A small Nichibutsu arcade puzzle. A penguin on a tile board, flipping colors to trap enemies. Cute concept, snappy pace, thin content. Fun for five minutes, but the puzzle has limited daring. A forgotten Game Boy curio.
Your verdict
Category
Puzzle1 player3+
Description
Maze game with a penguin neutralizing enemies by changing the color of tiles on a board. Published by Nichibutsu, released in 1990 in North America. Boards to reorganize, enemies to block or neutralize by changing tiles, rapid level progression, and original gameplay.
Amazing Penguin is a small arcade puzzler developed by Nichibutsu and published by Natsume in Europe. Its limited PAL distribution explains a moderate but steady price, carried by fans of obscure early Game Boy puzzlers. The decent score and the charming tile-flipping penguin concept lend it genuine interest among collectors of the first 1990 wave.
Is Amazing Penguin still worth playing in 2026?
Amazing Penguin offers an original maze concept in which a penguin neutralizes its enemies by flipping the colored tiles of a board, in the manner of an Amidar revisited. This simple but clever mechanic calls for planning your routes to trap opponents, and offers a likeable challenge of reflexes and strategy. The fast pace and snappy progression work well in short sessions. Without being memorable, it remains a neat and original action puzzle, worth recommending to the curious about retro games a little off the beaten path.
