Polygon called The Mermaid Mask the funniest game of the year and also one of the best-reviewed, and after finishing SFB Games’ latest Detective Grimoire mystery in one sitting, we don’t disagree. The problem with a game like this is that when it ends, you want another one immediately. The best The Mermaid Mask alternatives on desktop are the games that share its exact texture: short, funny, character-heavy, and confident that jokes and story can carry a game as much as combat can.
We picked seven, all available on Windows, macOS, or Linux via Steam or the developers’ own stores, all under twenty hours, and all with the same “one more scene” pull that made The Mermaid Mask hard to put down.
Quick comparison
| App | Best for | Free plan | Starting price | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thank Goodness You’re Here! | Slapstick short-form comedy | Demo | ~$13 | British-town punchline density |
| Frog Detective 3 | Detective-lite with pure charm | Demo | ~$13 | Complete trilogy, low pressure |
| Untitled Goose Game | Physical comedy in a village | None | ~$20 | Cross-platform, co-op patch |
| Chicken Police - Paint it RED! | Noir mystery with sharp dialogue | Demo | ~$20 | Voice-acted noir cast |
| Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion | Tiny action-adventure with a wink | Demo | ~$15 | Under 3 hours, fully absurd |
| Wandersong | Musical adventure with real heart | None | ~$20 | Sing your way through combat |
| Pig Eat Ball | Slapstick action puzzler | None | ~$15 | Local multiplayer chaos |
Why people finish The Mermaid Mask looking for more
The Mermaid Mask is the fourth Detective Grimoire game and the culmination of SFB Games’ comedy-mystery style. Reviewers keep returning to three things: tight writing, characters who feel fully formed, and puzzles that never gate progress behind the tedious kind of pixel-hunt. Players hitting the credits usually want another game that respects the same three things.
The seven alternatives below cover that ground from different angles. Some are more puzzle-focused, some are pure comedy, all keep the same short, well-crafted feel.
1. Thank Goodness You’re Here! — Best slapstick comedy
Thank Goodness You’re Here! is the recent BAFTA-winner from Coal Supper. You play a small yellow man doing odd jobs in a fictional Northern English town, and the game is basically a sequence of setups and punchlines. The joke density is absurd. Voice acting from Matt Berry lands every time.
Where it falls short: Very short (about three hours). Some dialect jokes miss for players unfamiliar with the setting.
Pricing:
- Free: Demo on Steam.
- Paid: Around $13 on Steam and Switch.
- vs The Mermaid Mask: Shorter and more slapstick; less mystery, more jokes.
Migrating from The Mermaid Mask: No import; just launch it. If you liked Detective Grimoire’s dialogue rhythm, this hits the same nerve.
Download: Steam
Bottom line: The first pick after The Mermaid Mask credits roll. Different game, same energy.
2. Frog Detective 3 — Best pure charm
Frog Detective 3: Corruption at Cowboy County is the closer of Grace Bruxner’s trilogy and probably the best written. You are a frog detective. You interview animals. You solve small mysteries with big personalities. The tone is what people describe as “delightful” and mean it.
Where it falls short: Not challenging as a mystery. If you want real deduction, this is not it.
Pricing:
- Free: Demo.
- Paid: Around $13 on Steam. Trilogy bundle available.
- vs The Mermaid Mask: Even lower stakes; the jokes are the reward.
Migrating from The Mermaid Mask: Fresh game. Play the trilogy if you have time.
Download: Steam
Bottom line: Pick this when you want the same warm feeling with no pressure.
3. Untitled Goose Game — Best physical comedy
Untitled Goose Game is the horrible goose that has to ruin a small English village. It’s not a mystery, it’s a set of comedy objectives (steal the gardener’s hat, make the boy trip), and the physical humor holds up years later. The two-player co-op patch is still one of the best free updates in indie games.
Where it falls short: Not story-driven. Playthroughs run about four hours.
Pricing:
- Paid: Around $20 on Steam, Switch, PS4, Xbox.
- vs The Mermaid Mask: Same droll comedy sensibility, very different mechanics.
Migrating from The Mermaid Mask: Fresh game.
Download: Steam
Bottom line: The pick when you want comedy that emerges from mechanics, not dialogue.
4. Chicken Police - Paint it RED! — Best noir mystery
Chicken Police - Paint it RED! is a noir detective game with an all-animal cast that plays it dead straight. Fully voice-acted, sharp writing, and interrogation scenes with real tension. If The Mermaid Mask made you want more detective work with the same care for dialogue, this is the pick.
Where it falls short: Static scenes; not much movement. The gag of “everyone is an animal noir character” wears thin after a few hours if you don’t buy in.
Pricing:
- Free: Demo.
- Paid: Around $20 on Steam, Switch, PS4, Xbox.
- vs The Mermaid Mask: Similar interrogation depth; noir tone rather than comedy.
Migrating from The Mermaid Mask: Fresh game, sequel Into the HIVE now available.
Download: Steam
Bottom line: Pick this if the interrogations were your favorite part of Detective Grimoire.
5. Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion — Best tiny action-adventure
Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion is a top-down action adventure about a small root vegetable committing crimes. It’s tiny (about three hours), fully absurd, and rides on the same “the humor is the point” energy as The Mermaid Mask.
Where it falls short: Combat is thin. Puzzles are simple.
Pricing:
- Free: Demo.
- Paid: Around $15 on Steam, Switch, PlayStation, Xbox.
- vs The Mermaid Mask: Different genre, same short-and-funny commitment.
Migrating from The Mermaid Mask: Fresh game. There’s also a sequel, Turnip Boy Robs a Bank.
Download: Steam
Bottom line: The pick for an afternoon when you want jokes and a controller.
6. Wandersong — Best musical adventure with real heart
Wandersong is the musical adventure where the bard is the protagonist and singing is the mechanic. It’s funny, warm, and by the end also unexpectedly moving. Grew a devoted following after launch and holds up years later.
Where it falls short: Some song puzzles feel long. Not everyone bonds with the singing mechanic.
Pricing:
- Paid: Around $20 on Steam, Switch, PlayStation, Xbox.
- vs The Mermaid Mask: Longer, more emotional; comedy is the entry, not the whole meal.
Migrating from The Mermaid Mask: Fresh game.
Download: Steam
Bottom line: Pick this when you want the humor of Detective Grimoire wrapped around something that also earns its ending.
7. Pig Eat Ball — Best slapstick action puzzler
Pig Eat Ball is the slapstick action puzzler from Mommy’s Best Games. You’re a pig eating balls in dress-up levels. It’s fully absurd, has local multiplayer, and rewards messy play.
Where it falls short: Difficulty spikes late. Story is a light frame around the puzzles.
Pricing:
- Paid: Around $15 on Steam, Switch, PlayStation, Xbox.
- vs The Mermaid Mask: Very different mechanics; shares the “confident absurdism” vibe.
Migrating from The Mermaid Mask: Fresh game.
Download: Steam
Bottom line: Pick this for local co-op or a game to laugh at with someone else in the room.
How to choose
Pick Thank Goodness You’re Here! for the highest joke density in the shortest window.
Pick Frog Detective 3 for pure charm and low pressure.
Pick Untitled Goose Game for physical comedy and co-op.
Pick Chicken Police for a real noir mystery with the same dialogue focus.
Pick Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion for a three-hour action-comedy.
Pick Wandersong for a longer game that earns its emotional moments.
Pick Pig Eat Ball for local multiplayer chaos.
Stay on The Mermaid Mask for a replay if you missed side conversations. The Detective Grimoire back catalog (three earlier games) is also worth the time.
FAQ
Are there more Detective Grimoire games? Yes. The Mermaid Mask is the fourth. The three earlier games are on browsers and Switch; the recent entries are the polished ones.
What’s the best short funny game after The Mermaid Mask? Thank Goodness You’re Here! for length and tone. Frog Detective 3 for the same warm feeling.
Is there a game like The Mermaid Mask on Switch? Yes. The Mermaid Mask itself is on Switch. Most alternatives on this list also ship on Switch.
Can I play these on macOS or Linux? Most of them, yes. The Mermaid Mask, Frog Detective, Wandersong, Untitled Goose Game, and Pig Eat Ball all ship on macOS. Linux users usually run them via Proton on Steam.
Are there co-op or multiplayer options among these? Untitled Goose Game has co-op. Pig Eat Ball has local multiplayer. The rest are single-player.
