If you’ve enjoyed Dorfromantik and wouldn’t mind a little Halloween atmosphere thrown into the mix, Fangtopia might be worth checking out. Developed by Absolutely Games, this cozy puzzle game invites us to build a miniature kingdom for friendly monsters, with no enemies to worry about and absolutely no time pressure. We can take as long as we like planning our next move, although that doesn’t mean we should place tiles wherever we please.
Building Our Kingdom
We begin with a castle surrounded by empty space and a limited stack of hexagonal tiles. Our job is to expand the surrounding land by placing these tiles next to one another, connecting matching terrain types to earn points. There are forests, mountains, fields, towns and railway tracks, with rivers becoming available in one of the additional game modes. Some tiles contain more than one terrain type, so we can rotate them before placing them to find the most suitable position.
For example, connecting two forest edges increases our score and expands the woodland, while a tile containing both forests and fields might help us grow two separate areas at once. We can see the next tile in the stack, which gives us some idea of what to expect, and there’s also an undo option if we change our minds about a placement.
The interesting part is that our supply of tiles isn’t unlimited. Once we run out, our little construction project comes to an end. Fortunately, the game provides objectives that reward us with additional pieces, allowing us to continue expanding our kingdom. These usually involve connecting specific terrain types or increasing an existing area by a certain number of tiles. The trick is to complete enough objectives to keep our stack supplied, rather than simply placing everything wherever it looks nicest.
A Home for Every Monster
As our score increases, we unlock special landmarks that can be placed throughout the kingdom. These include magical trees, windmills and rather unusual buildings, each with its own requirements. One example is a volcano that needs to be positioned near a field and surrounded by mountains. Satisfying these conditions rewards us with additional tiles, so choosing where to place a landmark can affect how easily we complete our next objectives.
Eventually, mysterious portals begin appearing around the edges of our growing world, offering us the opportunity to welcome some unusual residents. Werewolves, yetis and other friendly creatures are waiting to move in, provided we can prepare an appropriate habitat for them. A werewolf, for example, requires a suitable forest, while a yeti prefers mountainous surroundings. Hey, even monsters have their standards when it comes to finding a new home.
Successfully completing these objectives unlocks the creatures and their accompanying terrain pieces. They also bring some personality to our kingdom through their little animations, although their contribution to the gameplay is mostly connected to tile placement and rewards rather than any kind of monster management.
More Ways to Build
There are three game modes available. The standard Fangtopia mode offers shorter sessions with the basic mechanics, while Ghoulish mode introduces rivers and larger tile groups. We can switch between the current tile and the next one, providing a little more flexibility when planning our kingdom. Island mode takes a different approach. Here, we’re asked to connect separate islands using railway tracks for the Ghost Train.
Outside these modes, there’s a sticker book containing additional unlockables and objectives, along with leaderboards for players interested in chasing higher scores. We loved the way individual tiles gradually merge into a continuous landscape. Little towns grow around forests, railway tracks come alive with ghost trains, and the entire kingdom has that lovely miniature Halloween appearance without anything particularly frightening.
The main limitation is that the objectives rely heavily on repeating the same terrain-matching mechanics. The different modes provide some variety, but they don’t fundamentally change how the game works, and players expecting increasingly complicated puzzles might find the experience a little too simple.
Happy Halloween!
Fangtopia is aimed at those who enjoy building attractive little worlds without worrying about complicated systems or demanding challenges. Its charm lies in the gradual expansion of our kingdom and the satisfaction of making good use of the tiles we’re given. There’s certainly something appealing about creating a peaceful home for a bunch of monsters who, for once, have absolutely no intention of eating us.
Our score: 8.5/10
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2
Developer: Absolutely Games
Publisher: Secret Mode
Release Date: October 26, 2026
Genre: Puzzle, Tile-Laying, Cozy Strategy
Mode: Single-player
Playtime: Variable, depending on the length of each session
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