What it is
Beetles’ Juice is a short strategy/god-game prototype from the Cozy Fall Jam 2026, in which you guide a colony of beetles through a forest as they gather juice for winter. The goal is to keep the beetles alive, combine creatures and items to improve them, and clear the map of roots. It was made with Unity and runs in the browser.
From the developer
In the developer’s own words, from tenairi.itch.io.
Fall is here, and a bunch of beetles need to stock up on juice for the coming winter! Will you help them make their way through a dense forest filled with delicious roots? But be careful, there are other hungry creatures lurking in the shadows, waiting for a tasty snack to wander by.
Protect your critters at all costs, because once they're gone, no one will be left to produce that delicious juice! Don't worry though, put your tinkering skills to work and combine creatures and items to create new and improved beetles. Build shelters and use the resources you find along the way to keep your little critters safe.
Good luck, and happy tinkering!
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Controls
Move the camera by dragging with the left mouse button on empty ground, or navigate using WASD.
Everything else is done with the left mouse button, that's all you need!
References & Sources Just the music for this game. Everything else was made entirely by us.
Music:
Chill/Calming Chiptune Loop
Editor takes
“As a prototype it’s impressively paced for a jam win, but the lack of any resource/bug counter made it hard to tell if my economy was actually working before the silk ran dry.”
“The combine-and-protect rules are simple enough to grasp immediately, yet the shelter placement and predator timing create fair, earned aha moments.”
“The left-mouse-only controls feel snappy and responsive, but with prototype pacing the difficulty curve never quite demands the precision I wanted.”
“The cozy autumn palette and chunky beetle sprites are adorable, and the chill chiptune loop carries the mood even when the animation stays simple.”
How to play
Move the camera by dragging the mouse on empty ground or using WASD. Everything else is done with the left mouse button: select or combine beetles and items, build shelters, and use resources. Watch out for hidden predators while your beetles harvest roots and produce juice.
Tips
- Keep your beetles alive first; if they are eaten, no one is left to produce juice.
- Experiment with combining creatures and items to create improved beetles.
- Build shelters early to give your critters a safe place away from lurking predators.
- Use roots and resources you find along the way; they are needed for tinkering and keeping your beetles going.
- Keep an eye on the darker areas of the forest, since other hungry creatures are waiting in the shadows.
Questions
Is Beetles’ Juice a full game?
No, it is a prototype made for the Cozy Fall Jam 2026. Players have reported being able to complete it, but it is not a long, expanded title.
Where can I play it?
It runs in the browser via HTML5 on itch.io, so no download is needed. It was made with Unity.
Is it free?
The itch.io page lists it as free to play.
What type of game is it?
It is a strategy/god-game hybrid: you manage cute beetles, combine them and items, and try to clear the forest map while protecting them from predators.
Who made it?
It was created by Tenairi and etheledan. Only the music is from an external source; everything else was made by them.
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