A whimsical 3D platformer for all to enjoy
Oh boy, I was excited to write this one!
Here is my review for Tinykin, developed by Splashteam and published by tinyBuild. This colorful cartoon game satisfies anyone’s craving for puzzle solving, platforming, and sightseeing.
The game starts off with an intro animation that sets the scene for you: Milodane, a little interstellar traveler from a world called Aegis, is attempting to search for humankind’s origin in a nearby galaxy. But mysteriously, he finds himself trapped in the clutter of a ‘90s themed home! Did I mention that he is also extremely tiny and the size of an ant (some of which you befriend throughout your journey)? In order to return home, Milo follows the advice of a wise figure named Ridmi, who tells him to find six specific items for a special machine. While exploring, Milo realizes that he has an unexplainable connection with these “Tinykin”! Over the course of the game, they help him solve problems and navigate his surroundings.
The clever “Honey I shrunk the kids” design reminds me of my time playing It Takes Two and Ungrounded, which made this game so familiar and enjoyable (look at the little pushpin chair!).
Is Tinykin basically just Pikmin?
Now, I’ve also heard the chatter around Tinykin and its connection to the Pikmin series by Nintendo. And to be honest, the people aren’t completely wrong! The game feels inspired by the 3D platforming of Banjo-Kazooie and puzzling of Pikmin, with a little more casual and relaxing gameplay. It’s important to note that unlike Pikmin, there is no combat, day cycle, or a serious concern for dying (the Tinykin are finite, so you don’t need to worry about wasting or endangering your little friends).
Tinykin are designated by their respective colors that give them special abilities such as moving large objects, destroying items with explosions, or getting to high places. You can die from falling from a high height, but it is completely inconsequential, since you respawn right where you last were. The most challenging aspects of the game involve finding lost items or Tinykin in order to progress. But surprisingly, the game never once felt slow or annoying. This was mainly because of the character’s quick and responsive flow of movement.
Soapy transportation
The game has its typical running and jumping, but it includes some pretty awesome soap-themed devices that help him navigate spaces quickly and efficiently. There’s the bubble glider, soap skateboard, and ladder Tinykins that make exploring fun and less of a drag (which I think it extremely important to consider when making explore-based games). I didn’t struggle with passing over objectives or jumping extremely precisely, which can be a nice change of pace from other titles (playing Hollowknight and crying at the moment). Because of this, I would say the pacing was great.
Bug-themed storytelling
I really enjoyed the bug-themed environmental storytelling.
In each room you traverse, you encounter NPC bugs that ask you to help complete their little side quests (and most of them are really fun). There, you can see each bug society’s homes, making up its own little level and environment. For example, the bathroom is a nightclub for a group of silverfish, a cardboard box is a cathedral for shield bugs. Once a mission has been completed, the bugs will give you sick upgrades to your abilities, extra game items, or core story items!
An overall great experience
To conclude, I would say that Tinykin striked a great balance with its design. The story wasn’t overly verbose or boring, but did just enough to keep my curiosity there. The gameplay was pretty casual, but didn’t feel like it was made solely for 5 year olds (although I bet they could beat it!).
The game is just a fun time. You run around, exploring a world that was once so mundane, but now full of life and excitement. Play it if you have the time, it’s only about 6 hours!
You can check out the launch trailer HERE
Tinykin is available for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation and Xbox, plus PC via Steam, Epic Games Store and GOG
Related: Reviews by Kristen Lee
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