Doronko Wanko Game Review

A couple of weeks ago, Bandai Namco dropped three totally free games, and one of them immediately caught my eye: Doronko Wanko. The title roughly translates to “Muddy Dog,” and the game lives up to that name in the best way possible. It’s all about getting as messy as you can, and it takes that concept and combines it with a De Blob-style gameplay loop.

In the game, you play as a cute little Pomeranian puppy who’s just moved into a brand-new house with your family. They’re getting ready for a moving-in party, but you’ve got other plans. Your goal is to roll around in mud, ink, paint, and even wine, then shake it all over the place. The house is so pristine and bright that watching it get wrecked is incredibly satisfying. As you make more of a mess, the damage cost counter keeps climbing. Why does this matter? Because the higher the damage, the more power-ups and costumes you unlock, like a paint minigun or an ink gun hat.

The game takes place inside one house, but each room brings its own challenges. You’ll need to mess up paintings, find hidden dog paw prints, and complete little missions to unlock customization options and extras. Some missions require a bit of timing, like messing up the bedsheets while your “mom” is sleeping. The house is packed with hidden areas, and you can get creative with spreading the mess, like using desk fans to blow it around. The slapstick humor is all part of the fun.

The controls and music are spot-on, except for one weird thing. You can pick up items in your mouth, but for some reason, I couldn’t figure out how to drop them unless I picked up something else. It’s a little annoying, especially when you want to place things like paint buckets in specific spots. Still, it’s a minor quirk in what’s otherwise a really polished game.

The game is free, but I think the reason it’s so short (you can finish it in about an hour) is that it’s meant to be a sort of test run. If this is just a prologue to a full game, count me in. I’d love to see Doronko Wanko as a bigger, fully fleshed-out game. It’s easy to pick up, packed with hidden Easter eggs, and just so satisfying to play. If they make more of this, take my money.

Positives:

• Wild, quirky setup with fun Japanese charm.

• The house is your canvas—you can spill and spread all kinds of mess.

• Well-designed level with secret areas and creative ways to spread chaos.

• Bright, colorful, and fun.

• Did I mention it’s free?

Negatives:

• The whole “can’t drop an item unless you pick up something else” thing feels odd and a bit frustrating.

If you like this review and want to see more, you can click here.  My snapchat is Cara_lynn97. Twitter and Instagram are the same. I stream on twitch multiple days a week! Be sure to follow me to see the live playthroughs of games and anything else I might do and post online.