Tinykin Review
Tinykin is a miniature world set in a house lost in time, that time being 1991. You play as Milodane an explorer where you meet somewhat intelligent insects and of course, the Tinykin.
But what or who are the Tinykin?
Genre
Platform, Adventure
Release Date
August 30th 2022
Publisher
Platforms
Xbox, PS, PC, Switch
Want to see some gameplay first?
Mysterious Creatures
The Tinykin are mysterious creatures that seem to take a shine to Milo. These little guys will help you complete each level in a variety of ways. Each of these creatures has a unique talent that will allow you to reach inaccessible areas without them. There are 5 variations, purple, red, green, blue and yellow.
Purple – These guys are the strongest of the bunch and can lift heavy objects, push buttons/switches and open closed drawers, cabinets etc…
Red – The Reds are hot headed and like to blow things up. You will use these for release more Tinykin, creating new pathways and free more pollen (more in this later).
Green – If you need to reach new heights, Greens will form a ladder for Milo so that he can reach the top.
Blue – If you need to power up something like a toaster, a hand dryer or activate a switch, Blues can help. They can transfer an electric current from a socket to another power source.
Yellow – The Yellows will help you reach areas that require a walkway or bridge and are the last guys you meet.
The Tinykin can be called back at any time with a whistle from Milo. You may need this when you don’t have enough for a particular task. The Reds blow up, so they can’t be called back, but you can collect more. Reds are also good for freeing pollen from fruit, sticky balls of sweets, cake etc… Blues can’t be called back either, as once they are powering up something, they are stuck like that. However, the rest will always be with you and on hand to help.
When it comes to the Tinykin, they are controlled by the LT and RT. By holding LT and aiming with the Right Analogue while pressing RT to throw them. You can also recall them at any time by pressing Y. Thankfully these little guys are contextual and all you need to do is aim them at something for the correct Tinykin to be selected. This will be more evident when you are using all five variations.
Milo’s Journey
On Milo’s journey throughout the world, you will come across all manner of creatures. One such creature, Ridmi, is your guide and taskmaster. He is the one who will tell you what you need to do for each level. This strange creature is also the storyteller and tells you about the mysterious Ardwin. But who is Ardwin? Ridmi and other creatures you meets seem to view him as a deity.
When you first meet Ridmi, he guides you to the Cellar, which acts as your HUB or workshop. Here is where you see a giant blueprint on the wall of all the components you need to find. Each component you collect gets brought back to your HUB and placed upon a device that needs to be completed.
We are told that Ardwin was building this device that would allow him to travel beyond the house, but to where is unknown. With each component found, we find out just a little bit more…
As you set out on your journey, you will come across a lot of the creatures. Some are looking for a chat, while others ask you for help. Those seeking help are your side quests and in completing them will earn you a treasure for the Ardwin museum. There will be 3 in total for each area to complete. These can range from sticking posters to post-it notes to finding a lost ant.
Locations you will visit will be the hallway, a sitting room, a greenhouse, the kitchen, a bedroom, the bathroom and attic. Each of the places you visit has their own unique look and feel to them. The rooms you venture through also has something hiddent within.
Soapboarding
While on his journey, the Tinykin aid Milo along the way. However, he does have a few tricks upon him. Milo has a glider that is a bubble that surrounds him as he floats in the air. This can help you reach farther distances but must be upgraded for those longer jumps. He also has a bar of soap or as it’s called, a soapboard, which he slides about on like a skateboard. Call it Soapboarding if you will.
You can use the soapboard to slide alone the floor and use the silk threads to reach higher levels. These silk threads are accessed by freeing or waking up hairy spider-like creatures. They allow you to use their silk threads to grab pollen that may seem inaccessible.
Pollen
As you traverse through the house, you will also earn pollen for completing tasks. Pollen can also be collected throughout the areas you visit. Collecting pollen can be dropped off to Sikaru, an ant who brews it as nectar. When you have enough, Sikaru has a travel cart in each area that you can visit and drop off pollen. In exchange for the pollen, you will receive pieces of soap and this in turn upgrades your bubble powers.
The soapboard not only makes getting around the areas faster, but you can have a little fun with it too. It’s not just the silk wires that you can use, you can grind on anything with an edge.
Artstyle
In Tinykin you will notice that the artstyle is a blend of 2D and 3D. Which works surprisingly well as you traverse through an area. Milo can explore an area that is all rendered and built beautiful in 3D, while Milo himself is in 2D. The same goes for the Tinykin and the creatures you meet and interact with. Everything is bright and colourful, with the creatures going about their daily routines as you explore and learn more about the worlds. The Tinykin themselves will sometimes take a wee nap as well if you are standing around too long.
The first area you visit, the Living Room, is bright and colourful. From the sun shining through the windows to the overhead lights above. There are cushions from chairs and sofas used to make tunnels and are propped up by soda cans. While there are snare drums scattered about for you to jump on to reach higher levels. Then you come across a bookshelf that has living quarters made from cards and matches. Each of the areas you come across are well thought out as if constructed by a child’s imagination. The Kitchen area is my favourite, where you see the landscapes and ‘farms’ made up of scrubbing sponges, parsley and markers/pens. The main village or town is hidden away under the kitchen table and everything is brightly lit. Creatures live in the cupboards, or have restaurants and shops.
The soundtrack that accompanies you is playful, warm and joyful. It has an upbeat tempo, and it seems to follow you as Milo goes in search of more pollen or searching for hidden components. When riding around on your soapboard bubbles pop and gurgle as you leave a wet trail behind you. When using your Tinykins, they let out little cheers and hollers. This is more so when you free them from their wooden cages.
I was lucky enough to get to play a preview build of Tinykin back in February. From the moment I took Milo’s first steps, I knew it would hook me instantly! The world that Splashteam has created gives me childhood memories of Land of the Giants (classic TV show). When you first step into the living room, you see everything tower above. See little creatures like beetles, ants and wasps that made their homes and businesses out of everyday objects.
From using shoelaces as ropes to climb, matchsticks as boxes and barricades to using toilet roll and cotton buds as towers and walkways. Everything looks as though it would fit perfectly in any home and makes you wonder, could this happen in my home?
Overall
Tinykin is an adventure that I will never forget. The journey from start to finish was a lot of fun and the characters you meet all have their own personalities. There is a lot to discover within this world with each door opening something new. If you want a BIG adventure, then this is definitely the game for you! Don’t miss out on a little adventure with a big heart!
SSG Rating 9/10