Time Extension (Damien McFerran, 13 Jan 2026). "a fiendishly addictive score-based game which makes excellent use of the Playdate's signature crank controls". He likens the smooth tower rotation to Nebulus.
https://www.timeextension.com/news/2026/01/a-fools-errand-is-the-kind-of-addictive-brilliance-you-can-only-find-on-playdateGames / Catalog / A Fool's Errand
OverviewCatalog
A Fool's Errand
Action / AdventureCrank: yes (precision)$6
1 · official Catalog GIF (1-bit still: screen-1-still.webp)
2 · official Catalog GIF (1-bit still: screen-2-still.webp)
3 · official Catalog GIF (1-bit still: screen-3-still.webp)1 · official Catalog GIF (1-bit still: screen-1-still.webp)2 · official Catalog GIF (1-bit still: screen-2-still.webp)3 · official Catalog GIF (1-bit still: screen-3-still.webp)Overview. Not yet reviewed. No score. Checked 12 Oct 2026. Built from official and press sources.
What it is
"Is it bravery or folly that calls young Roland to scale the winding heights of the Dark Tower?" A Fool's Errand is a high-score climber. Turning the crank walks Roland up an "infinitely-spiralling tower" while the tower rotates around him, and you dodge barrels, spikes and "creepy denizens" on the way up. Because the crank gives proportional control, you can slow down or back off as hazards come at you. One hit ends the run, and the aim is to climb higher each time. The store calls it "a fabled 1D ascent", and its accessibility note is a single line: "This game requires precision cranking." It has online scoreboards.
It's by IORAMA, the studio behind the cycling game Grand Tour Legends. It came to the Catalog in November 2025 for $6. Panic made it a Staff Pick ("Another banger from Iorama!"), and it was a finalist for Outstanding Visual Achievement in an SDK Game at the 2025 Playdate Community Awards.
Who made it
What others are saying
Professional Moron (23 Nov 2025). "A Fool's Errand a must on the Playdate. It takes full advantage of the console's appeal, had brilliant atmospherics, and an addictive gameplay look [sic]."
https://professionalmoron.com/2025/11/23/a-fools-errand-playdate/Panic staff note (Catalog page). "This precision-cranker is tough but gets a lot easier with practice."
https://play.date/games/a-fools-errand/Callout (?): No review yet. We haven't reviewed A Fool's Errand yet. This page is an overview built from official and press sources.
Sources
Checked 12 Oct 2026.
- Official Catalog page (description, credits, size, dates, content/AI/accessibility notes). https://play.date/games/a-fools-errand/
- 2025 Playdate Community Awards results (Playdate Squad). https://playdate-wiki.com/wiki/The_2025_Playdate_Community_Awards
- Time Extension, Damien McFerran, 13 Jan 2026. https://www.timeextension.com/news/2026/01/a-fools-errand-is-the-kind-of-addictive-brilliance-you-can-only-find-on-playdate
- Professional Moron, 23 Nov 2025. https://professionalmoron.com/2025/11/23/a-fools-errand-playdate/
- IORAMA. https://www.iorama.studio/afoolserrand
OverviewNo score
Overview
Not yet reviewed.
No score. This page is built from official and press sources.
On the card
Crank young Roland up the Dark Tower's endless spiral, dodging traps and creatures. One hit and you start again, from the makers of Grand Tour Legends.
