Kakao Games Unveils SMiniz — A New K‑Pop Match‑3 Game Featuring RIIZE, aespa, and NCT
Kakao Games is stepping into 2026 with a move that feels engineered to detonate across K‑pop fandoms worldwide. The company has officially unveiled SMiniz, a new match‑3 puzzle game built in partnership with SM Entertainment — meaning yes, the roster includes mini‑character versions of artists from RIIZE, aespa, and NCT. If you’ve ever wanted a puzzle game that doubles as a digital fan shrine, Kakao Games is basically handing you the keys.
Global pre‑registration kicks off today and runs through February 23, giving players a chance to lock in launch rewards, including Group Draw Tickets — the game’s first taste of “try your luck and pull your bias.” It’s a smart hook. K‑pop fans love collecting, curating, and showing off, and SMiniz is leaning into that energy from day one.
A Match‑3 Game Built for the Fandom Era
On the surface, SMiniz is a run-of-the-mill casual match‑3 puzzler — the kind of game you can play on the train, in bed, or while pretending to listen during a meeting (something we’ve all done, don’t lie). But Kakao Games, oh Kakao, the genius that it is, is positioning it as something more: a celebration of K‑pop fandom culture wrapped in a cozy, accessible gameplay loop.
Let’s check off the features that show what they believe modern fans want:
- Mini character versions of SM artists
- Puzzle stages you clear alongside your favorite idols
- Collectible photocards (because of course)
- Customizable costumes inspired by real K‑pop styling
- Fan zone spaces that function like digital shrines
It’s not subtle — SMiniz is built to be a fandom playground, and Kakao Games isn’t pretending otherwise.
A Game Already Tested — and Already Loved
SMiniz isn’t launching blind. The game hosted a closed beta in 2025, and according to Kakao Games, the feedback was “overwhelmingly positive.” That’s important, because match‑3 games live or die on feel — the animations, the pacing, the dopamine drip of clearing a board at the perfect moment. If players were already vibing with it last year, that bodes well for the global rollout.
And yes, this is a global rollout. Yep, Kakao Games is handling worldwide publishing and live-service operations, METABORA is leading development, and SM Entertainment is supplying the IP — a three‑way partnership designed to make sure the game lands with both gamers and K‑pop fans.
Aiming for a Global Audience From Day One
Kakao Games isn’t shy about its ambitions here. SMiniz is being positioned as an in‑house title built specifically for a worldwide audience — not just Korea, not just Asia, but everywhere K‑pop has reach. Which is… basically everywhere.
The official brand page is already live, complete with pre‑registration links, character previews, and the kind of pastel‑bright aesthetic that screams “this is going to dominate your phone battery.”
SMiniz is set to launch on iOS and Android in Q1 2026, which means it’s arriving soon — and likely with a marketing push big enough to make sure every K‑pop fan on Earth hears about it.
Kakao Games Keeps Expanding Its Global Footprint
This announcement is fitting nicely into Kakao Games’ broader strategy. Since going public in 2020, the company has built a portfolio that swings from hardcore RPGs like Odin: Valhalla Rising to global hits like Umamusume Pretty Derby, Eversoul, Guardian Tales, and Kakao Battlegrounds (yep, all those new mobile game commercials you’ve been seeing everywhere). SMiniz is the next step — a casual title with massive crossover potential.
It’s a smart play. Casual games + K‑pop IP = a guaranteed audience before the first puzzle piece even drops.
SMiniz Launches on iOS and Android in Q1 2026
SMiniz isn’t just another match‑3 game. It’s a fandom‑forward, globally targeted, K‑pop‑powered puzzle experience designed to hit the exact intersection of casual gaming and idol culture. With SM Entertainment’s artists, Kakao Games’ publishing muscle, and a beta that already landed well, this one has “instant hit” energy written all over it.
