Review: Tempopo Is Another Charming Witch Beam Game

As I go through the puzzles in Tempopo, the latest game from Unpacking creator Witch Beam, I find myself wondering, “Maybe this can fix me.” 2025’s been a rough year! But there’s something about the optimism, messaging, music, and ability to completely control every situation to ensure a happy ending for every person (plant) involved that brings me hope and joy again. It’s oozing with charm, while still offering a challenge. 

There’s honestly not too much to Tempopo’s story. Hana is a gifted girl who lives among musical flowers and creatures known as Tempopo. When preparing to lead the flora in a festive song, her conducting skills instead conjure up a tornado. All of the plants are blown away. This means heading to floating islands in a multitude of biomes and experiencing each season to recollect all of them and set them back up at home. However, not every island is peaceful, which will mean directing the Tempopo accurately in each space to avoid or use enemies to her advantage while also utilizing special abilities to get every flower to the goal.

Is the story a little simplistic and perhaps even a bit childish? Sure. Does that matter? Not at all. Chu Chu Rocket and Captain Toad both involved fantastic puzzles without being narrative masterpieces, and that’s the case with Tempopo too. Getting to solve more challenges and feel smart when you figure out the right placements and patterns is motivation and reward enough. 

Every island in the 60 base levels is a 3D space. There will be at least one flower to collect. At the start of a level, you’ll see you have a number of different type of directions Hana can issue. If you’re playing on Adventure, Witch Beam helps by showing where each direction should be places in the game’s levels. Puzzle leaves it all up to you. (Challenge is a harder, unlockable selection of 60 more puzzles.) The key is that you need to get Tempopo to grab the missing flowers and bring them safely to a designated exit. So like Captain Toad, you need to be aware of the environment, timing, and the correct path to get from point A to point B without missing anything.

The Chu Chu Rocket element comes up with the actual directions. You aren’t guiding each Tempopo through an island. Hana conducts them. That means placing blocks that determine directions, if the fantasy creatures temporarily transform, if they get brief access to tools, and similar boons that make it possible for them to help the one critter grabbing all the plants where they need to be. These beings will constantly move forward in one direction, just like Chu Chu Rocket’s mice and cats, turning right and continuing if they hit a wall. This means you need to place the additional correct directions to get them to the proper places or past obstacles. Likewise, your actions can affect the movement patterns of enemies, which can eliminate dangers or use their abilities to gain access to spots.

Now, in Adventure this solutions do feel a bit more obvious due to Witch Beam implementing a system that flat out shows where orders should go. But in Puzzle it can get genuinely puzzling! I would say the 15th island is the one where Witch Beam decides it is not playing, the game gets serious, and you really need to consider proper placement and what will happen with each Tempopo on-screen. If things do get rough, know you can swap between Puzzle and Adventure difficulty options at any time, but I really suggest trying your best to get through a stage on Puzzle. The satisfaction that comes from figuring out exactly how things should go is just sublime.

I also feel compelled to offer a shoutout to Witch Beam for the game accessibility options in Tempopo. In addition to the two difficulty options, which are Puzzle and Adventure, get three other options to help out. Low-vision is designed to make things more clear. The same goes for Tempopo accessories, which makes it easier to distinguish between the ones you have available to send around the stage and complete objectives. Stationary Island Transition is also handy for people who might have issues with rapid motions. I actually used Tempopo accessories for the unlockable Challenge stages, since it did come in really handy when working out proper paths. The only thing is, I do think it might be a bit easier to place directions with a mouse, as while the Switch’s scheme worked, I feel like I could have had a bit more control on a computer.

By the way, the characters and environments in the game look great. The soundtrack is fantastic too. It’s quite cartoonish, which I feel would make it welcoming for younger audiences. Replanting the flowers in Hana’s garden also feels a bit like a fun thing for a kiddo to do, though it’s also a musical creation tool since you’re hearing different tones from each one. 

However, another perk to the design direction is that it helps with visibility. It is very easy to see what each ability or action will do at a glance and where it is. The Tempopo are quite visible. Even though there are different levels of depth, it is clear to see how each is handled. Plus, well, it’s very cute and unique.

Tempopo is another impeccable Witch Beam game. Considering what the company’s done with it, Assault Android Cactus, and Unpacking, I’m starting to wonder if the team can’t miss. It’s deceptively difficult, quite satisfying, and a wonderful way to spend a few hours. Especially when you really start getting into the more challenging stages. 

Tempopo is available on the Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and PC. 

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