Smushi Comes Home manages to stand out in a suddenly very crowded cosy game marketplace (even within the A Short Hike-like subgenre) thanks to some well crafted overworld hubs that invite exploration, along with a steady stream of upgrades to your traversal abilities.

It's generally just a chill game that doesn't outstay its welcome. As pleasant as they are to whoever they meet, Smushi does just want to get home after all, although I don't blame anyone who wants to stay in a particular area for a bit longer just to vibe for a bit.