Pikuniku is getting a 3D sequel for the Switch 2

Devolver Digital and developer Sectordub have announced Pikuniku 2, a full 3D follow-up to their 2019 puzzle game. The sequel is scheduled to launch in 2027 for PC and the currently unrevealed Nintendo Switch 2.

The original Pikuniku launched in January 2019 for PC and Switch. It eventually made its way to Xbox and other platforms. The game was a bizarre mix of physics puzzles, light platforming, and anti-capitalist themes hidden behind a cheerful aesthetic. You played as a red blob with long legs who mostly solved problems by kicking people. The game gained a dedicated following thanks to its absurd writing and a chaotic local co-op mode where players constantly kicked each other into hazards. It was weird and completely charming. Now, seven years later, the team is bringing that exact same energy into a third dimension.

A new dimension

Moving from flat 2D to 3D changes how physics-based comedy works. The original relied heavily on the awkwardness of your character's long legs stumbling over geometry. Sectordub has figured out how to translate that clumsiness into 3D space. Piku can now inflate into a massive purple sphere to bounce around the environment. The world itself looks like a diorama made of clay and bright plastic.

The transition to 3D also opens up new gameplay possibilities. The first game was heavily restricted by its 2D plane. You could only walk left or right, which made puzzles relatively straightforward. A fully 3D environment means the developers can create more complex platforming challenges and hide secrets in every corner of the map. The camera angle in the new footage sits at a fixed isometric perspective, giving the game a toy-box feel similar to Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker.

The dialogue system remains intact, complete with the same deadpan humor. A green character on a boat proudly holds up a bird while shouting "A SEAGULL." Later on, a giant golden foot descends from the sky to crush our tiny red protagonist.

The plot involves an escaped sandwich, a shipwreck, and malevolent robot frogs. You also have to protect a potato. The game is currently available to wishlist on Steam.

A long time coming

Sectordub has been quiet since the first game released. The original Pikuniku was created by Arnaud De Bock, Rémi Forcadell, Alan Zucconi, and Calum Bowen. It won several awards, including the Best International Indie Game at the 2020 Pégases Awards. Despite that success, the team never hinted at a sequel. Indie hits from that era often get immediate follow-ups. The seven-year gap makes this announcement a genuine surprise.

The music is also a major part of the game's identity. Calum Bowen composed the original soundtrack, filling it with upbeat, bouncy tracks that perfectly matched the chaotic gameplay. The sequel seems to retain that same musical style. The new tracks keep the atmosphere light even when giant golden feet are falling from the sky.

The hardware question

One detail about the launch stands out immediately. Devolver explicitly listed "Nintendo Switch 2" as a target platform.

Nintendo has acknowledged that new hardware is coming, but the company has not officially confirmed the "Switch 2" name or revealed the console's final design. Using the unconfirmed name in official marketing is a very Devolver move. It forces Nintendo to either ignore the branding or issue a correction. Knowing Nintendo's strict control over messaging, this was likely a calculated joke by the publisher to generate extra attention.

This kind of stunt fits perfectly with Devolver's long history of mocking industry conventions. They are the same publisher that hosts annual fake press conferences filled with fake executives. Dropping an unannounced console name in a trailer for a quirky indie puzzle game is entirely on brand.

I did not expect a sequel to a 2019 game about a red blob kicking villagers. I definitely did not expect it to be the game that casually drops a Switch 2 logo in a summer announcement. It is a welcome surprise on both fronts.