Kabuto Park: A Summer Game About Beetle Battles and Childhood Nostalgia

The indie game Kabuto Park, initially released on PC last year, is now available on Nintendo Switch and Xbox. The developers have crafted a project that doesn’t just evoke summer but immerses players in the atmosphere of childhood vacations. The story unfolds over a single month, where players control Hana, a girl striving to win a beetle battle championship.

The gameplay resembles classic games like Pokémon but with simplified mechanics. Players will catch beetles, upgrade their stats, and build a team for battles. The game features four main locations: a map for beetle hunting, a shop with useful items, a collection screen, and an arena for fights. Catching insects requires skill—timing the net swing to capture rare specimens. Beetles are upgraded using candies, and a special terrarium is provided for storing the collection.

Battles in Kabuto Park take place in a sumo-like format, where the goal is to push the opponent’s team off the ring (represented by a tambourine). Players can influence the battle using cards that temporarily boost stats or deliver a decisive strike. Despite its simple mechanics, the game offers strategic depth—choosing the right team and using cards at the right moment is key. Each battle advances the story by one day, bringing Hana closer to tournament victory.

A standout feature of Kabuto Park is its compactness. The game can be completed in just three hours, yet it manages to create a vivid impression filled with nostalgia and the spirit of summer. The art style resembles illustrations from children’s books, while the sound design—featuring cicada chirps—enhances the atmosphere. The developers have packed everything that makes summer vacations unforgettable into this small project: freedom, excitement, and a touch of melancholy for their fleeting nature.