Wonderputt
Wonderputt is a 2011 golf video game created by Damp Gnat, the studio of independent developer Reece Millidge. Released on Flash and iOS, the game is a simulation of mini golf in which players navigate through a surrealistic animated course that changes its obstacles and holes on a single screen. Millidge developed the game following the creation of earlier mini golf titles, attempting to create a more animated title for a wider audience.
Wonderputt
- Date
- 2011
- Genre
- puzzle video game
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wikidata · Q97658753
In this article
The object
The object
Upon release, Wonderputt received positive reviews, with praise directed towards the game's visual presentation and course design and criticism for its controls and short duration. The game was nominated at the Webby Awards and the Independent Games Festival.
Key facts
Key facts
• Title — Wonderputt • Developer — Damp Gnat • Platform — Browser, iOS • Released — Browser 15 August 2011 iOS 12 September 2012 • Genre — Sports • Modes — Single-player • Publisher — Damp Gnat • Designer — Reece Millidge • Programmer — Reece Millidge • Composer — Daniel Millidge
Gameplay
Gameplay
• Illustration — Gameplay in Wonderputt features courses that are located on a single screen. In Wonderputt, the player aims to complete eighteen holes of a mini golf course in as few swings as possible, while avoiding traps and obstacles. They can drag the ball to adjust the strength of the swing in the direction of an arrow. As the player completes holes, the landscape of the course changes, gradually introducing new obstacles and holes to complete. The game features a par score for individual holes and a points system for the final score, encouraging players to replay the game. Completion of the game unlocks a "Rainbow" collectables mode for an additional challenge, in which players aim to complete all holes of the course whilst collecting shards of a rainbow throughout the course for additional points.
Development and release
Development and release
Wonderputt was created by independent developer Reece Millidge. Millidge had created earlier Flash-based mini golf games Adverputt and Microputt. The game was developed over a six-month period using the Adverputt engine with the purpose of expanding the game for a wider audience and creating a "rich and animated environment". Millidge was inspired by the visual presentation of scientific illustrations and encyclopedias and their cross-section of landscapes and designed parts of the isometric course as an homage to M.C. Escher. Originally intended as a course that played through the diagrams of products advertised on a website, Millidge changed the "direction and flow" of the game as the game's concept exceeded its scope. On 12 September 2012, an iPad compatible version of Wonderputt was released, featuring high definition graphics for a larger display, a longer soundtrack, and a revised control scheme.
Sales
Sales
Millidge recounted that the game was a financial success, with the game receiving 100,000 paid downloads and becoming the #1 paid app on the UK charts.
Accolades
Accolades
In 2012, the game received a nomination for Excellence in Visual Art at the Independent Games Festival. In 2014, the game was nominated for a Webby Award for the Best Tablet Game.
Sequel
Sequel
In December 2022, a sequel titled Wonderputt Forever was announced and released for iOS, Android, and Steam. The mobile version was released exclusively as part of the Netflix Games service. The mobile version was removed from the Netflix Games service on December 9th, 2025.
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- United States
Named but not plotted · 1
Wonderputt is associated with United States.
Country
Reception
Wonderputt received "generally favorable" reviews from critics, according to the review aggregator website Metacritic. Many critics praised the game's visual presentation and design, with several comparing the design to the work of M.C. Escher. Describing the game as "breathtakingly good-looking", Pocket Gamer highlighted the game's "awe-inspiring" and "brilliant" animations and described the holes as "cleverly interlaced" and "well thought-out". 148Apps described the graphics as "absolutely amazing" and "incredibly detailed". AppSpy praised the "novel artwork", finding the game to be filled with "delightful gadgets and hazards". However, Slide to Play found the miniaturized graphics to limit visibility due to the absence of a zoom system. Reviewers were mixed on the gameplay and controls. Destructoid commended the game for its "elegant shooting mechanic" and "surprisingly robust physics". Pocket Gamer faulted the iPad controls for being imprecise, stating that precision was limited. Similarly, 148Apps found the isometric graphics to make it "difficult to line up shots" and discerning slopes. AppSpy noted the controls were "not perfect" due to the "tiny areas that are sectioned off to putt on". Critics were mixed on the game's limited content and replayability. TouchArcade noted the game's single course was a "let down" but found the introduction of collectibles on a second playthrough "much more fun and manageable". Pocket Gamer found that one playthrough of the entire game showcased the game's content in its entirety. 148Apps similarly remarked that "the one course may wear thin over time". AppSpy described the game as a "small offering" that is "easily played through in a single sitting", although acknowledged its additional mode.
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Wonderputt, revision 1338460357 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Curtis, Tom. Road to the IGF: Damp Gnat's Wonderputt. Game Developer. 8 February 2012.
- 2.Priestman, Chris. Scale-Bound. Edge. 304. 84. April 2017.
- 3.Wonderputt. Metacritic.
- 4.Polson, John. Wonderputt Review – Polymorphic Putt-Putt Painting Worth Playing. TouchArcade. 13 September 2012.
- 5.Slater, Harry. Wonderputt. Pocket Gamer. 20 September 2012.
- 6.Dotson, Carter. Wonderputt Review. 148Apps. 18 September 2012.
- 7.Nesvabda, Andrew. Wonderputt iPad Review. AppSpy. 13 September 2012.
- 8.Eaves, Phil. Wonderputt iPad Review. Slide to Play. 18 September 2012.
- 9.Leray, Joseph. Wonderputt is the best way to spend your next 15 minutes. Destructoid. 19 August 2011.
- 10.Schramm, Mike. Wonderputt creator Reece Millidge talks about the upcoming, beautiful Icycle: On Thin Ice. Engadget. 19 April 2017.
- 11.Plante, Chris. Here are your winners of the 2012 Independent Games Festival. Polygon. 7 March 2012.
- 12.Nominee: Wonderputt. Webby Awards.
- 13.Wonderputt Forever - Official Launch Trailer. IGN. 3 December 2022.
- 14.Long, Neil. Netflix's game catalogue is often overlooked - but plenty are worth your time. Eurogamer. 8 April 2023.
- 15.Moore, Kasey. Another Netflix Games Exodus: All The Mobile Titles Leaving Throughout December 2025. What's on Netflix. November 13, 2025.
References
Citations
References
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reference work
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 20 August 2026.
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