I’ve always thought of myself as pretty laid-back. I don’t rush things, I don’t get overly competitive, and I certainly don’t obsess over mobile games. That was true—until a small, sliding penguin completely flipped that idea on its head.

It all started during my commute. I was tired, scrolling mindlessly through my phone, when I came across a quirky little app. It had this cheerful winter theme and the kind of animation that makes you smile instantly. I figured it would be a silly distraction. Turns out, that was penguin rush demo —and it was anything but silly once I got into it.