Recently I got myself a new game bundle, and in amongst the games that I actually wanted to play, was one called Tinykin. For me a game like Tinykin would just get added to my library and languish for years until I decide to play it, or remember I even had it. See my Turnip Boy post for a case in point. But I want to start doing better and give all the games in bundle I get at least a few minutes in the spotlight. So when I installed and tried out Tinykin, I wasn’t very impressed, and yet I found myself unable to put it down. Which made me want to take a closer look at it.
I feel that my intrigue with this game, comes primarily from it’s gameplay. At it’s core, Tinykin is a collect-a-thon platformer akin to Banjo Kazooie, or a Spyro the Dragon. Where you are given a giant level to explore with various paths, hubs and areas. With lots of things to do, things to collect, and activities to complete for more rewards. But unlike other platformers, where you unlock new moves as you play, slowly expanding both your abilities and the world, in Tinykin you get Pikm… cough cough. I mean Tinykin of various colours and abilities that will expand your abilities and things you can do. From interacting with object in the world, to destroying obstacles, getting to new areas that you couldn’t before and solving various puzzles.
Movement is where this game truly shines. While these worlds feel gigantic, exploring them never felt tiring. There’s this methodical rhythm that guides you through the entire game making platforming never dull. I fell this is part due to the game excellent aesthetics and music, but also because the game is jammed packed with something for you to do and to interact with.
And it’s in the interaction with this game, which initially tripped me up and made it seem a whole lot less impressive then it actually is. The game heavily relies on narrative to push you along and gets you started. But the walls of text the game expects you to read and go through, just put me off. I think there is a good narrative here, but I wasn’t able to pay attention to it. At least not until the end, when there is finally a character that is voiced.
Thankfully I was able to play the game, without deliberately talking to a single NPC, objectives can be found, and completed at my discretion and on my own time. Tinykin is an oddly relaxing and wholesome game, where there are no villains, no enemies to fight, no bosses to beat, and no twist villains. Tinykin is just a simple, plane Jane platformer, with a simple gimmick, and unique aesthetic that give this game a unique identity.
While for me I probably won’t be replaying it. I have a feeling trying to collect everything would be a chore, and the lack of voice acting doesn’t help starting the levels fresh. I do feel this is a game I want to recommend. It’s not the most impressive platformer I’ve played, but it has this calm and simple enjoyability that I don’t think I’ve seen in another platformer.
