If you grew up in the Philippines, chances are you’ve played—or at least heard of—Tumbang Preso. That childhood game of slipper-throwing and dodging the tagger was a neighborhood favorite. Now, thanks to indie developer Horned Struggler (Jon Quin), the game has made its way to mobile in the form of Tumbang Preso Endless—a charming, fast-paced, and surprisingly addictive arcade experience available on the Google Play Store.
Whether you’re in it for nostalgia, or just looking for a simple but challenging game to pass the time, Tumbang Preso Endless is worth every swipe.
Game Review: Mechanics, power-ups, and pure Nostalgia
The core mechanic is based on the original game: you’re armed with a slipper, trying to knock down a single can while avoiding the preso, who guards it. You swipe to aim and tap to throw. Hit the can, and the round resets. Miss or get tagged, and you lose one slipper—your in-game life. Once you run out of slippers, your run ends.
What makes the game more exciting is its roguelike progression system. After every successful round, the game presents you with random upgrades that change your strategy for the next wave. These upgrades include increasing movement speed, slipper damage, and the ability to reduce cooldowns or slow down the preso. Each run becomes unique, giving you a new mix of advantages as the difficulty ramps up.
Adding to the local flavor are teks cards, which serve as power-ups. These randomly drop and grant temporary boosts such as score multipliers, movement buffs, or slowing down the preso. The inclusion of teks—those classic collectible cards Filipino kids used to play with—is a delightful nod to local street culture.
The game is single-player only, and while it doesn’t yet have a global leaderboard or multiplayer mode, the high-score chasing element is strong. The gameplay is fast, clean, and intentionally difficult. It’s very easy to say, “One more round,” and find yourself still playing 30 minutes later. The art direction is simple but effective, evoking the familiar backstreets of Philippine neighborhoods with colorful characters and a lighthearted aesthetic.
Tumbang Preso Endless stands out not for flashy effects or complex graphics, but for its heart. It captures the energy and tension of the original game and packages it into something that’s intuitive and challenging. There’s real depth in trying different upgrade combinations, timing your throws perfectly, and finding the rhythm of each increasingly difficult round.
Developer’s Perspective: The story behind the game
According to developer Jon Quin, the idea for the game came during the Christmas break in December 2024.
“It started back last year, December 2024, malapit na mag-Pasko. Yung mga bata naka-vacation, ang kukulit sa harap ng bahay, naglalaro sila ng tag. Bigla ko naisip kung alam pa kaya nila yung Tumbang Preso? Nagtataka ako kasi these past busy years, never ko na nakita na may naglalaro pa ng Tumbang Preso.”
He shared how his own childhood memories of playing the game influenced his creative direction.
“Noon, sobrang competitive namin sa larong ’yun. Umabot pa sa point na tinatawag akong ‘sniper’ ng mga kaibigan ko. Kasi ako at yung isa kong tropa, lagi kaming nagpapahuli ng turn para i-ligtas lahat.”
As a junior software engineer, Jon saw an opportunity to bring something personal into his craft.
“Since nami-miss ko yung laro at marunong naman ako mag-program, nag-align lahat at the right time.”
He noted that in real life, the game doesn’t have a natural ending—usually stopping only when someone gets tired or it gets too late.
“Main problem ko sa Tumbang Preso is kung paano siya natatapos. Kasi based sa experience ko, parang endless loop lang ng humiliation sa taya. Natatapos lang siya kapag may umayaw na or sobrang gabi na.”
This inspired the game’s endless system, where your slipper count acts as your life points, and the game continues until you run out. He also integrated roguelike elements for variety and challenge.
“Around December to January, nagpa-plano na ako kung paano ko siya ie-execute as a game. Inumpisahan ko yung project nung February at binrute force ko lang yung development, sinisingit ko lang siya sa free time ko since may day job ako. Hanggang sa naging playable na by end of May.”
The title was a natural choice.
“Wala namang reason para hindi gamitin yung Tumbang Preso sa title. Yung ‘Endless’ nagsisilbing representation ng limitless score na pwede mong ma-achieve sa game.”
Final Thoughts
Tumbang Preso Endless is a brilliant example of how local culture can be preserved and reimagined through games. It brings together childhood nostalgia, smart game mechanics, and cultural authenticity in a lightweight and enjoyable package.
If you’re looking for something familiar yet fresh, local yet global in appeal, this game deserves a spot on your phone. Whether you’re in it for the challenge or just want to relive a piece of childhood, Tumbang Preso Endless delivers a meaningful and entertaining experience.
