Tinykin
A non-violent 3D platformer with tiny helpers and big exploration.
Tinykin is a 3D puzzle-platform game developed by Splashteam and published by tinyBuild, released on August 30, 2022, for Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch. The game follows researcher Milodane as he explores a mysterious planet, later revealed to be a shrunken Earth, and uncovers humanity's origins with the help of tiny creatures called Tinykin. Notable for its non-violent gameplay and 2D characters in a 3D environment, Tinykin received generally favorable reviews and was an honorable mention at the Independent Games Festival.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Tinykin
- Developer
- Splashteam
- Publisher
- tinyBuild
- Engine
- Unity
- Platforms
- Nintendo Switch / PlayStation 4 / PlayStation 5 / Xbox Series X/S / Xbox One / Windows
- Released
- August 30, 2022
- Genre
- Puzzle-platform
- Modes
- Single-player
- Director
- Romain Claude / Marie Marquet
- Composer
- Alexis Laugier
- Programmer
- Romain Claude / Alain Duverger
- Writer
- Benoit Marquet
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Tinykin is set on the distant planet Aegis in the year 2748, after Earth has been abandoned. The protagonist, Milodane, is an intergalactic astronaut who crash-lands in an enormous house stuck in a time-loop set in 1991. There, he meets the Tinykin, tiny critters with unique abilities—pink ones carry objects, red ones explode on impact, green ones stack into ladders, blue ones use electricity, and yellow ones create bridges. The game has no enemies or health bars; the only ways to die are falling too far or entering water. Milodane can create soap bubbles to glide, use a soapboard to hover or grind, and collect pollen for extra bubbles. The six main zones are described after rooms of a house. A free update on December 20, 2022, added outfit selection and a Time Attack challenge mode for each zone.
Reader's Guide
Development of Tinykin began in 2017, originating from the Global Game Jam 2019 project Bubble Town, created by director Romain Claude under the theme 'What home means to you'. The team, founded by former Ubisoft Montpellier developers, was inspired by the Pikmin and Paper Mario series, as well as Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. The game's 2D-meets-3D aesthetic was influenced by Paper Mario, while its 3D platforming drew from Super Mario Odyssey, Ratchet & Clank, and Fur Fighters. Concept artist Jonas Sunberg designed the house. Tinykin was announced in June 2021 at the PC Gaming Show, with a demo released in February 2022 for Steam. It was shown at the Media Indie Exchange showcase and PAX East in 2022. The game received generally favorable reviews on Metacritic, with GamePro ranking it number 65 for best Nintendo Switch games of all time and Polygon ranking it number 48 for best video game of 2022. It earned honorable mentions at the Independent Games Festival for Excellence in Audio, Design, and the Seumas McNally Grand Prize. Reviewers noted its rhythmic gameplay reminiscent of 90s platformers, vibrant levels, and refreshing collecting mechanics.
Did You Know?
- Tinykin originated from a Global Game Jam 2019 project called Bubble Town, created under the theme 'What home means to you'.
- The house in the game is permanently stuck in a time-loop set in 1991.
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