When a cozy game is even cozier with a handheld on the couch
Letters to Arralla was released on Nintendo Switch last week, and I seriously didn’t realise how much I needed this until I curled up on my couch to play. Cozy games are the absolute best right now. I’m still ready for narrative-driven adventures with action and puzzles… but right now, I enjoy an easy-going game that doesn’t require the best of my hand-eye coordination. Consider this the palate cleanser: an adorable little turnip with cute little butt-cheeks and the manageable task of delivering the mail on this quaint little Aussie island. Life is already demanding so much, and the world is simply… worlding right now. There is nothing wrong with embracing the Church of Cozy Games. And since y’all seem to love my reviews for cozy games (it’s the top article in my stats every month), then who am I to question the wisdom of the readers? Let’s give the people what they want. Deliver my damn Letters to Arralla!
Now, to be clear: this is not a brand new game. Observant minions may recognise Letters to Arralla from a previous article: End of Year Chaos: Last Minute Gift Ideas. It was highlighted as the best cozy game to buy on Steam in 2025. And now it’s available on the handheld Switch (original and sequel console). For those of you who have the Steam Deck, I’m happy for you. But it still has issues in Australia, so the only reliable console I have for cozy video games on the couch is my Nintendo Switch. So, now is the time for a proper review. Buckle in, minions. We’re heading to Arralla.
What is Letters to Arralla?
This is the most wholesome yet totally Australian cozy video game I have ever played. Letters to Arralla is right up there with the feel-goods, alongside A Short Hike and Cozy Grove. It’s cute and funny, filled with puzzles and cheeky comments, and inspired by our very own natural environment. Of course, you play as a turnip. A freshly plucked turnip who delivers mail with nothing more than a pictogram as an address. But hey! There are clues to our character quirks, and our friendly little turnip is determined to do a good job.
Letters to Arralla is a single-player 3rd-person RPG with an open-world exploration and problem-solving mechanic. You play as a turnip on a small fictional island off the coast of Victoria, Australia. The landscape is directly inspired by Australian geography – well, except for the talking groceries. You, as a turnip (albeit a very cute turnip), are newly recruited to deliver the mail to the residents of Arralla. However, all mail is addressed with a simple illustrative clue. It could be a feather or macaroni. Or some other random item. But the more you explore the island and talk with other characters, the more you will learn about them and their homes. You may even solve a few community mysteries and disputes along the way.
The studio behind this joyous little seedling is Little Pink Clouds, an Australian indie studio based in Melbourne. The founders came up with the idea fresh out of RMIT and have poured their souls into this. Letters to Arralla released on Steam in Sept 2025, just in time for a super-active booth at PAX Australia 2025. It also featured during a panel on Video Game Tourism at PAX Aust, thanks to its accurate depiction of the Australian landscape and commitment to research and representation. More of that shortly.
Coziest of Cozy Video Games
So, what makes this a cozy game? The point of any cozy game is to create a smooth gamer experience. No jump scares, no slogs, no extreme battles, and no rage baiting. Cozy games are comforting, welcoming, and embracing. Like a warm hug.
The most stressful feature you will find in Letters to Arralla is that you only have a week to deliver all the mail; however, this is an ‘in-game’ week. Not real-life. You can take your time and really enjoy the scenery, the weird little characters, and their lovely little houses. Believe me when I say you can play this much longer than a week. There is no pressure to achieve or meet any requirements. Just good vibes.
Two other elements wrap the comfy blanket around you. First up, the colour palette. Letters to Arralla is filled with soft pastelles, smoothed edges, and a subtle grey undertone that is unmistakably Australia. Studio Director, Chantel Eagle, said this was something the team was especially proud of; even more so when a fan mentioned it at PAX Aus. “This player was so impressed that we had captured the grey-green shade that you really only see in Australian gum trees. It’s something that you just can’t skip over. Without it, you lose the whole vibe.”
The second element lies with the characters. There are no sharp edges to be found anywhere, be it in the aesthetic or in the dialogue. Even the grumpiest of characters are still friendly and sociable, in a grumpy sort of way. The point of the game is for you to connect with each and every character, so they all need to be approachable and accessible in some way. As the postal turnip, you have the opportunity to dig a little in the garden and learn more about our happy little residents. Of course, this leads to some very fun conversations! One of your ‘superpowers’ is that you can open the mail if you are well and truly stuck on the address. To be clear, we do not condone interference with mail in Australia. Big no-no. But fortunately, the residents of Arralla have a healthy dose of Australian humour, and it can end up being a conversation starter.
Again, however, we do not recommend trying this at home.
Is it really just like Australia?
As mentioned earlier, Letters to Arralla featured during a panel at PAX Aust 2025: Video Game Tourism (you can see more about the panel here, at Travel for Geeks). The team at Little Pink Clouds fully embraced the idea of an Australian-themed game. The goal was to incorporate a landscape that felt naturally Australian without being directly identified as a specific location. After all, Arralla is a fictional island. The charm or whimsy is directly related to the escapism you feel in this entirely separate location. No responsibilities, remember?
That said, the devs did draw inspiration from real-life places. Some of the obvious are the Grampians/Gariwerd, the Mornington Peninsula, and Port Fairy/Pyipkil or Ummut. I think I also picked up on some hints of St Kilda Beach and the Dandenong Ranges. It’s more than just the colour scheme. There’s a certain dryness to the air, or maybe that’s the Aussie humour coming through. Neighbourhoods are filled with multicultural foundations that build into displays of art and expression. Special shout-out for the Currawong calls. So good, our local currawong came over to the window to say hello.
Side note on Gameschooling (because that’s what I do): this is a great game for exploring the geographical landscape of a specific region of Australia. More importantly, the game is a better application for puzzles, problem-solving, dispute resolution, and community engagement. It would be a great game for exploring social structure and community service, something I remember the spawnlings were studying in Years 1 and 2 in NSW primary school.
And in a short week, it’s all over
I’ll be honest: I haven’t officially finished the game. I really don’t want it to end. Like many cozy games, Letters to Arralla is something you can load up simply to appreciate. You can explore, wander, and simply experience the island. Like me, you can avoid finishing the mail just to stretch the experience out for a few more days. For completionists, the game is about 3 hours of play, you heartless swine.
But that’s not really the point of this game. Letters to Arralla is meant to be a game about community. Every letter you deliver is a connection with the residents. It opens up conversations that reveal a little more about each person. Sometimes it is a cry for help; sometimes it is finding something they feared had been lost a long time ago. Either way, it requires you to be an active part of the world. You genuinely need to make the effort. And it is absolutely worth it.
Okay, fine. I’ll confess. I have been waiting ever so patiently for Letters to Arralla to release on Nintendo Switch, so that I can play this game on the couch. Too often, I have to share my PC gaming space with the rest of the EG Family. And Letters to Arralla deserves better than that.
Score: 4.5 out of 5 juicy bums
Letters to Arralla is available on Steam and Nintendo Switch for around AUD$24.95 (both Switch and Switch 2). There is also a downloadable Demo to give you a taste. For more details about the game and the studio, head to the official website here.
All images are provided with authority to use or are screenshots of my actual gameplay. All opinions are my own. Thanks to Little Pink Clouds for sending me a review copy.
Categories: video games
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