Moomin Midsummer Madness Beginner Guide: Price, Demo and First Tips

Launch, price and platforms

Moomin: Midsummer Madness launched on the same day on all three platforms. Crossbridge Game Studios developed the game, and Shochiku Games published it. It is a single-player game, and it comes in 12 languages, including English. The story follows the arc of Tove Jansson’s 1954 novel Moominsummer Madness, with new scenes and mini stories added along the way.

There is a 10 percent launch discount, so the game costs $17.99 on Steam right now. The sale ends on November 26, 2026. The Nintendo store shows the same sale end date, so check the price on the store page before you pay, because sale prices can change by region.

Try the free demo first: the whole first chapter

The free demo is on Steam, and it is the best way to start. It covers the entire first chapter, with no time limit, so you can play at your own pace. It is the same chapter that opens the full game, so what you learn in the demo carries straight into your first real session.

Play the demo even if you plan to buy the full game on Switch. It teaches you the controls, the character switching and the way clues work, and none of that changes between platforms. The only thing that changes is how you point: a mouse on PC, and a touch screen or controller on Switch. The demo is the only demo the publisher has announced, so Switch players who want a trial run should borrow a PC for an hour, or start with the guide below.

How the game works: point, click and talk

This is a point-and-click adventure, so there is no fast action and no combat to learn. You click where you want Moomintroll or Little My to go, click on people to talk to them, and click on objects to look at them or pick them up. The story moves forward when you talk to the right character, find the right item, or solve the right puzzle. Every scene is a hand-painted picture of Moominvalley, drawn from Tove Jansson’s original art, and the game is built to be relaxing. Take your time. There is no timer pushing you forward.

Each chapter mixes three things: talking, exploring and small puzzles. You will search scenes for hidden clues, collect items, and play mini-games. One early mini-game has Little My reading the weather forecast to the Hattifatteners by catching storm clouds, and the puzzle’s own progress bar is shaped like a Hattifattener. That is the tone of the whole game: gentle, funny and a little bit strange.

Two heroes, two sets of talents

You play as Moomintroll and Little My, and you can switch between them. Each one has their own talents, and some puzzles need the right hero. The official site puts it simply: some characters are excellent swimmers, while others are small enough to squeeze into the narrowest spaces. When you are stuck, the first question to ask is whether the other hero should be the one trying.

The switch is usually about size. Little My is small, so she fits where Moomintroll cannot. The first chapter teaches you this by giving each hero their own small tasks. If a gap looks too narrow, or a job looks like it needs a smaller pair of hands, try the other hero before you try anything clever.

The hint system keeps it relaxing

If you get stuck, use the hint system. It is built into the game, and it is always there. The Nintendo listing says it plainly: do not worry if you get stuck, because the helpful hint feature is always there to guide you on your way. That is the whole point of this game. It wants you to enjoy the story at your own pace, not to sit stuck on one puzzle for an hour.

A good habit is to try three things before you ask for a hint. Talk to everyone in the scene again, look at every object once more, and try the other hero. If none of that moves the story, take the hint and move on. Hints are part of the game, not a cheat, so use them freely and keep the story moving.

Your first session: seven tips that hold up

1. Play the free Chapter 1 demo on Steam first, even if you will buy the game on Switch. It teaches the controls and the switching for free.
2. Talk to everyone, and talk to them again after something changes. A character who had nothing to say before may have a new line after you pick up an item.
3. Click on everything that looks odd. The game hides clues in plain sight, and looking costs nothing.
4. When a puzzle will not budge, switch heroes first. Size and talents decide more puzzles than cleverness does.
5. Use the hint system early. It is there to keep the game relaxing, and a quick hint beats a long stuck spell.
6. Try every mini-game. They are short, they are part of the story, and they teach you how this valley works, one small joke at a time.
7. Play in short sessions. The puzzles are built for it, the story is about 4 to 6 hours in total, and the game is at its best when you are relaxed, not rushing.

What the first chapter teaches you

Chapter 1 starts on a calm summer day, before the flood changes everything. It is a tutorial in disguise. You learn how to move, how to talk, and how to use the item storage system, where the things you pick up live. You also learn the two icons to watch for: when an eyeball or a pair of cogs appears over an item, that item is worth a closer look. And you learn to switch between Moomintroll and Little My, because some early tasks belong to one hero and some to the other.

By the end of the chapter you will know every tool the game gives you. The flood arrives, the family takes shelter in the floating theatre, and the real adventure begins. That is the moment to stop and take stock: you know the controls, you know both heroes, and you know where to look for help. From here on, the game only asks you to use what Chapter 1 already taught you.

Moomin: Midsummer Madness questions

Is there a free demo of Moomin: Midsummer Madness?

Yes. The free demo is on Steam, and it covers the entire first chapter with no time limit. Play it before you buy, even if you plan to play on Switch, because it teaches the controls and the character switching for free.

Can you switch characters in Moomin: Midsummer Madness?

Yes. You play as Moomintroll and Little My, and you can switch between them. Each hero has their own talents, and some puzzles need the right hero, so switch when a puzzle fits one hero better than the other.

How long is Moomin: Midsummer Madness?

The publisher says the story takes about 4 to 6 hours to finish. The chapters are short-session friendly, so you can play it in relaxed sittings across a few evenings.