Plantera (Nintendo 3DS) Review

By Luna Eriksson 09.02.2017

This is a title that was just waiting to be done. Few concepts feel as logical for a clicker title as a farming game, since the essence of farming is extremely similar to that of a clicker - do the same thing over and over again over a long period of time and reap the rewards. In some ways, this truth might explain why some people are fond of these kinds of games, as it is something that, through evolution, has become deeply rooted in our psychology. Whether or not Plantera will appeal to this part of our minds is something Cubed3 will figure out when we dig out the fruits of the ideas that went into this title.

There is something truly addictive in taking care of something for an extended period of time, and to see the rewards of that hard work paying off. This is something the gaming industry has become more and more aware of over time, as the industry has grown and more clever people have joined in from all fields of expertise. Games such as Plantera are a testament to how much the industry has grown in their pursuit to find the very core in what makes us feel pleased.

The goal in Plantera is a very simple and straightforward one, and the route there is, on paper, equally simple and straightforward. The aim is to earn money from growing fruits, and the route is buying more and larger fields to sow them on, and optionally to work on it to make it go quicker.

The idea sounds very appealing on many levels; sadly, though, Plantera has a huge number of flaws, making even a basic concept as this look extremely pale. It is very important to understand what makes a game like this appealing. It is how simple it is and how rewarding it feels every time the player gets something new or a new goal is met, and for the gameplay itself, the clicker concept is successful because of how uncomplicated it is. This is not the case here, though.

Screenshot for Plantera on Nintendo 3DS

The biggest problem is that, when actively playing Plantera, it is more of a hassle than a fun thing to do, as what the player basically does is try to find fruit to pick and wild animals to chase away, which is a very active task for the mind, and takes away the mesmerising feel of mindfulness these tasks are supposed to fill us with. The same concept holds true for how to buy things, and the very same flaw is present. You always have to be actively thinking to make even decent decisions.

Plantera is a clicker without much of the appeal of one. It seems like it strived towards being a clicker in which the player had to be actively thinking, forgetting the very fact that the appeal of it all is that they don't have to, but can allow themselves to just float into a meditative state of just being.

Screenshot for Plantera on Nintendo 3DS

Cubed3 Rating

3/10

Bad

In many ways, Plantera is an interesting idea. How about creating a more active clicker? It is the kind of game that has to be made to find the true appeal of something, and as such, it has a lot of value for the company, and maybe even the entire industry, to see what to avoid. The problem is, however, that it got released. This is a game that, during play test, should have got turned down and got reworked until it became a far more appealing package for its customer base. The lesson to be learned is to not sell unripe fruit.