Lily's Garden

Deconstructing Lily's Garden

Tactile Games' Lily's Garden, a roughly 50-person studio's most ambitious title, is analyzed here as a case study in how a multi-dimensional Collapse puzzle game with a redecoration meta-game reached the top 50 grossing on mobile in late 2019 and approached the top 100 during Q2 and Q3.

• Tactile Games achieved top 50 grossing status in late 2019 by differentiating Lily's Garden through a narrative-heavy approach that tackles mature, realistic themes like divorce and death, rather than the superficial storytelling found in competitors.
• The game successfully differentiates itself in the crowded redecoration puzzle genre by employing four dedicated writers to create genuine narrative immersion, avoiding the common trope of fourth-wall-breaking dialogue found in titles like Homescapes.
• Lily's Garden utilizes a 'Collapse' core-game mechanic combined with redecoration meta-gameplay, though the random 50/50 generation of line rockets can lead to player frustration due to perceived lack of agency.