Tiny & Big in Grandpa’s Leftovers by Black Pants Games Studio is a game that reminds me of the days of simple 3D graphics and the first platformers made in 3D. This is done through its charm and humor, while sticking to a basic set of rules for gameplay.
For this review I will be employing the MDA Framework developed by Robert Hunicke of thatgamecompany, Marc LeBlanc of Looking Glass fame, and Robert Zubek of Zynga. This framework is called MDA based off its core principal of what game design is, Mechanics, Dynamics, and Aesthetics.
Mechanics: the rules and concepts that formally specify the game as a system
So Tiny & Big’s mechanics are simple; it’s a platformer. The player is given the ability to run walk, jump, push things, use rockets, cut things with a laser, and pull things with a grappling hook. Other mechanics the game has are realistic physics, and a character that cannot fall too far, or get squashed by anything.
Dynamics: the run-time behavior of the game as a system and its players
The basic rules of the game let the player cut a large pillar (in any angle), pull it down to the ground, and throw a rocket on the end, throwing the pillar across a canyon and landing with the other end of the opposite side of the canyon, creating a bridge. Many of the core parts of maneuvering in the game revolve around this concept or manipulating objects around you to reach an end goal, outlined that the start of each level, and by “stupid rocks” (collectibles, also game’s words not mine) that lead the way.
Though the game does have conflict. These sections have various things in the environment being thrown at the player, with the intent of cold murder. The player can of course throw a rocket on the object, sending it in another direction (very difficult) or cut the object in two mid-trajectory, causing the object to miss the player. These dynamics are well introduced in the first few minutes of playing and are given many different scenarios to be used.
Aesthetics: the emotional responses evoked by the game dynamics.
The game gets players invested with its humor about the situation and the simplicity of wanting something back. The protagonist was given by his grandfather (possibly deceased?) leftovers, or magical underpants, which were stolen by his brother. Thus Tiny (protagonist) comes after Big (his brother) to get back his rightfully wanted(?) underpants. The look of the game lends to its weird premise, looking like a real-made web comic, with some great art and nice touches. When things fall, the game will add “Phoosh!” “Bamn!” in nice 3D text nearby.
Other: This game also has a great soundtrack “from indie artists you may never or have heard of,” as the game says. With this look and sound during the game, the player is led down a path to enjoy their time in the game, without really worrying about planning their next move.
The game only has 6 levels and I have spent maybe 2 hours playing the first three, but with the amount of collectibles and statistics the game tracks, there is a lot of re-playability in the game. All in all, for ten bucks, the game will keep you entertained for at least 4-5 hours, more if you are a perfectionist, and is a worthy buy for a unique experience and gameplay that reminds me of classic 3D platforming. To get a better sense of what this game so unique, check out this trailer.
