Dadish 3

It took long enough to finally beat Dadish 3, but I think taking it in chunks was the best approach for me. I don't know what it is, but every once in a while, I just want to work through a punishing platformer. I need to be in the right headspace, but when I am, I crave the rush of finally beating a tough level. Like the other entries in the series, Dadish 3 isn't the most punishing game I've played in the genre, but it is challenging enough to fill that niche for me when I need it. I would also say that this is the most polished and feature-rich game in the series, making it the definitive Dadish experience in my mind.
 
As expected, Dadish 3 puts you in control of the titular parental root vegetable as he attempts to rescue his delinquent children yet again. This time, it seems like the suspiciously-named Lord Kanrud has something to do with their absence, so you'll need to take him down too. The gameplay is the same as the other 2D Dadish games, but there are a plethora of newly introduced characters associated with what are essentially brand new types of levels.
 
Like Burgurgular from Dadish 2, most of the new characters alter the gameplay by offering Dadish a ride to the end of a level. Burgurgular is still present in this game and likewise converts levels into auto-runners by removing your directional control and only allowing you to make the swift sandwich jump over hazards. In contrast, Dadish's absentee wife and the mother of his children, Momato, introduced for the first time in this game, will leave you your directional control, but she jumps non-stop. You'll often need to manage clearing large gaps and dodging flying obstacles, creating a nice shakeup to the gameplay.
 
A dolphin named The Dolphin The Dolphin (yes, the repetition is required) also appears frequently to swim Dadish through treacherous waters. However, unlike riding on Burgurgular or Momato, you retain control of Dadish for the whole trip. Instead of controlling The Dolphin The Dolphin directly, he's a glorified moving platform for you to ride on. The difficulty comes in avoiding spikes, hitting switches to open gates, and other high-speed platforming challenges.
 
Finally, levels with the giant daikon, Madish, allow you to keep control of Dadish, as you aren't riding on anything this time. Instead, the enormous cruciferous monster relentlessly pursues you, crushing almost anything in its way until either you're caught in his goliath jaws, or you manage to escape to somewhere he's too large to reach. Along with the other level gimmicks, this gives Dadish 3 the most variety in the series and keeps the adventure interesting, despite the otherwise heavy reuse of assets and mechanics from the earlier games.

If you're hoping to play the whole Dadish series, I'd recommend playing the games in release order. However, if you only plan to try one, Dadish 3 is my easy recommendation. The stages are cleverly structured, the gimmicks are exciting, and the experience as a whole feels the most refined out of its predecessors and successors alike. For the price (free on mobile?!), it's also one of the best values in the genre. If you like platformers, irreverent humor, or root vegetables, Dadish 3 would probably be right up your alley.
The game is available for Android here (as of 8/1/25): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.thomasyoung.dadish3&hl=en_US
The game is available for iOS here (as of 8/1/25): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dadish-3/id1613609465
The game is available for Steam here (as of 8/1/25): https://store.steampowered.com/app/1969830/Dadish_3/
The game is available for Switch and Switch 2 here (as of 8/1/25): https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/dadish-3-switch
The game is available for Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S here (as of 8/1/25): https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/store/dadish-3/9nkq9rn1cntk
The game is available for PS4 and PS5 here (as of 8/1/25): https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP7190-CUSA34038_00-3105757901821683

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