Developer: Blue Sunset Games, Funware
Publisher: Blue SUnset Games
Platform: PC
Tested on: PC
Tiny Hands Adventure – Review
If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands. You might have seen this meme of the sad T-Rex unable to clap his hands because his arms are too short. In the 3D platform game Tiny Hands Adventure we meet Borti, who struggles with the same problem. Blue Sunset Games and Funware definitely found their main inspiration for this one with the popular game Crash Bandicoot.
Story
Borti is a happy young T-Rex who lives in Dinoburg. Well, at least he is happy most of the time. He has many friends and enjoys playing football with his school team. But there is one thing he desires more than anything; longer arms. He needs those to be a better goalkeeper. In his search for the best replacement for his hands and arms he goes to the Chamber of Trials and enrolls the help of the fairy Lady Florella. She tells him to explore worlds, gather gems and defeat bosses in return for tools.
The story sounds adorable; a little dinosaur looking for longer arms. It’s a simple story and the way it’s told reflects that. You start off by looking for a cave before knowing why you’re doing anything. This could’ve added some mystery but it just doesn’t. A sec conversation between Borti and the fairy reveals why he seeks the help of Florella. As far as the story goes, Tiny Hands Adventure starts off rather boring.
Graphics
Tiny Hands Adventure is a 3D platformer game. As mentioned before, inspiration was found with the popular 90’s platformer Crash Bandicoot. This also shows in the graphics. The hero in this game is a little blue dinosaur who wears a cap and carries around some sort of backpack, making him look cute and fun. Concerning the maps, enemies and overall graphics, the game is okay. It’s not that special but it’s sufficient for an enjoyable gameplay. There is a part of the game where you enter a trial and the location changes into a style inspired by comic books. This is a very random but welcome addition to the game.
Sound
The music used during the various trials is very different, ranging from your typical platform game music to what sounds like fanfare music to even dubstep tunes. Providing a mixture of lots of different tunes, the game fails to add fitting music to every trail though. Some of it is rather enjoyable but a great deal of it is just uninteresting and uninspiring. Your ears will be most pleased when you’re in the general areas. Besides the music, Borti makes little noises when he jumps, attacks, etc.
Gameplay
Tiny Hands Adventure is an action adventure 3D platformer. The game starts with a little tutorial where you get familiar with the controls and features. Since this is clear and short, it’s very useful. After you’ve reached the cave, you’ll find Lady Florella. She will help you in your quest for longer arms. However, she wants something in return. For each defeated guardian you get a tool to help you.
There are different areas. Each area consists of four portals, each leading to a different trial with fitting names. You complete a trial by collecting the orange gem inside and making it to the end. You always start with three lives. Along the way you’ll run into various obstacles matching with the environment of the location. Fight monsters or plain animals who get in your way. This isn’t too difficult as you’ll soon find out. Most of your opponents won’t move, which makes them easy targets. If they do move, they rarely attack. One hit is enough to kill them. Next to this you can also collect meat and if you get enough of those you’ll earn an extra life. Earning extra lives is also possible by jumping on the special boxes with a heart on them.
Throughout a trial you’ll also come across five shapes in five different colors. These are sometimes easy to spot and every now and then a little more hidden, adding some more challenge. If you collect all five shapes in a trail, you’ll unlock the more difficult version of that trial. The regular trials don’t include lots of difficulties. There is your basic gravity that plays a part. This ensures that you pay attention at all times and could fall off a lighthouse, into the water, etc. Next to the gravity, there isn’t a lot of natural elements working against you. There is just the ice that can be quite slippery for your dinosaur feet.
To keep track of which trial you’ve completed and which you didn’t, a flame will light up next to the portal to indicate it’s a finished trial. If you have completed all four trials of an area, you’ll be able to face the guardian. In order to defeat a guardian you have to go up to him and attack on three different occasions. Again you’ll have three lives. This is not as easy as it sounds seeing as he will do everything in his power to keep you at a distance. Now if you have managed to defeat the guardian, you’ll get to talk to the fairy again and she’ll hand you a tool. These tools will be useful during your trials and will range from a drill to mechanical arms and so much more.
Conclusion
Tiny Hands Adventure is a fun game to play building on a cute story. The different trails are very pleasing and diverse. However, the music is all over the place and the graphics are just moderate. The enemies being way too easy is definitely unfortunate. All together the game is okay but nothing too special. Maybe the release on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One later this year will be a bigger success.
Tiny Hands Adventure - Review,
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