If you enjoy puzzle games that blend surreal aesthetics with Buddhist mythology, then Children’s Garden could be right up your street. Drawing inspiration from “Sai no Kawara,” a mythological riverbed in Japanese folklore often likened to a purgatory, the game tasks players with stacking building blocks to help a departed child achieve eternal peace.
Let’s delve into some background before exploring the gameplay: According to Japanese Buddhist beliefs, children who pass away prematurely are sent to Sai no Kawara. As a consequence of failing to uphold filial piety, they are condemned to stack stones into towering stupas (architectural structures central to Buddhism) in an attempt to break free from this limbo. However, malevolent spirits continually topple these constructions, forcing the children to begin anew. Only through the benevolence of Jizo, a compassionate deity who safeguards souls and children, can the children find salvation.
Instead of embodying Jizo, Children’s Garden has players stumble upon an enigmatic device that forms a connection with a child in the afterlife. Once the child implores for assistance, players are introduced to the Reincarnation Ethics Program, a sequence of challenges involving the stacking of onbutsu—traditional building-block toys that predate modern Japanese construction sets—to rescue the child.
Stacking onbutsu presents a greater challenge than it initially appears. Although the objectives across levels remain consistent—such as stacking blocks above a designated red line or positioning a set number throughout a stage—the irregular shapes of many blocks, coupled with increasingly complex and abstract level designs, make the task demanding.
Successfully completing levels awards players with Years, a currency that can be used to reveal obscured lore entries related to the device discovered earlier. This progression not only unlocks additional levels but also provides deeper insights into the game’s world and the child’s plight.
Crafted by Wellness Mechanism and distributed by Kodansha, Children’s Garden is slated for release on Windows and macOS (Steam) in 2026. A complimentary demo is also planned for release on Steam and itch.io in the near future.