100 hidden hares

Developer: Anatoliy Loginovskikh, Аlexandr Telminov | Publisher: Anatoliy Loginovskikh | Release Date: 25 March 2022 | Genre: Hidden Object / Casual / Puzzle | Website: n/a | Purchase: Steam

The 100 Hidden series has always thrived on simplicity. Every entry presents a large monochrome illustration, hides one hundred themed objects throughout the scene, and leaves players to slowly uncover them through careful observation. There are no complicated mechanics, no time pressure, and very little standing between the player and the puzzle itself.

100 Hidden Hares doesn’t attempt to reinvent that formula, but it wraps it in a charming winter setting that immediately gives it more personality than many of the earlier entries. Snow-covered villages, Christmas decorations, festive presents and cosy log cabins make for an inviting backdrop, while a handful of animated elements and interactive surprises provide just enough variety to keep the search engaging.

As always, the objective is straightforward: locate one hundred hidden hares scattered throughout a single enormous illustration. Every successful click unlocks its own Steam achievement and reduces the remaining counter until all one hundred have been found.

The entire picture is built around a festive Christmas village. Snow blankets the rooftops while log cabins, windmills, decorated Christmas trees, and cheerful snowmen fill the landscape. Wrapped presents are stacked throughout the town, giving the artwork a busy but coherent appearance that suits the holiday theme perfectly.

The environment also feels more alive than some of the series’ earliest releases. Windmills slowly rotate, cars loaded with Christmas presents drive through the village, and several smaller, subtle animations are to be seen. These are relatively small touches, but they prevent the illustration from feeling completely static without constantly distracting from the search.

The hares themselves are hidden very effectively. Unlike some hidden object games that distort their objects beyond recognition, the rabbits remain clearly identifiable despite appearing in a wide variety of orientations. Some face sideways, some face the players, and some have their backs to players, yet they always retain recognisable silhouettes.

This makes discoveries feel satisfying rather than arbitrary. Instead of searching for abstract shapes, players are genuinely looking for rabbits that have blended naturally into fences, buildings, decorations, snowbanks and other scenery.

Additional animals also populate the illustration. Cats and birds can be spotted relaxing around the village, providing amusing distractions despite having no role in the gameplay. They help make the environment feel inhabited rather than existing solely as a puzzle.

One of the nicer additions involves the many Christmas presents scattered around the map. Some boxes gently shake, hinting that they might contain something inside. Clicking them reveals whether a hare has been hiding beneath the lid or whether the movement was simply there to tease the player.

This is a simple interaction, but it adds a welcome layer of curiosity to the search. The controls remain wonderfully uncomplicated. Players scroll around the large illustration using the mouse before clicking on hidden hares and interactive presents. There are no penalties for incorrect guesses, making the experience relaxing rather than stressful.

Night Mode returns once again and can be activated using the N key, providing an alternative viewing mode that some players may find easier during longer sessions. Steam achievements can also be reset using the documented Delete and Escape shortcut for anyone wishing to repeat the hunt.

Visually, 100 Hidden Hares is one of the most cohesive entries released up to this point. The Christmas setting gives every part of the illustration a consistent identity, unlike weaker entries where unrelated objects seem randomly assembled across the page.

The snowy landscape naturally provides plenty of contrast for buildings, decorations and hidden animals without becoming visually overwhelming. There is enough detail to make the search interesting while avoiding the clutter that occasionally affected earlier games.

Compared to 100 Hidden Dogs, the artwork feels warmer and more inviting thanks to its festive atmosphere, although it lacks the unusual rotated sections that made that game’s puzzle design particularly memorable. Compared to 100 Hidden Fish, it relies less on environmental variety and more on clever camouflage, but both benefit from strong thematic consistency.

The soundtrack provides pleasant seasonal background music that complements the winter setting nicely. Like most entries in the series it remains understated, serving mainly to create a relaxing atmosphere while searching rather than demanding the player’s attention. 

As is the norm for this series, a complete playthrough generally lasts only a few minutes, depending on familiarity with the series and how long the final handful of hares remain hidden. The last few inevitably require repeated scans across the entire illustration, although the fair hiding places mean they usually feel overlooked rather than unfairly concealed.

Replay value is naturally limited. Once every hare has been located there are very few surprises left beyond resetting the achievements and starting again after enough time has passed. Fortunately, the game is clearly designed as an inexpensive hidden object puzzle rather than a long-term experience.