Fangtopia, the cozy hexagonal tile-laying puzzle game from Absolutely Games and publisher Secret Mode, now has a free demo you can play on Steam. You build spooky-but-friendly landscapes by placing hex tiles around a haunted castle, matching terrain to score points and gradually expanding a monster-filled kingdom. The full game arrives at the end of October across PC, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2.
Quick answer: The Fangtopia demo is free on Steam right now. It includes two modes and caps each session at 1,000 points, with unlimited replays. The full game launches October 26, 2026.
Release time: October 26, 2026, 18:00 UTC
How to get the Fangtopia demo
The demo lives on the game’s Steam page. Open the listing, then use the download button in the demo section to install it. There is no purchase and no time limit on how long you can keep the demo installed before the full release.
You know it worked when the game appears in your Steam library and launches to the mode-select screen. Each demo run ends once you reach the 1,000-point ceiling, and you can start again as many times as you like.
Adding the full game to your wishlist gets you a notification the moment it unlocks, so you do not have to check back manually.
What the demo includes
The demo ships with two of the game’s modes and shows off the core loop of placing tiles, unlocking landmarks, and summoning monsters. Sessions are short by design because of the point cap, which makes it a compact way to learn the systems before launch.
- Fangtopia mode — the standard mode for quick, restful sessions.
- Island mode — connect a spread of islands by laying railway track for the Ghost Train.
- 1,000-point cap per run, with unlimited replays.
How the tile-laying works
Every game starts on a small island with a haunted dwelling at its center, surrounded by open hex spaces. You draw tiles from a stack and place them onto the grid, and there is no time pressure on any move. You can undo any placement, so you are free to hunt for the ideal spot for each piece.
Terrain includes forests, fields, rivers, towns, railroads, and mountains; rivers appear only in the larger Ghoulish mode. Many tiles feature two terrain types. Match terrain across adjoining tile edges to score points and advance objectives revealed during play.
Landmarks and monsters
Reaching score milestones offers you a landmark to place, chosen from a pool that grows the more you play. Examples in the demo include the Wailing Willow and the Blighted Barn, each granting bonus tiles when selected. Every landmark carries its own terrain objective, and completing that objective adds fresh tiles to your stack so you can keep expanding.
As you build, purple portals appear in the surrounding ocean. Completing their objectives summons friendly creatures such as vampires, phantoms, werewolves, banshees, and yetis. Each monster has a natural habitat, and placing that habitat rewards you with bonus tiles. You can also inspect discovered creatures as rotating 3D models, using the [Q] and [E] keys to turn them.
Everything you uncover is tracked in the Stickerbook, a collection screen that holds at least 82 entries and marks undiscovered landmarks as silhouettes. The full game promises over 100 unique titles to unlock for your kingdom.
Modes and features in the full game
The full release expands beyond the two demo modes and adds several comfort and collection features. Ghoulish mode is the deeper option, introducing river tiles, the ability to swap which tile you place, larger tile groups placed together, and a bigger stack for longer sessions.
| Mode | What it offers |
|---|---|
| Fangtopia | Short, restful sessions with the core loop |
| Ghoulish | Rivers, tile swapping, bigger tile groups, larger stack |
| Island | Link archipelagos with Ghost Train railway tiles |
Other listed features include global and friends leaderboards, an interactive Stickerbook, Steam Achievements, and an ASMR audio mode. The game is single-player, has no jump scares, and puts no timer on your placements.
Release date and platforms
The full game launches October 26, 2026, timed for Halloween, unlocking at 18:00 UTC on Steam. It releases on PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2, and on PC through Steam, the Epic Games Store, and Stove. The game supports 18 languages, with full English audio and subtitles in every supported language.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Release date | October 26, 2026 |
| Steam unlock | 18:00 UTC |
| Platforms | PS5, Switch 2, PC |
| PC storefronts | Steam, Epic Games Store, Stove |
Until then, the demo is the fastest way to try the tile matching, landmark building, and monster summoning for yourself, and any progress you make there is a preview of the systems carried into the full game.
