A simple pixel-style game about caring for a grandmother, created by a man in China, has struck an emotional chord with people online.
The five-minute game, titled Grandma, was released for free on a game distribution platform and quickly gained attention for its touching theme. Players are tasked with looking after an elderly woman who has injured herself in a fall. Chores include preparing her meals, buying her favorite drinks, pushing her wheelchair, and even helping her bathe.
The game uses a “yes” or “no” choice system to complete each task. In the end, the grandmother thanks the player before being carried away by a giant bird — a metaphor for her passing.
Many netizens say the game feels nostalgic, reminding them of their own grandparents and evoking memories of the 1990s Game Boy, the handheld console created by Nintendo that was hugely popular among Chinese students.
The game’s creator, 32-year-old Zhou Yichen from Wuhan, Hubei province, said he made Grandma in memory of his own grandmother, who passed away last year. Zhou grew up under the care of his grandparents until the age of three and recalled his grandmother as a strong woman who was always smiling.
After she suffered a fall in March 2024, Zhou helped care for her. When she passed away a few weeks later, he began designing the game as a tribute, starting in July and finishing in February.
“Since I studied art, I wanted to turn my most important life experiences into artwork,” Zhou explained. “I chose the Game Boy style because it was something I played with a lot during my childhood. I especially enjoyed taking my grandma out for walks. She seemed happy when passing the places she once worked or when meeting old friends.”
At first, Zhou hesitated to share the game, feeling the story was too personal. But when he posted some screenshots online, the response was overwhelming. Many users praised the game’s simplicity and emotional depth.
“I haven’t been touched by a game in a long time,” one netizen wrote. Another commented: “It’s such a simple yet deeply human game.” A third added: “The background music sounds like hospital monitors — it reminded me of when my own grandmother was hospitalized.”
Encouraged by the feedback, Zhou officially released Grandma online and said he hopes to create collectible cards based on the game in the future.
