"Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion" is a 2021 action-adventure video game created by Snoozy Kazoo and published by Graffiti Games and Plug In Digital. It was made available for Linux, macOS, Windows, and Nintendo Switch in April 2021. The game was later released for Xbox One in April 2022, for iOS and Android in May 2022, and for PlayStation 4 in December 2022. Players control a turnip that looks like a person and avoids paying taxes to challenge a government run by vegetables that is unfair. A sequel, "Turnip Boy Robs a Bank," was released for Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows, and Xbox One on January 18, 2024. A prequel, "Turnip Boy Steals the Mail," was announced on May 4, 2025.

Gameplay

The player controls Turnip Boy, a turnip that looks like a human and was found guilty of not paying taxes. The goal is to stop a dishonest mayor. The game is viewed from above, and players explore different areas. Controls are similar to games in the roguelike style, with simple health tracking and fighting using weapons. Turnip Boy carries items in an inventory, including items needed for quests, tools, and weapons. Only one item can be used at a time, and its direction depends on player input, such as where the mouse is pointed. Turnip Boy fights enemies and has a limited number of hearts that show his health. If all hearts are lost, he dies but returns to the last checkpoint. Boss battles usually involve attacking the boss directly with a weapon or using a special trick from the area where the boss is found. Beating bosses gives important items that open new areas.

During the journey, Turnip Boy can complete extra tasks to earn items or achievements. Players can talk to non-player characters (NPCs), who either give quests or help tell the story.

Plot

Turnip Boy, who owns a greenhouse, receives a tax bill from Mayor Onion and tears it up. Mayor Onion accuses Turnip Boy of avoiding taxes and sends him on several tasks as punishment. During these tasks, with the help of an avocado named Annie, Turnip Boy learns about the history of their world, which suggests that a nuclear disaster killed all humans and caused vegetables to change into thinking, walking beings.

After completing the tasks, Mayor Onion locks Turnip Boy out of the greenhouse. Old Man Lemon then tells Turnip Boy that his father, Don Turnipchino, was once a powerful mafia leader, with Mayor Onion and Old Man Lemon as his allies. Old Man Lemon shares that there is a hidden underground base beneath the greenhouse and lets Turnip Boy enter it. Turnip Boy faces Mayor Onion, defeats him, and takes back the ownership papers for the greenhouse, which he then tears up again.

Reception

The game received mixed reviews. On Metacritic, it has a score of 72% for PC and 74% for Nintendo Switch, showing that people had mixed or average opinions. Another review site, OpenCritic, reported that 42% of critics recommended the game, indicating fair approval.

David Wildgoose of GameSpot praised the game’s "very silly script" and was surprised in a good way by its puzzles. However, he criticized the controls and noted that not all of the humor worked well. Ollie Reynolds of Nintendo Life said the gameplay was mostly enjoyable, and he liked the tone and dialogue. However, he found the sword controls to feel too loose at times and thought some jokes relying on social media references might not appeal to everyone. Jordan Rudek of Nintendo World Report appreciated the game’s charm and humor but felt the puzzles lacked depth, the action felt repetitive, and the story was too short. Donovan Erskine of Shacknews also enjoyed the humor, dungeon-crawling, and puzzle-solving, as well as the detailed world. However, he wished the game had a feature like a quest log. Shaun Musgrave of TouchArcade gave the game a 4/5 rating, praising its silly tone, controls, cartoonish style, and gameplay. However, he noted that people who dislike memes or absurd jokes might not enjoy it.

Some reviewers compared the game’s mechanics to those in the Legend of Zelda series. Nintendo World Report specifically called it a "Zelda-lite," suggesting it is a simpler version of the series.