Scratchers

Scratchers is an incremental idle game centered around scratching lottery tickets, with mechanics involving manual and automated scratching, upgrades, and prestige systems. While the core concept is simple and potentially fun, many players find the gameplay repetitive and lacking variety, as most tickets follow the same matching mechanic. The game features a power curve that allows rapid progression, but the endgame is often considered frustrating due to poor balancing and diminishing returns.

Players report numerous bugs and technical issues, including crashes, save file losses, UI glitches, and lag, especially when buying multiple scratchers or upgrades quickly. The interface is often described as unintuitive, with unclear descriptions and missing quality-of-life features. Despite some enjoyment and a few praised aspects, many feel the game is unfinished and poorly optimized. The developer’s lack of timely updates and bug fixes further frustrates the community. Overall, Scratchers is seen as a disappointing and flawed incremental experience that might only appeal to dedicated idle fans or those who got it in a bundle.

Highlights

Players appreciate the core scratch card mechanic and find the animations cute and satisfying initially. The game offers a straightforward incremental progression with upgrades and prestige, which some find addictive. A few reviewers mention the game’s pacing allows for quick completion and achievement hunting. The concept of different scratcher types and the idea of booster packs introduce some gameplay variety, though limited. The game’s low price point in sales or bundles is noted positively by some players who enjoyed the casual, laid-back experience.

Criticisms

Common criticisms include numerous bugs and crashes that disrupt gameplay and cause save file corruption. The UI is cumbersome, with unclear descriptions and missing quality-of-life improvements like easier menu navigation. Many find the gameplay repetitive and unbalanced, especially in mid-to-late stages where some upgrades overshadow others. The endgame scratchers often do not pay off, leading to frustration. Performance issues and lag increase as the game progresses. The developer’s slow or absent response to bug reports and updates leaves the game feeling abandoned. Overall, the game is seen as unfinished, poorly optimized, and lacking depth.