Olaf and the Crowning Hangover is a new pixel art puzzle adventure from Ukrainian solo developer Hidalgo Code. It’s due for release on Steam in the later stages of 2026, but a new trailer gives us a glimpse as to what retro puzzle fans can expect. Olaf and the Crowning Hangover is a comedic puzzle adventure where players stumble through the aftermath of a wild, booze-filled night.
Olaf will push and pull his way through to clean up his own mess, piece together the events of last night, and uncover what really happened. There is currently a short demo to try on Steam for those who want a taste of the puzzles and story on offer.
“When I first created Olaf and the Crowning Hangover during a game jam in 2020, I was focused on the fun, novel puzzle mechanics inspired by a drunk Viking theme,” shared solo developer Volodymyr Mikhav. “But as I developed it further, I realized a raw puzzle game wasn’t enough. For almost four years, the project stalled because I couldn’t answer a simple question: who is Olaf, and why is he doing this? It became clear that a compelling story wasn’t just an addition; it was the missing foundation the entire game needed to be built on.”
Volodymyr goes on to say. “That foundation arrived in late 2024 with a brilliant script from a new writer, which gave the game the purpose it desperately needed. Olaf’s journey in the game mirrors my own development struggles, and I think it will resonate with anyone who understands the search for motivation and that incredible ‘aha!’ moment when everything finally makes sense.”
