After a long 12 months, 2022 is almost over. It’s been abusy year on the gaming side, with demanding games likeElden RingandGod of War Ragnarokeating up hundreds of hours. If you’re looking for a quick low-stakes come-down before the ball drops,Lil Gator Gameis the perfect adventure for your New Year’s weekend.
Lil Gator Gameis a short and endearing little adventure game that pays tribute toThe Legend of Zeldain the cutest way possible. It stars a young alligator who sets out on a mini-quest to befriend as many animals as possible in a small open world. Players have to complete simple quests for potential friends, which can be as simple as fighting off a few cardboard monsters or retrieving a lost, oversized pencil.
It’s similar in structure toA Short Hike, another tiny indie adventure game starring animals, though it’s more direct and playful about its design inspirations. Early on, players get their first sword (a stick) and a shield (a pot lid) before finding a familiar “pointy floppy” hat. After a few short quests, the gator gains the ability to climb any surface and glide through the air using an oversized t-shirt — a mechanic that a frog friend pokes fun at as being from a “different game in the series.”
Everything here, from gameplay to writing, is light and sweet. The island is a soft wash of natural colors that’s relaxing to stroll around. Traversal is streamlined and smooth. Its lack of a map or quest log left me feeling a bit lost at times, but the world is compact and easy enough to get around that I was never wandering too long. Even when I was lost, I could always find a new friend to help out by completing a simple quest that was easy enough for a kid to understand
That last bit is the most important part.Lil Gator Gameis a “kids game,” but I don’t mean that it’s “a game for children.” Rather, it’s an adventure game that lets older players see the world through the eyes of a kid. It transports me back to when I was young and goofing around on the playground: a stick became a sword, a simple task became a quest, and a friend became a valuable ally in whatever imaginary battle I was fighting.Lil Gator Gamecaptures that youthful energy, where the world is just one big playground.
If you’re looking for a good game to play with your kids, or simply want to understand their perspective,Lil Gator Gameis a breezy three-hour adventure that charms with silly and sincere writing. Everyone could use more good-natured games that are just about making friends and spreading kindness — adults included.
Lil Gator Gameis available now on PC and Nintendo Switch.
