. However, there is a light adventure storyline that takes place between each set of puzzles. Essentially, a giant tower has appeared in the forest, and Chico and Beeatrice decide to explore and find out what’s happening.

Chico’s Rebound is actually the second game in a loosely connected series. The first, Chico and the Magic Orchards DX, also offered some puzzle mechanics but was a very different game, with even less of a narrative.

As you get higher in the tower, the story starts to reveal itself as you meet some flower friends called Orcheans who need Chico’s help, and a mystery begins to take shape. There are some puzzles in this overworld setting, where you must solve some simple Zelda-like puzzles in order to progress, and plenty of locked doors blocking your path until you meet the requirements.

Ultimately, the story felt like it was only there to move you from one set of brick-breaking puzzle rooms to another, and I wish it had been a little more fleshed out. I was also disappointed that Beeatrice seemed to be an unnecessary and fairly silent companion through much of the game. With such a cute name and look to the little bee friend, it would have been nice to have the duo interact a bit more.

Power-ups Make The Block-Breaking Puzzles Even More Fun

Unique Power-ups Add Creative Strategy

Having power-ups in a block-breaker puzzle game isn’t anything new, but the types of elements that Chico’s Rebound offers felt a bit more creative than simply extending the reach of the bar or slowing things down as other games have done.

In Chico’s Rebound, these power-ups include things that truly change your tactics with fire, spikes, and even ghostly abilities. And these aren’t just for show, either, but are necessary for completing some of the levels and stretching your thinking a bit.

Customizations Are Fun, And Lots Of LGBTQ+ Options

Change The Look Of The Ball And Game Display

There is an in-game store called “Budgit’s Boutique” that you come across fairly early on in the game and can go back to whenever you wish. This is where the Sunflower Seeds are used to purchase snazzy new types of Walnuts (balls) and interfaces.

There are quite a few options for the ball, including watermelons, sports balls, and more, but the interface options seemed a bit limited. With as many Sunflower Seeds as you can collect during gameplay, I wish there had been more to purchase.

I was happy to see that there are numerous LGBTQ+ options for customizing both the ball and the interface, and they are also very low-priced, so you can get them early on if you wish.

Trying To Complete The Game With 100% Completion Is A Challenge

In-Game Achievements Hooked Me

The tower that Chico and Beeatrice are exploring consists of six floors with several dungeon rooms full of puzzles on each floor. As you complete puzzles, you are gaining Star Tokens for meeting the necessary score goals and the above-mentioned Sunflower Seeds, which are used as the in-game currency.

If you perfectly meet every goal for each set of puzzles, you will also be awarded a purple gem, which is required for entry to special puzzle rooms that will otherwise remain locked. This means that in order to see all the puzzles in the game, you must 100% all previous puzzles.

There are many “Feats” or achievements in the game that also require these to be completed, and as an achievement hunter, I found myself a bit frustrated while trying to perfectly complete every puzzle before I’d allow myself to move on.

For Block-Breaker Game Lovers, And SNES Nostalgia, Chico’s Rebound Is A Fun One

Priced Decently For The Short Game

While it may not have the substance required to compete with games like Breath of the Wild, there is something about Chico’s Rebound that feels like watching Saturday Morning Cartoons and eating Cocoa Pebbles. Between the graphics and gameplay mechanics, it brought me back to being a kid playing the SNES with my brother, and that nostalgia alone is worth much more than the $7.99 that the game is listed for.

Throughout the experience, I’ve been impressed that although it’s fairly basic in gameplay, everything that Chico’s Rebound does is done right. There is a level of quality and precision that is flawless to the point that I didn’t even think about it while playing.

If you like puzzle games and are looking for an addictive little turn-your-brain-off kind of game, this is worth picking up. Chico’s Rebound will be released on Steam, itch.io, and Nintendo Switch on March 26, 2026.