Do You Even Forklift? arrives with one of those wonderfully absurd concepts that immediately explains its appeal. Developed by Garage 5 and published by Take IT Studio! and Kurki.games, this quirky puzzle game places players behind the wheel of a forklift and asks them to solve a growing collection of compact challenges spread across a Japanese-inspired island setting. It is a premise built on everyday machinery being repurposed into something playful, and much of the game’s charm comes from how seriously it commits to that idea. Rather than focusing on simulation, the game turns forklift operation into a series of bite-sized logic puzzles that are approachable, humorous, and frequently capable of generating unexpected moments of chaos.
The structure is deceptively simple at first. Early levels involve little more than moving a vehicle or parking in a designated space, but new mechanics are steadily introduced as the campaign progresses. Cars connected to charging cables, vehicles with alarms, color-based objectives, car washes, environmental hazards, and other puzzle variations gradually expand the ruleset. The best moments emerge when multiple objects have to be manipulated within tight confines, forcing players to think several moves ahead while working around limited space. The game does a good job of making each new concept immediately understandable, ensuring that progression feels smooth and accessible even for players who do not usually gravitate toward puzzle games.
The forklift itself controls surprisingly well, striking a balance between responsiveness and physicality. There is a satisfying sense of weight when lifting vehicles, stacking objects, or attempting increasingly ridiculous manoeuvres. At the same time, the physics system introduces an element of unpredictability that contributes to the game’s personality. Knocking over street furniture, launching objects into the water, or accidentally creating elaborate towers of vehicles can be as entertaining as solving the intended puzzle. Yet that same physicality occasionally creates frustration, particularly in the tighter stages where manoeuvring space is limited and a small mistake can force a restart. Some camera visibility issues and occasional awkward positioning can also make certain solutions feel more fiddly than intended.
Visually, Do You Even Forklift? is immediately appealing. Its soft, colourful presentation and stylised Japanese setting give the game a welcoming atmosphere that feels distinct from the industrial environments usually associated with forklifts. Car parks, shipping areas, suburban streets and roadside attractions are all rendered with a clean aesthetic that supports the game’s laid-back tone. Environmental interactions help bring the world to life as well, whether that means setting off alarms, knocking over lamp posts or sending water spraying skyward from damaged hydrants. The result is a world that remains pleasant to spend time in even when puzzle objectives start repeating themselves.
The audio presentation complements that atmosphere effectively. Relaxed background music reinforces the game’s easygoing personality, while the various mechanical sounds help sell the illusion of operating a forklift. Engine hums, reversing alerts, impacts and skids all contribute to the tactile nature of the experience. While the soundtrack is not especially memorable in isolation, it suits the game’s pacing and helps maintain a calm mood throughout longer sessions.
Where Do You Even Forklift? struggles is in how it develops its ideas over time. New mechanics are introduced regularly, but many of them disappear almost as quickly as they arrive. Rather than combining concepts into increasingly sophisticated puzzle designs, the game often presents a new gimmick, explores it briefly, and then moves on. This keeps the experience varied on a surface level, but it also prevents many of the strongest ideas from reaching their full potential. The relatively small play spaces further contribute to this feeling, as the puzzles become busier rather than significantly more complex. As a result, players looking for a deeply layered puzzle experience may find themselves wishing the game pushed its systems further.
That issue is compounded by a degree of repetition that becomes increasingly noticeable during extended play sessions. With more than sixty levels available, there is certainly no shortage of content, but the game occasionally relies on repeating familiar objectives with minor variations. Optional collectibles such as ramen bowls and additional completion goals add some extra incentive for dedicated players, yet they do not fully address the limited long-term replay value once every puzzle has been solved. Fortunately, the budget price point helps soften those shortcomings, making the package easier to recommend despite its limitations.
Do You Even Forklift? ultimately succeeds because its central idea is so inherently enjoyable. Few games manage to turn forklift operation into a playful puzzle framework this effectively, and the combination of charming visuals, approachable mechanics and light-hearted destruction makes for a consistently entertaining experience. It may never evolve into the deeper puzzle game that its best ideas hint at, and repetition does eventually creep in, but there is enough creativity and personality here to make the journey worthwhile. For players seeking a relaxed, quirky puzzler with plenty of charm and a refreshingly unusual premise, this is an easy game to enjoy.
Score: 7.6/10