Not sure if I had the time to cover Twinkleby, and also, not really knowing much about it, I almost passed on it. However, when someone offers you cake and puts it on a plate, writes your name on the top in syrup, then gets a supermodel to spit on it, you can’t not do it, right?
None of those things happened, but a few hours in the morning on the Steam Deck was all I needed to be won over by this cute lil’ sandbox. How to explain it? It’s a teeny bit like Animal Crossing, where you place a home (not necessarily designing the structure), then, being an exclusive interior designer, catering to the individual’s tastes.
These tastes vary depending on the person, and you have a little window in Twinkleby to get the place ready before they arrive via airship. No, not a blimp, but an actual schooner that delivers a citizen to an island in the sky, for their own little bit of bliss. Initially, the house will already be placed, and all you need to do is decorate.
Decorations are varied but limited, ranging from dedicated furnishing for a kitchen and lounge, through to outdoor exquisites such as a fancy bush, or perhaps a picnic blanket? While you’re fannying around with the wallpaper and flooring for the umpteenth time, a lil’ character will appear. Click on them, and a little thought bubble will appear for you to work with.
While Twinkleby is a delightful sandbox, you still have mini objectives that rely on how happy the tenants are. Some might want others around so they can have a natter, another might want to have a feast waiting for them on the table, or you might even get rare or special visitors, like Vincent, who are seeking art supplies to paint their masterpieces and perhaps consider cutting off an ear?
Fortunately, it’s not that type of game, and if you came here looking for action, the next best thing is having your heart melt at how cute this is. Yeah, I said it. One of the best things about Might and Delight’s game, and bearing in mind this is really a lovely game, is the characters, or neighbours, singing you a song when they are happy. I hate Alvin and the Chipmunks, but their rendition is between that and South Park (without the crass), and I bloody loved them singing to me.
Anyhoo, adorning your utopia with lavish furnishings will cost you, so to get over that hurdle, the first step is catering to the neighbours’ needs. This might mean placing decorations you already have, or going to the vendor of the game, Molligan. The currency used is stellars – stars that will drop for each time you place an item of interest, though those with an ounce of patience will be pleased that they also fall from the sky and will wait there for you to click them.
Stellars in Twinkleby will let you buy a host of furnishings to decorate your floating islands, as well as a variety of keys that unlock many of the falling chests. Simply drag and drop these onto land, and if you have the key for it, you’ll get more stellar and a nice selection of furnishings to place. Best of all, everything you unlock can be placed in the subsequent islands without taking them from the ones before.
As your familiarity with the locals increases, they’ll eventually reward you with goodies, such as map parts that unlock new islands on the archipelago in the sky, meaning you have a bit of choice in where you go next. Sometimes, these tenants can be a little bit picky, and no matter how good your stuff looks, they’ll still want more. Should this happen, you can evict them, but put them up in other places more suitable. Some people are simply antisocial.
Twinkleby is a really lovely game, and I’m pleased that I took the plunge and gave it a look. If you’re looking for something cute with an Animal Crossing vibe but don’t have the time to invest, though equally want something that still has a bit of depth, then may I suggest you check this one out?
