Alexis Kestler
Hey friend! Have you tried the short indie walking simulator game Pineapple on Pizza yet? As a seasoned gaming geek, I highly recommend checking out this clever bite-sized adventure.
At first glance, Pineapple on Pizza looks like a tropical paradise to explore. But I soon discovered there‘s a lot more going on under the surface, including dark humor and unexpectedly complex themes.
In this walkthrough, I‘ll guide you through Pineapple on Pizza from start to finish, spoiling some surprises along the way. I‘ll also give tips to unlock all 16 whimsical achievements on Steam.
Strap on your flip flops and let‘s dive into this offbeat island getaway!
Introduction to Pineapple on Pizza
Pineapple on Pizza comes from the mind of indie developer William Decker, creator of other short experiential games like Locked In Mind and In Sink.
As a gaming addict myself, I love these thoughtful indie games that distill gameplay down to its emotional essence. Pineapple on Pizza packs a lot of intriguing ideas into its 10 minute playtime.
In Pineapple on Pizza, you play as an unnamed protagonist who washes up on a tropical island paradise, surrounded by swaying palms and happy locals. Your stated mission is to "ruin the party" going on around you.
However, as you begin interacting with the friendly (if eccentric) island inhabitants, you may find your intentions shifting. There seems to be more below the surface in this sunny getaway.
I recommend playing through Pineapple on Pizza blindly your first time to fully experience the surprises in store. But if you just want to see the sights or get stuck, use this walkthrough and achievements guide!
Now let‘s get started ruining virtual parties and analyzing pizza metaphors!
Complete Walkthrough of Pineapple on Pizza
Here is a complete step-by-step walkthrough taking you through the entire Pineapple on Pizza game from start to finish:
Washing Up on Paradise Beach
After a brief loading screen, you‘ll find yourself standing on an idyllic beach facing the crystal blue ocean waters. Turn around from the sea to head inland and begin exploring your new island home.
Friendly music fills the air and palm trees sway in the breeze. It seems like the perfect tropical getaway!
The starting beach area in Pineapple on Pizza
Right away the cheerful surroundings make you skeptical about your supposed "mission" to ruin this island paradise. Maybe someone just brought you here as a prank?
You resolve to explore the island with an open mind and see what happens. Off you go down the sandy beach, the sun warming your skin…
Looming Stone Statue
Following the shoreline, you soon encounter a mammoth stone statue facing stoically out to sea. Getting near it unlocks the Statue achievement:
"Approach the statue"
Examining the weathered carvings, you wonder what ancient culture could have crafted this imposing figure. The familiar urge to damage it resurfaces briefly, but you push it aside for now.
Clearly this statue holds significance to the island inhabitants. Perhaps its origins will become meaningful to you too in time. For now, you move on down the beach, leaving the silent sentinel gazing eternally out to sea.
Taking a Sailboat for a Spin
Continuing along the sandy shore, you next discover a dock with small sailboats lined up. You decide to step aboard one of the boats, scoring the Sailboat achievement:
"Step onto a sailboat"
As you clamber unsteadily onto the rocking deck, you consider casting off and escaping the island by sea. But something compels you to stay and learn more.
Leaving the boat tied to the dock, you hop back onto dry land. The boat ride has given you a new perspective though – you aren‘t trapped here. The choice to stay or go remains in your hands.
Breaking Up a Beachfront Limbo Party
Farther down the sun-dappled beach, you spot a group of locals engaged in a spirited limbo contest, shimmying under a pole.
Unable to resist, you decide to sabotage their game by breaking their limbo stick, unlocking Limbo:
"Ruin the limbo"
But amazingly, the now stick-less limbo dancers barely react to your act of destruction. They just continue gyrating away, carefree as ever.
Their indifference to your interference is oddly comforting. You realize you don‘t have to follow through on your "mission" here. You‘re free to make your own choices.
Wandering Through Lush Crops
Continuing your expedition, the sandy beach gives way to a field of corn. You decide to wander through the crops, obtaining the Plantations achievement:
"Walk through the corn plantations"
Running your hands over the leaves, you briefly consider starting a small fire in the dry fields. But the impulse feels false, like someone else‘s suggestion. This island seems to bring out your compassionate side.
Making Friends with Birds
Emerging from the corn, you spot a man standing on the sand, feeding birds by hand. Approaching him causes the birds to perch on you as well, unlocking Bird friend:
"Approach the man feeding the birds"
Feeling their tiny feet clutching your arm gives you a sense of connection with nature. Once again, you feel reluctant to disrupt the harmonious scene before you.
Appreciating the Locals‘ Joyful Culture
Continuing down the beach, you encounter a young woman dancing gracefully by herself, moving to unheard music.
Getting near her earns you the Skilled dancer achievement:
"Approach the skilled dancer"
As you watch her elegant, hypnotic dance, you briefly consider pushing her over mid-move. But something stops you – a growing respect for the islanders and their culture.
Just past the dancer, you spot a large sea turtle paddling along offshore. Wade into the surf to find it and receive Turtle:
"Approach the turtle"
Despite your original destructive goal, you cannot bring yourself to interfere with the turtle or the dancer. Both seem connected to this place in ways you don‘t fully grasp yet.
Bonding with Local Children
Approaching a small village of huts, you hear playful sounds within one of the structures. Inside, you find local children engaged in simple games.
Joining their play unlocks Kids playing:
"Approach the kids playing"
As you laugh and run around with the kids, you feel an echo of your own childhood innocence and wonder. Their pure joy resonates deep within you, bringing complex feelings to the surface.
Joining the Communal Dance
Out in the village center, some of the adult inhabitants dance in a circle around a crackling fire. Overcome by the energy, you step into their circle to join the dance, obtaining Circle:
"Step inside the circle"
Moving and clapping with the group, you feel a primal sense of community connection unlike anything you‘ve experienced before. Your original destructive motivations seem like a half-remembered dream.
Protecting Local Wildlife
After your dance party, you take a moment to rest on a large stone at the edge of the village. To your surprise, a smiling baby is laid out on the rock before you!
Interacting gently with the infant earns you Baby:
"Approach the baby"
Those wide trusting eyes peer into your soul, awakening new emotions. You know you cannot bring any harm to this place and its people. Your purpose here goes deeper than you realized.
Contemplating Your Journey so Far
Continuing up the beach in contemplative mood, you come across a simple wooden bench facing the endless ocean. Sitting down grants Bench:
"Approach the bench"
As you rest on the bench, eyes closed, the rhythmic sound of waves washing ashore stirs introspective thoughts. You reflect on how much you‘ve changed since arriving here on this island…
Taking a Leap of Faith
Farther up the beach looms a steep rocky cliff overlooking the ocean. Seized by inspiration, you decide to climb it and leap into the waters far below!
This bold jump earns the Cliff achievement:
"Jump from the cliff"
For a few incredible seconds, you seem to fly, all worries slipping away. Hitting the water is a shock, but also makes you feel wonderfully alive.
Surfacing safely, you look back up at the cliff. It symbolizes your personal journey – taking a leap into the unknown, becoming changed forever.
Triggering the Volcano Within
After your invigorating swim, you notice smoke rising from what appears to be a long-dormant volcano deeper inland. Drawn by intense curiosity, you climb to its peak.
Peering into the bubbling crater, you know what you must do. Taking a final leap of faith, you plunge into the volcano‘s core!
This triggers a massive eruption and unlocks The floor is lava:
"Activate the volcano"
Intense heat and lava flows pour down the volcano‘s slopes, igniting and transforming the landscape. But you feel only a cool sense of inner peace. This act has metaphorically awakened passions deep inside you.
Time to Move On
With volcanic lava now streaming into the ocean, you hurry back to the starting beach, the world around you transformed.
Boarding an untouched sailboat, at last you cast off, escaping the smoldering island for the final Escape achievement:
"Get out of the island"
As your boat floats safely away, you watch the island gradually disappearing into tropical haze, like a half-remembered dream.
One chapter of your journey has ended. But looking inward, you know the island has left you forever changed. Wherever the tides may lead you next, your horizon feels wider and full of potential. Your voyage of self-discovery has only just begun…
Achievements Guide: Tips for Unlocking All 16
Here are some tips to unlock all 16 Pineapple on Pizza achievements:
Beach Beginning Area
Statue – Approach the large statue facing the sea shortly after starting.
Sailboat – Step onto any tied up sailboat along the opening beach.
Limbo – Interact with the limbo players farther down the beach to stop their game.
Plantations – Walk into the cornfield past the limbo area.
Bird friend – Get near the bird man on the beach to attract them.
Village Area
Skilled dancer – Approach the solo dancer on the beach near the turtle.
Turtle – Wade into the water near the turtle and get close.
Kids playing – Enter the hut with playing children in the village.
Circle – Step into the fire circle dance in the village center.
Baby – Locate and interact with the smiling baby after the village.
Final Beach Area
Bench – Sit on the bench on the later beach section.
Cliff – Climb the cliff past the bench and leap off into water.
The floor is lava – Summit the volcano past the cliff then jump inside.
Escape – Return to starting beach and sail away on a boat.
The last two achievements are unlocked by completing the story:
What now? – Finish Pineapple on Pizza.
Pineapples! – Discover the metaphor.
Analyzing Deeper Meaning in Pineapple on Pizza
On the surface, Pineapple on Pizza seems like a zany walking simulator about tropical islands and questionable pizza toppings. But look closer and you‘ll discover surprisingly philosophical depths.
As a dedicated gamer, I love analyzing titles for hidden meanings. So what does "Pineapple on Pizza" represent metaphorically?
Well, pineapples are associated with welcome, hospitality, and warmth. Pizza represents community and bringing people together.
So pineapple on pizza could symbolize the tension between openness and division – bringing your authentic self into a community, even if it challenges the norm or status quo.
The island inhabitants dancing to their own beat represent living freely in harmony with nature and each other. Their culture welcomes the player in, leading to self-discovery.
The "mission" to disrupt the island represents cynical or destructive outside forces. As you interact with the loving locals, empathy overcomes cruelty.
Ultimately Pineapple on Pizza is about the universal human journey – moving from isolation to connection, from selfishness to compassion. We all contain inner light and darkness, constructs and reality.
Does this interpretation match your experience playing the game? I‘d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Critical Reception of Pineapple on Pizza
Pineapple on Pizza has received generally positive reviews, especially considering its short runtime and low price point:
- 80% positive on Steam (470 reviews)
- 7/10 average critic score on Metacritic
Reviewers praised the game‘s creativity, surprisingly poignant themes, and value:
"Will stick with you long after the 10 minutes are over…a great use of the medium and your time." – GameSpew
"A wonderful and metaphysical interactive experience with great atmosphere." – GameGator
"A fascinating experiment in emergent storytelling." – IndieGameMag
Critics noted the game‘s short length and limited interactivity as negatives but still found it compelling:
"Light on gameplay but heavy on emotional impact." – VG247
"More of an interactive story than a game, but still memorable." – GamesRadar+
Overall, Pineapple on Pizza succeeds at delivering a brief but thought-provoking experience, which seems perfectly suited to its low price and indie style.
Comparing Pineapple on Pizza to Similar Games
Pineapple on Pizza belongs to the indie "walking simulator" genre of games focused on environmental storytelling over traditional gameplay systems. Here‘s how it compares to other notable entries in this genre:
Firewatch – This critically acclaimed 2016 title is set in a remote Wyoming forest as you uncover sinister secrets. With around 5 hours of gameplay, Firewatch has much deeper story and exploration than Pineapple on Pizza. But both offer reflective journey narratives.
Gone Home – In this 2013 indie hit, you return to your family‘s new empty house, piecing together past events. Its deeper environmental storytelling and 2-3 hour playtime outpaces Pineapple on Pizza. But both offer impactful, character-focused stories.
What Remains of Edith Finch – This 2017 gem has you exploring the history of a family cursed with tragedy. With 2-3 hours of gameplay, it offers far more depth and variety than Pineapple on Pizza. However, both provide emotional first-person interactive fiction.
Dear Esther – This influential 2008 mod turned game has you wandering a deserted island while hearing narrated story fragments. With 1-2 hours of gameplay, it‘s longer but similar in reflective style to Pineapple on Pizza. Both offer story exploration in island environments.
So while tiny in scope compared to its acclaimed genre relatives, Pineapple on Pizza distills the introspective walking simulator style into a short but surprisingly memorable experience.
My Final Thoughts on Pineapple on Pizza
Although it only takes around 10 minutes to play, Pineapple on Pizza stuck with me long after putting down the controller. Its charming visuals and absurd premise hide surprising philosophical depth.
What begins as a goofy game about ruining a pizza-themed island paradise gradually reveals itself to be a poignant mini-parable about the tensions between our superficial and authentic selves.
Instead of questioning the brief length or lack of traditional gameplay, I tried to appreciate Pineapple on Pizza for what it is – a short interactive poem. Its minimalist design places the focus entirely on self-reflection.
So don‘t get distracted looking for a "game." Just put aside cynicism, walk in the protagonist‘s shoes, and you may be surprised where this strange little journey takes you. In our busy lives, taking 10 minutes to rediscover empathy is time well spent.
I‘d love to hear your own thoughts in the comments! And be sure to try Pineapple on Pizza yourself if you haven‘t already. It just might change your outlook in unexpectedly meaningful ways, like it did for me.
Thanks for joining me on this tropical gaming getaway! Now go make yourself a nice pineapple pizza and contemplate the nature of existence. Aloha for now, friends!
