Melanin Friendly Games – ‘Mermaid Splash! Passion Festival’

Hey there Heroes, Travelers, and Wandering NPCs, it’s Melanin Monday here on Blerdy Otome and that means I’m spotlighting another Melanin Friendly Game! For those of you just joining the party—every Monday I spotlight games that feature black and brown characters for anyone looking for titles with just a bit more representation. As a blerd and a gamer, I am always on the lookout for representation in my games. This is largely a personal project for me—there are almost no “diverse game” tags on major game sites—so, it can be pretty difficult find games with characters of color… unless you already know where to look.

This week, I’m spotlighting the debut visual novel, Mermaid Splash! Passion Festival, from Sofdelux Studio—made up of NomnomNami, creator of Syrup and Ultimate Sweet and DarkChibiShadow, a comic creator who also makes visual novels on the side. Mermaid Splash! is a short yuri visual novel that follows CiCi, a mermaid who wants to participate in the upcoming Passion Festival. There’s only one hitch… she doesn’t really have anything that she’s passionate in—so it’s up to you to help her hone her skills and focus on a specific hobby for the festival. You have just one month tho help CiCi get her act together and maybe you’ll help her find love in the process!

I included Mermaid Splash! on my list of Melanin Friendly Otome Games & Visual Novels, but I wanted to revisit the game because it is just so CUTE! I’m usually not big on yuri games, they just aren’t my cup of tea, but I just couldn’t pass up a game with a game with adorable black and brown mermaids. There is so much melanin goodness here, and each of the characters has their own unique personalities and motivations that aren’t reliant on played out racial stereotypes. Mermaid Splash! is a short game, taking anywhere between 2-3 hours to complete, but the Sofdelux team managed to really create some wholesome and well-rounded characters that you can’t help but love.

The character designs are especially noteworthy, while CiCi is a more traditional mermaid, the other characters incorporate the anatomy of other types of sea life. There are four love interests and each one represents a different sea creature: Angler Fish, Sea Slug, Shark, and even a Cuttlefish. I LOVE these designs! Not only are they super cute, they’re also really distinctive, sporting features you would find on their real life counterparts—highlighting just how diverse life in the sea can be.

While it is mostly a lighthearted story, there are some genuinely emotional moments that will give you a few feels. There are 23 endings to unlock and each one gives you a wide range of outcomes for CiCi and her relationship with the LIs, and I highly recommend shooting for them all. There are also 52 random events, each with their own illustrations, so experiment with the four hobbies and your choices for some pretty interesting results. While Mermaid Splash! does have romance in it, you can pursue friendships with each of the LIs, so if romance isn’t what you’re after you can achieve something more platonic.

All in all, this is a super cute game and definitely worth checking out for anyone looking for something short and sweet. The diverse cast and adorable art is really just icing on the cake—but I won’t deny that seeing so many Black and Brown characters in one game made my blerdy heart happy!

Available On: Windows, Mac, Linux | Android

Thank you for reading and supporting Blerdy Otome! Have you played Mermaid Splash! Passion Festival? Share your thoughts! Got a Melanin Friendly Game you think I should spotlight? Send it to me! 🙂

Follow Blerdy Otome! 

Twitter | Instagram | Etsy | Tumblr | Otome Amino