Summary:
SFB Games has released the launch trailer for The Mermaid Mask, confirming that its latest detective mystery is now available for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. Serving as a follow-up to Tangle Tower, the new adventure reunites Detective Grimoire with his quick-witted partner Sally for another seemingly impossible murder case. This time, their investigation takes them beneath the waves aboard an eccentric submarine near the abandoned fishing town of Silkwirm-on-Sea.
The victim is Captain Mortuga, the enigmatic commander of the unusual vessel. He has been discovered dead inside a locked room, with an ancient stone cauldron standing nearby as one of the case’s most baffling clues. Nobody appears to have entered or left the room, creating the sort of head-scratching mystery that Grimoire and Sally simply can’t resist. Was the cauldron cursed, did a member of the submarine’s peculiar crew commit the crime, or is something stranger hiding in the surrounding darkness?
The Mermaid Mask retains the expressive characters, sharp humour, hand-painted environments, and deduction-focused puzzles that helped Tangle Tower stand out. It also expands the investigation with detailed 3D clues that players can rotate, open, shake, and inspect for hidden information. With a fully voiced cast and plenty of suspicious personalities to question, the case promises a playful but atmospheric journey for anyone who enjoys solving mysteries one odd clue at a time.
The Mermaid Mask Launch Trailer Opens a New Case
The launch trailer for The Mermaid Mask offers a lively introduction to SFB Games’ latest mystery, combining colourful personalities with the uneasy atmosphere of a murder committed far from help. Instead of returning to the twisting halls and gardens of Tangle Tower, Detective Grimoire and Sally are heading beneath the surface of the sea. Their destination is an extraordinary submarine surrounded by dark water, forgotten history, and a crew that seems to be hiding more than a few uncomfortable secrets.
That change of location gives the investigation a distinct personality from the opening moments. A submarine is already a confined and isolated place, but this particular vessel looks like it was designed by someone who considered ordinary engineering terribly boring. Strange machinery, lavish rooms, peculiar decorations, and hidden compartments turn the entire structure into a floating puzzle box. Every corridor could contain a clue, while every closed door feels as though it is daring you to open it.
The trailer balances that unsettling premise with the series’ familiar sense of humour. Grimoire may be dealing with a dead captain and a collection of suspicious crewmates, but Sally is never far away with a sharp observation or perfectly timed remark. That combination of tension and comedy keeps the mystery inviting rather than relentlessly grim. You are investigating a murder, certainly, but you are also spending time with characters who make even the strangest conversation entertaining.
Detective Grimoire and Sally Return for Another Mystery
Detective Grimoire and Sally once again lead the investigation, continuing the partnership established in Tangle Tower. Grimoire approaches each problem with determination and an eye for detail, while Sally often cuts through awkward conversations with her dry wit and practical instincts. Their personalities complement each other wonderfully. One patiently pieces the evidence together, and the other makes sure nobody in the room becomes too comfortable while it happens.
The Mermaid Mask is not simply another visit to the same place with a different victim. SFB Games has built an entirely new case around the returning detectives, allowing players to enjoy a familiar partnership without retreading the exact events of the previous mystery. Characters encountered aboard the submarine have their own relationships, motives, grudges, and versions of the truth. Learning how those stories overlap becomes just as important as examining the physical evidence.
Returning players should recognise the conversational rhythm that made Tangle Tower memorable. Suspects do not merely wait around to deliver information. They react, argue, deflect, joke, and occasionally reveal more than they intended. Newcomers can also begin here without needing to memorise every detail of Grimoire’s previous cases. The central investigation introduces its own location, victim, suspects, and evidence, making the mystery approachable whether this is your first encounter with the detectives or a long-awaited reunion.
A Locked-Room Murder Aboard a Bizarre Submarine
The central mystery begins with the death of Captain Mortuga, who is found alone inside a locked room aboard the submarine. Beside him sits an ancient stone cauldron, an object that immediately raises more questions than answers. There is no obvious explanation for how the killer could have entered or escaped, leaving Grimoire and Sally with an apparently impossible crime. Locked doors are meant to keep people out, after all, but murder mysteries have a habit of treating them more like polite suggestions.
The enclosed setting strengthens the locked-room premise. Everyone aboard the vessel is part of a limited circle of potential suspects, and each person may have had an opportunity to learn the submarine’s secrets. Someone could know about a concealed route, an unusual mechanical system, or a forgotten part of the vessel that changes how the crime scene should be understood. A statement that sounds impossible at first may become perfectly plausible after the right object is examined.
Isolation also places more pressure on every conversation. There is no busy city outside and no endless list of strangers passing through the area. The murderer may still be aboard, sharing corridors and meals with the remaining crew while the investigation unfolds. That knowledge hangs over the mystery like a storm cloud. Grimoire and Sally must determine who is lying before another secret disappears into the dark water surrounding them.
Captain Mortuga Leaves Behind a Trail of Questions
Captain Mortuga appears to have been more than the person responsible for steering the submarine. His position placed him at the centre of life aboard the vessel, giving him authority over a crew filled with unusual characters and competing interests. Understanding who he was may be essential to discovering why he died. Was he respected, feared, resented, or perhaps all three depending on who happens to be answering the question?
The ancient cauldron complicates the case even further. Its presence invites supernatural explanations, especially when witnesses are already willing to entertain stories about curses and legends. Grimoire, however, cannot settle for a dramatic tale when evidence may point toward a more deliberate plan. Players will need to consider whether the object caused Mortuga’s death, concealed the method used to kill him, or was placed beside the body to mislead anyone investigating the scene.
That uncertainty gives the mystery room to shift as new information emerges. A clue that appears harmless may later expose a contradiction, while an eccentric suspect may turn out to be more honest than someone who initially seemed trustworthy. The goal is not merely to collect objects until the answer appears. Players must understand why each clue matters and how it fits into the circumstances surrounding Mortuga’s final moments.
Exploring the Waters Around Silkwirm-on-Sea
The investigation unfolds near Silkwirm-on-Sea, a long-abandoned fishing town surrounded by pitch-black water. Even before players begin questioning the submarine’s crew, the location establishes a feeling of forgotten history. Why was the town abandoned, what drew Captain Mortuga and his vessel to the area, and what might still be waiting beneath the surface? Those questions give the setting a life beyond the immediate crime scene.
A remote coastal environment is an ideal home for local legends, strange traditions, and stories that have become increasingly distorted over time. The Mermaid Mask appears ready to use that atmosphere without abandoning the playful personality of the Detective Grimoire series. One moment may focus on an ominous discovery, while the next introduces a suspect whose behaviour is so peculiar that keeping a straight face becomes its own challenge.
The submarine itself is likely to contain much of the investigation, but the surrounding location adds important context. Machinery, personal belongings, records, decorations, and maritime objects can reveal how the crew lived before Mortuga’s death. Even a small environmental detail may suggest that someone visited an area they claimed never to have seen. Players who enjoy inspecting every corner should find plenty of visual storytelling tucked among the vessel’s unusual rooms.
Detailed Clues Add More Hands-On Detective Work
One of the most notable additions in The Mermaid Mask is the use of detailed 3D objects during clue examination. Players can rotate evidence and inspect it from different angles rather than viewing every item as a flat illustration. Certain objects can also be opened, moved, or shaken, creating opportunities to discover mechanisms and hidden details that would otherwise remain concealed.
This approach makes the act of investigating feel more physical. Finding an object is only the beginning. You may need to turn it around, study its shape, compare its markings, or interact with a movable section before understanding why it matters. A clue can look perfectly ordinary from the front while hiding something incriminating on the back. It is the digital equivalent of checking beneath the sofa cushions, except the reward is evidence instead of loose change and a biscuit of uncertain age.
SFB Games has designed these three-dimensional clues to blend with the hand-painted appearance of the wider game. Custom visual techniques give the objects irregular outlines and painted textures, preventing them from looking disconnected from the expressive two-dimensional characters and backgrounds. The result allows the detective work to become more interactive while preserving the visual identity established by Tangle Tower.
Fully Voiced Characters Bring Every Suspect to Life
The Mermaid Mask features a fully voiced and animated cast, giving every interview its own rhythm and personality. Voice performances can communicate hesitation, irritation, confidence, or panic in ways that written dialogue alone might not capture. When someone answers too quickly or sounds strangely calm while discussing a murder, you may find yourself questioning not only what they said but how they said it.
Animation plays an equally important role. The Detective Grimoire games are known for exaggerated character designs that communicate personality through posture, facial expressions, and movement. Suspects can appear guarded, theatrical, nervous, or completely unimpressed before they have spoken a single word. Those visual reactions make lengthy conversations easier to follow while adding subtle clues about relationships aboard the submarine.
The returning detectives have also received additional animation, allowing their exchanges to feel even more expressive. Sally’s reactions can puncture a suspect’s dramatic explanation, while Grimoire’s careful manner gives the investigation a steady centre. Their chemistry prevents interviews from becoming simple menus of questions. Each encounter feels more like a scene in an animated mystery, where humour and suspicion are often sitting together at the same table.
Puzzles, Interrogations, and Deduction Shape the Investigation
The Mermaid Mask is built around the familiar pleasures of point-and-click detective work. Players explore locations, collect evidence, interrogate suspects, and solve puzzles that gradually reveal how the murder could have taken place. None of those elements operates in isolation. A puzzle may uncover a new clue, that clue may expose a lie, and the lie may completely change the meaning of an earlier conversation.
Interrogations encourage players to present relevant evidence and challenge statements that do not fit the established facts. The crew may offer explanations that sound convincing until a physical object proves otherwise. Spotting those contradictions is where the case becomes especially satisfying. The game asks you to remember details and form connections, but it presents those challenges through colourful dialogue rather than making the process feel like an exam.
Logic puzzles provide another layer of variety. Some may involve mechanisms or visual patterns, while others ask players to reconstruct events using the information gathered during the investigation. The most rewarding solutions often arrive after several pieces suddenly click together. It is the moment when scattered evidence stops looking like clutter and starts forming a clear picture, much like assembling a jigsaw puzzle after finally finding the corner pieces.
The Hand-Painted Style of Tangle Tower Evolves
The Mermaid Mask continues the hand-crafted visual approach associated with Tangle Tower. Environments resemble richly illustrated paintings, while characters use bold shapes and expressive silhouettes to communicate their personalities. This is not a world chasing realism. Instead, every curve, colour, and exaggerated feature helps establish the strange energy of the setting and the people living within it.
The underwater location provides plenty of opportunities for atmospheric contrast. Warmly decorated rooms can sit against the darkness beyond the submarine’s windows, creating a sense that the vessel is both a refuge and a trap. Mechanical spaces, personal cabins, and ceremonial areas can each tell their own story through colour and design. The submarine may be unusual, but it should still feel inhabited rather than functioning as a collection of disconnected puzzle rooms.
An original soundtrack supports that atmosphere, shifting between curiosity, humour, tension, and discovery as the case develops. Music is especially important in a mystery where players may spend time closely examining an object or considering a witness statement. A well-placed melody can make a quiet room feel suspicious without announcing exactly what is wrong. Sometimes the soundtrack merely raises an eyebrow and lets your imagination handle the rest.
Nintendo Switch 2 Features Support Shared Investigation
The Mermaid Mask is available for both Nintendo Switch systems, allowing players to investigate at home or in handheld mode. The Nintendo Switch 2 edition also supports mouse controls using the Joy-Con 2 controllers, offering a natural option for navigating environments and selecting clues in a point-and-click adventure. Players who prefer traditional controls can continue using the standard input methods provided by the game.
GameShare support on Nintendo Switch 2 introduces an interesting social option. A nearby player can join the experience on another compatible system, giving friends or family members an opportunity to examine the case together. Mystery games often inspire discussion even when only one person is holding the controller, so shared play suits the genre surprisingly well. Two people may notice different details, disagree about a suspect, and then discover that both theories were spectacularly wrong.
The format also works well for shorter play sessions. Players can question a suspect, inspect a newly discovered clue, or solve a puzzle before placing the system into sleep mode. At the same time, the larger mystery encourages longer sessions when the investigation gathers momentum. Once several contradictions begin piling up, putting the case down can become harder than expected. There is always one more room to search or one more suspicious answer to challenge.
The Mermaid Mask Is Available as a Digital Download
The Mermaid Mask launched on July 16, 2026, and is available digitally for Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. It can also be played on PC and PlayStation 5, giving the latest Detective Grimoire mystery a broad selection of platforms. On Nintendo hardware, players can purchase the game through the Nintendo eShop and begin investigating Captain Mortuga’s death immediately after downloading it.
The release follows years of anticipation after the project was initially introduced under the name The Mermaid’s Tongue. Its final title places the mysterious mask more clearly at the centre of the adventure while retaining the underwater theme. Development continued alongside SFB Games’ work on Crow Country, the studio’s acclaimed survival horror game, making The Mermaid Mask another demonstration of how comfortably the team can move between unsettling horror and witty detective fiction.
For players who enjoyed Tangle Tower, this follow-up offers another case shaped by eccentric suspects, expressive animation, and layered puzzles. For newcomers, the locked-room murder provides a fresh entry point into the Detective Grimoire series. Either way, the launch trailer makes one thing clear: Captain Mortuga’s submarine is full of secrets, and solving the murder will require much more than simply asking everyone where they were.
Conclusion
The Mermaid Mask sends Detective Grimoire and Sally into a delightfully strange new environment where an impossible murder, an ancient cauldron, and a suspicious submarine crew are waiting to be investigated. By combining fully voiced interviews, hand-painted scenery, interactive 3D evidence, and deduction-based puzzles, SFB Games has expanded the ideas behind Tangle Tower without losing the humour and personality that made it memorable. The game is now available digitally on Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, giving mystery fans a new case to solve wherever they prefer to play.
FAQs
- What is The Mermaid Mask?
- The Mermaid Mask is a point-and-click detective mystery developed and published by SFB Games. It follows Detective Grimoire and Sally as they investigate the locked-room murder of Captain Mortuga aboard an unusual submarine.
- Is The Mermaid Mask connected to Tangle Tower?
- Yes. The Mermaid Mask is a follow-up to Tangle Tower and features the return of Detective Grimoire and Sally. It tells a new story with a different location, victim, and group of suspects.
- Is The Mermaid Mask available on Nintendo Switch 2?
- Yes. The game is available digitally for Nintendo Switch 2 as well as the original Nintendo Switch.
- What happened to Captain Mortuga?
- Captain Mortuga was found dead inside a locked room aboard his submarine. An ancient stone cauldron was discovered beside him, leaving Grimoire and Sally to determine how the murder was committed and who was responsible.
- Does The Mermaid Mask have voice acting?
- Yes. The game includes a fully voiced and animated cast, with expressive performances supporting its interviews, humour, character interactions, and dramatic discoveries.
Sources
- The Mermaid Mask for Nintendo Switch, Nintendo, July 16, 2026
- The Mermaid Mask on Steam, Steam, July 16, 2026
- The Mermaid Mask Launch Trailer – Tangle Tower Follow-Up Arrives on Nintendo Switch 2, Switch, Nintendo Everything, July 17, 2026
- The Mermaid Mask, The Next Murder Mystery Game in the Detective Grimoire Series, Game Informer, June 6, 2026
- How The Mermaid Mask Introduces 3D Objects Without Compromising Its 2D Vision, Creative Bloq, March 13, 2026