Little known fact: coconuts have dreams too, and… well, some dream of… becoming a mighty oak, because why not? Such is the story of Sprout at least, in which you’ve been tasked with guiding a coconut (seed?) across a great distance, changing form as necessary to travel ever further. If you think this sounds a tad odd, you’re not alone but trust me, it makes sense.
See, the thing is, you’re stuck on an island, and your parents – being coconut trees – can only teach you one thing: the way of the coconut. It’s fortunate then, that this is exactly what you require to get started, so turn into a coconut tree and off you go, across the river; simple beginnings and all that. Upon reaching the distant shore, you’ll learn how to become a dandelion and, well, float away. Because that’s what they do.
What does all this nonsense have to do with becoming a mighty oak, you ask? Why, a lot, as each new transformation acquired brings you one step closer to the one you’re after, on top of letting you reach otherwise inaccessible areas. Become an apple tree, for example, and a nearby bird might ‘carry’ (for lack of a better term) you up a steep hill, while the first thing you were taught – a coconut tree – brings about a bit of rolling (and smashing).
You feel gentle a thump as you land in the warm tropical sand. Who are you? Who do you want to be? Something in your heart whispers of shade, majesty, and acorns. What does this mean?
Easy enough to grasp, although all the transformations do soon become a tad complex, requiring some trial and error at times, to figure out exactly how to progress. Adding to this is the fact that, in my experience, the road ahead is not strictly linear, in that there are times when you have to backtrack ever so slightly for a different approach – or perhaps I simply stumbled upon a different solution than the one intended? Also a possibility.
At the end of the day, it doesn’t really make much sense for the child of two coconuts to want to become an oak, but Sprout does still make for a fun time, and hey, the hand-drawn art style is absolutely lovely! Whether all the puzzles actually make sense or not is hard to say though, as I’m by no means an expert in that area. So… why not see for yourself, young coconut?
Sprout is available from itch.io and Steam, without a price tag.
