Misc. A Tiny Tale (Switch) Review
Summary: A whimsical adventure that's more than the sum of its parts.
4
Legally distinct
Misc. A Tiny Tale is a delightful 3D platformer that’s equal parts Chibi Robo, Pikmin, and an N64-era collectathon.
Set in a post-human world inhabited by tiny robots, you play as Buddy, a (legally distinct) chibi robot who sets off with his friend Bay boy to explore the world outside of their village after an explosion lights up the night sky and golden cogs shower down on their idyllic little world.
Since Buddy is a helpful sort, he likes to clean up the garden while on his adventures, picking up trash, cleaning up spills, and doing the recycling as he hunts for those pesky golden cogs.
Gameplay is a relaxing mix of helping the locals with their problems, collecting cogs, and light cleaning through eight levels that are equal parts Pikmin and Banjo Kazooie. You’ll help bots living under the rule of an oppressive, Egyptian cat(bot), slide around in a winter wonderland dominated by an abandoned fridge, gardening in a long-forgotten greenhouse, and much more besides.
To move to the next level, you need to collect eight cogs. Though I found myself compulsively trying for 100% before moving on in each stage, because it’s such a good time. Each stage is filled with fun characters and simple but enjoyable tasks that never fail to put a smile on my face.
Each stage also contains a Mario Sunshine-esque platforming challenge presided over by a rascally raccoon(bot) found by diving down an old drainpipe. Each is fairly challenging and centres around a main theme, whether that’s disappearing blocks, using objects to open new paths, or triple jumping to the finish.
The only problem with them is that they also highlight how imprecise the platforming is. Buddy’s jumps are fairly floaty, and although he has access to a double jump and a Mario-style dive, it’s often hard to predict exactly where he is going to land. Which is fine when you’re trying to jump onto a massive fridge, but not so great when you need to land on a tiny patch of sand that will dissolve under your feet as soon as you land on it.
The most surprising thing about Misc, though, is how dark the story is at times despite being told like it’s a long-lost children’s TV program. I guess it is set post-apocalypse, even if it’s a cosy one. It’s just worth bearing in mind if you were thinking of playing with younger gamers. That being said, it’s not quite Round the Twist; its darker themes are handled deftly, and the expanding cast of characters remains likable throughout.
Performance is fairly decent on the Switch, with occasional texture pop-in, and the dynamic resolution can take a hit from time to time, making the action look a little muddy.
Meanwhile, on the Switch 2, although there isn’t a dedicated port yet, I’m not sure it needs one. The minor quibbles on the switch are gone; it runs at a nice, solid 60fps at a stable resolution. What more do you want?
Final Thoughts
Misc. A Tiny Tale is a wonderful, whimsical platformer packed full of fun characters and a central gameplay loop that’s as compelling as it is relaxing.
It successfully blends the pastoral, tiny world aesthetics of Pikmin with the kind of collectathon platforming sensibilities of a 90s Rare game with Chibi Robo’s cleaning mechanics in a coherent and compelling way that will have you hooked from start to finish.
Though its cheerful children’s TV exterior belies a slightly darker post-apocalyptic underbelly, it’s still an adventure best played on a lazy Sunday afternoon with a nice cup of tea.
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