Game Review, Pastel Goth

There is no game that is more wholesome and fun quite like mini golf. It is fun to pick a ball in your favorite color and just go at it with friends, it was an activity that I really enjoyed doing in my younger years. This game has consumed my little gaming clan, with regular golf nights where we all just get together and laugh over discord. Even with a competitive group, no one really gets all that angry and nobody really cares if they lose. I’ve found it to be a nice and relaxing way to hang out with friends, without the stress of dealing with difficult game mechanics.

The game is very straight forward and plays exactly the way you would expect it. You aim your shot, hold down your left mouse button to move the power slider, and shoot! The classic maps that come as a base for the game are all extremely colorful and cleverly designed that play smoothly and have some unique mechanics that can reward creative plays in ways that probably wouldn’t be possible in real life putt-putt. There is a nice (timed) free camera that you can use at each hole to get a view of the hole and plan your shots. It is very easy to pick up and learn for all players.

The great thing about this being a computer game is that your ball is customizable! You can use RGB sliders to change the color of your ball to your favorite color (mine is a lovely pastel pink). After playing a number of games you can also get cute little hats for your ball that won’t punish you for using them. A unicorn horn, an apple pie, and an army cap are some of the hats that I’ve seen in this game and they are all extremely cute.

There is also a course builder that players can use to create some truly outstanding and unique maps. There are a plethora that you can choose from that have been submitted by the game’s community, though I advise some caution when using these maps with new players, as some of them can be poorly built and end up glitchy, unreasonably punishing, or simply an illogical eye sore. Additionally, there are other modifications that players can make including changing the shape of your ball, or adding effects like low gravity.

It doesn’t matter what type of gamer you have in your group either! We have brought in friends that are big into shooters, MMOs, console players, and folks that really just aren’t that into video games and everyone was able to have a good time. You have the option to play the game solo as well, though the online support to play with others is where it’s really at. Priced under $10, honestly this game is really reasonably priced for a genuinely fun and competitive gaming experience with a group of friends.

Let’s Discuss!

Do you enjoy mini golf?
Can a game version of mini golf match up to real mini golf?
Even if you aren’t a gamer, is this something that you can see yourself playing?

Game Information

Golf With Your Friends
Publisher: Team17 Digital
Developer: Blacklight Interactive
Release Date: Aug 16, 2019
Genres: Mini Golf
Players: Single player, Multiplayer
Platforms: Steam
Steam

This was a bit of a random pick up, but Coloring Game: Little City was a surprisingly relaxing game that I didn’t know I’d love. The title says it all, it is a simple color by number game themed around an adorable little pixel city. I’ve always been into art, though I was never that good at it. Even so, I used to draw constantly growing up and in my teens eventually got into creating pixel art and web design, so the pixel style in this game was really appealing to me.

I was surprised that there were actually a few controls to this game, including the ability to hold down shift to keep your lines straight while coloring, and an undo button. The colors are locked, but that is understandable. The base setting has numbered boxes and the boxes will be highlighted when you click on the corresponding number from your palette. There are options to remove the numbers or the box highlights. You can also use your mouse wheel to zoom in and arrow keys to smoothly scroll across large images which was a really nice feature.

For the sake of experimenting with the margin of error, on an uncolored block you can swipe all you want with other colors, it will only fill in the numbered boxes that match the color you currently have selected. Once a square has been colored however, going over it with the incorrect color resets it to blank. Completing an image awards the player with a cute little animation with the image after and a matching steam achievement. The animations are simple, and a few are funny and a bit of a surprise. There is a few relaxing dance songs that play in the background while you play that can easily be turned off so you can listen to your own music on your music player.

Overall it was a good experience for me, it is a very simple game with a small selection of intuitive settings for the player to adjust to their preferences. It made me really happy to see an area of the picture that I was working on pop with color as I worked on it. I actually felt pretty satisfied when I finished an image, especially the larger and more difficult ones.

The base game is completely free and it comes with 15 different images of varying difficulty and detail levels. Additional DLC can be purchased for just $1.99 for a single expansion, or $7.99 for the season pass, which will give eventual access to 5 packs. All in all a pretty reasonable price considering you get an additional 15 images per pack, and it supports an indie developer. I think that it is well worth it to give the base game a try, whether you’re a gamer or not, if you’re just looking for a silly way to unwind or pass the time.

Let’s Discuss!

Have you ever done a color by number?
Do you find simple games like this fun or relaxing?
What are your thoughts on the DLC?

Game Information

strong>Coloring Game: Little City
Publisher: L. Stotch
Developer: L. Stotch
Release Date: Aug 16, 2019
Genres: Color by Number
Platforms: Steam
Steam