Lil Gator Game – At A Glance List Review

Info:

• Did I purchase Lil Gator Game? No, part of Xbox Game Pass
• Available on Steam, Xbox, Switch
• Controller or Keyboard: I used a controller.

At a Glance Review:

• Story: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Quests: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Art Style: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Soundtrack/Music: ⭐⭐⭐
• Combat: None.
• Controls: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Do I Recommend It?

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A very enthusiastic yes from my inner child.

What I Loved:

• The story is simple yet 100% made from the heart and extremely meaningful. Lil Gator is a game for children of all ages. I didn’t expect my inner child to be so touched by this game, but it was the perfect mix for kids and those who experienced childhood as either introverts or extroverts. This game also portrays adults who fully embrace childhood’s odd, unusual, unique, and imaginative outcomes without fear of being judged or dismissed. Something I think many of us as adults needed back then and today.
• A bucket is your helm, a sparkly star wand can be your sword, an inflatable tube your shield, and many other everyday items turn into magical relics as you traverse the islands of your home. While you do, you encounter memories of yourself and your big sister, make friends everywhere you go, and scheme to create The Best Story Ever, using imagination and cardboard.
• The bright colors, simple cell shading, and fun little challenges all create a low-key, relaxing atmosphere with no pressure to be perfect.
• Your enemies are made of cardboard, and your currency comes from the confetti you receive once you defeat them with your chosen weapon.
• The quests are hilarious and fun.
• The entire game is an homage to childhood, nostalgia, and, of course, perhaps one of the most legendary games of all time: The Legend of Zelda.
• Lil Gator also gently weaves in subject matter such as family, responsibility, and the divide between siblings of different ages.

What Didn’t Work For Me:

My single complaint (a small one) is that there were no in-game minimaps or indicators of where to go. However, I am very sure that is a definite me problem. Getting lost in details and scenes and then forgetting where I should go for a quest is something I do a lot of. The island spaces are small but also come with many steep valleys and high hills or mountains, making it a bit difficult to figure out at which elevation your quest tasks might be.

Accessibility:

• There is no map menu or mini-map. The game asks you to rely on memory to find where people or things are. They do offer in-game tourist boards to look at, but they lack icons or visible navigation text.
• There is no quest tracker in Lil Gator, so it made it challenging to keep track of what quests I turned in and which I did not.
• ‘Baby Mode’ allows you as a player to climb, swim, and glide without using up any stamina.
• The text of Lil Gator is large and easy to read.
• Camera closeness can be adjusted.
• Missions are simple, but finding NPCs and remembering where they are without a reference can make it difficult.
• You can invert the direction keys required for looking and aiming.
• Holding down buttons for long periods is not necessary. You can toggle on/off the holding-down button settings if you have mobility issues. There is also no need to press and hold multiple buttons simultaneously.

Is Lil Gator Game Worth It?

While some may say the game is too short, what it lacks in time, it packs a punch in the feels of childhood reminiscence and the joy and magic we found in the mundane world as kids. Lil Gator Game is worthwhile in your library if you adore cozy, cute, nostalgic, no-pressure games.