100 hidden mushrooms

Developer: Anatoliy Loginovskikh, Catherine Svyataya | Publisher: Anatoliy Loginovskikh | Release Date: 2021 | Genre: Casual / Hidden Object / Indie | Website: N/A | Purchase: Steam

After finding snails, gnomes, birds, eternals, aliens, mice, and even a second batch of snails, it was only a matter of time before the 100 Hidden series turned its attention to mushrooms. 100 Hidden Mushrooms once again gives players a large black-and-white illustration and challenges them to find 100 hidden objects scattered throughout it. This time, the setting is described as a fairytale world, but players expecting magical forests filled with hard-to-spot fungi may be surprised by how quickly the whole thing is over.

As with the other entries in Anatoliy Loginovskikh’s long-running series, the gameplay is extremely simple. Players scroll through the monochrome image, click on every mushroom they spot, and receive a Steam achievement for each one found. Pressing “N” activates night mode, while pressing “Del” followed by “Esc” resets all achievements and progress. There are no timers, penalties, hints, mini-games, or additional modes to worry about.

The biggest surprise after 100 Hidden Snails 2 is that 100 Hidden Mushrooms does not include the same color-fill trick. In that game, finding the 50th snail suddenly transformed the entire illustration into color, which was one of the neatest surprises the series has offered so far. Here, everything remains monochrome from start to finish. Found mushrooms are also outlined in red, which makes them easier to distinguish from those still waiting to be found.

Visually, 100 Hidden Mushrooms is one of the most detailed entries in the series so far. The line drawings are packed with tiny elements, giving the image a very busy and intricate look. The fairytale setting provides plenty of decorative scenery and whimsical details, and the artwork is more elaborate than the relatively plain mine in 100 Hidden Gnomes or the static laboratory in 100 Hidden Mice. It is a pity, then, that the game does not make better use of this detail.

Despite the more elaborate artwork, this is one of the easiest entries in the series. Most of the mushrooms stand out clearly against the background and can be found without much effort. This makes the game feel less satisfying than some of the other entries where the surreal art and occasional tricks helped make the search more engaging. 100 Hidden Mushrooms looks more detailed, but the actual hidden object challenge is fairly weak.

The lack of animations or interactive elements is also disappointing. After 100 Hidden Eternals experimented with minor puzzle interactions and 100 Hidden Snails 2 introduced its excellent color reveal, this feels like a step back in terms of interactivity. The fairytale setting could have been perfect for animated creatures, hidden compartments, or mushrooms that only appeared after clicking certain objects, but instead, players simply scan the image and click what they see.

The audio fares a little better. The music itself is good and fits the lighthearted mood of the game, but there is only one track, and it loops very quickly. Since the game is so short, this is not a major issue, but players who take longer to find the last few mushrooms may start noticing the repetition.

Controls are exactly what players would expect. Everything is handled with the mouse, from scrolling through the image to clicking on mushrooms. There is no complexity here, and the simple control scheme works fine for the type of game this is.

Overall, 100 Hidden Mushrooms is a visually detailed but mechanically basic entry in the series. The artwork is attractive and busy, but the mushrooms are too easy to find for the game to provide much challenge. Without the color reveal of 100 Hidden Snails 2, the interactive elements of 100 Hidden Eternals, or the surreal hiding spots of the original Snails, this entry feels pleasant but unremarkable. It is still cheap, short, and harmless, but mainly suited to achievement hunters or players looking for a very brief hidden object distraction.