Lil Gator Game | Nintendo Switch Review
Ever since I played the beautiful game A Short Hike on the Nintendo Switch, I have been looking for a game which could match its beauty. Then Lil Gator Game by MegaWobble and Playtonic Friends arrived on my doorstep, and it did not disappoint. But don’t be alarmed, while there are some similarities to A Short Hike, Lil Gator Game hold its own and provides a sense of nostalgia for adults, and possibly sobering realism for kids. It is currently available on Windows PC and Nintendo Switch. I played Lil Gator Game on my Nintendo Switch OLED in docked mode, and partly in handheld mode as well.
So, what makes this little game special? Everything, really. The storyline featured is close to the bone, and something which many of us have personally gone through as the youngest child – the urge to have your older sibling play games with you, but life getting in the way for them. Lil Gator Game focusses on a little gator (as it says on the tin) and his struggle to get his older sister, Big Sis, to play with him, while she is home visiting from college. The little gator loved spending time with his sister, as she created games for them to play, battling against monsters while the little gator could be the hero. Unfortunately, this is all a memory now, which can be seen dotted around their home island, as Big Sis is now too busy to get involved due to her intensive course work for her computer course.
To get his Big Sis’ attention, the little gator focusses on getting as many people to the playground as possible to reinvent it into a town or a fortress of defence from the cardboard monsters scattered around the island. By whacking monsters, pots, or chests littered around the island, you can collect confetti, which can be used to create items from the blueprints received from various mini quests. The more people you get to the playground, the more upgrades you can make, creating a wonderful fortress fit for a hero. You can receive a glider, a shield, and a weapon to help you on your quests. For the collectors and completionists among us, you can get the ability to locate the missing loot once the main storyline is complete, as you do not have any maps to guide you throughout.
The game is stunning, with cel-shaded graphics, carrying on a few similarities to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Other comparisons are to do with the gameplay itself, with the little gator having a stamina meter and a glider very similar to Link. The music is wonderful, and you have a different musically piece for each little section of the island. The dialogues are quirky, and some have you in giggles, while providing a backdrop to the sadder undertones of the main storyline itself.
I have very few complaints about the game: just the length of the game and the lack of a map. A map would have been helpful as I was at one stage nearly ripping my hair out trying to locate one of the characters for one of the quests. Regarding the length of the game, I just didn’t want to it to end. I was captivated from start to finish.
I would highly recommend Lil Gator Game to add to your collection. It is an absolute delight to play, and you will have a smile on your face (most of the time), when the nostalgia is not providing you with a firm slap in the face. It has a great price attached to it, and you will not be disappointed.
Tina’s Rating: 4.5 bundles of confetti out of 5.
For more information on Lil Gator Game please use the following links...
MegaWobble - Developer | Twitter | Instagram | Website
Playtonic Friends - Publisher | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Website
Many thanks to Playtonic Friends and PressEngine for the Review Key.
Lil Gator Game | Windows PC | Nintendo Switch
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