Little Dragons Café

62%
Game Brain Score Based on 114 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Little Dragons Café Game Cover
What the Great British Bake Off would be like if it were made in Hyrule.
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In Little Dragons Cafe, players manage a café while raising a dragon to save their mother. Gameplay involves running the café, exploring the world for ingredients and recipes, and raising and training a dragon. Players can choose to play as either Ren or Rin in this story-driven game.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

62%
Audience ScoreBased on 114 reviews
story13 positive mentions
grinding18 negative mentions
  • Charming art style and adorable characters, including a cute dragon companion.
  • Relaxing gameplay that offers a simple and enjoyable experience, perfect for casual gamers.
  • Engaging storylines with quirky characters that provide a wholesome atmosphere.
  • Repetitive gameplay that can feel tedious, with a lack of depth in mechanics.
  • Technical issues such as long loading times, graphical glitches, and clumsy controls hinder the experience.
  • Overpriced for the content offered, leading many to recommend waiting for a sale.
  • story97 mentions

    The story in the game is generally perceived as sweet and simple, featuring lovable characters and engaging moments, but it suffers from abrupt transitions and pacing issues that can leave players confused. While some players appreciate the charming narrative woven into daily activities, others find the quests repetitive and the overall storytelling lacking depth. Despite these criticisms, many fans of the genre still find enjoyment in the game's lighthearted approach and character interactions.

    • “The characters are all pretty lovable (and with surprisingly poignant storylines).”
    • “The story and characters are lovely (so far - there's still a lot to come).”
    • “A host of interesting, well-rounded characters provide an engaging story as you raise the world's cutest dragon.”
    • “Dude tries to dine and dash and then suddenly he's working for me - none of the story of how he got there happened and I was a bit confused.”
    • “The story for each NPC is bland and not interesting.”
    • “The incredibly slow pace of the story doesn't match progress elsewhere, clumsy controls make the early exploration hours frustrating, technical issues contribute to the game feeling dated, working in the cafe is cumbersome.”
  • gameplay39 mentions

    Gameplay in "Little Dragon's Cafe" is a mixed bag, with some players finding it engaging and enjoyable due to its cute art style and exploration mechanics, while others criticize it for being repetitive and overly linear. The cafe mechanic is often described as frustrating, with issues like customers pushing the player around and a lack of rewarding progression. Despite some minor gameplay glitches and a dull gathering mechanic, many appreciate the game's charm and the ability to fly, making it a relaxing experience for those who enjoy simulation games.

    • “If you enjoyed Calico, this game has similarities but is also surprisingly different with new mechanics and features to adjust to and try out.”
    • “Overall, a fun game and while it's a slight slog to unlock new exploration mechanics and areas, it is very much one of those 'just one more day and then I'll save and quit' games.”
    • “The art style is really cute and endearing, and the gameplay is something I find really enjoyable as there always seems to be something to do.”
    • “The cafe mechanic is a nightmare due to customers and other staff members pushing you around like a rag-doll when you are trying to be efficient.”
    • “But the gameplay is really too repetitive for me. The start is engaging when you discover everything, but after that, it's always the same every day, waiting for new characters that take forever to come. Until then, it's just the same every day: fetch for ingredients (which you never have enough time for) and help in the cafe.”
    • “I liked the story a bit, but the game mechanics and controls are just bad.”
  • graphics30 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally described as charming and cute, with a delightful art style that evokes a storybook feel. However, some reviews point out issues such as graphical bugs, copy-pasted assets, and stiff animations, suggesting that while the visuals are appealing, they may not be fully polished or innovative. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the casual and enjoyable gameplay experience, despite some technical shortcomings.

    • “The graphics are super kawaii.”
    • “It's charming and I love the art style.”
    • “The graphics are cute and remind me a lot of storybook pages, the music is very light and catchy in a way that I never find myself getting bored of it.”
    • “Additionally, my first impression of the game is that there is a lot of dead space without the graphics to compensate enough to pull it off effectively.”
    • “Too many assets are copy and pasted, and the developers seem to be riding on the 'art style' as an excuse for too many cut corners and stiff animations.”
    • “[Long load times, several technical issues, and minor graphics hiccups, lackluster story.]”
  • music21 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it light and catchy, enhancing the overall experience, especially during cooking segments. However, many criticize the soundtrack as repetitive and obnoxious, leading some to play without sound. Overall, while the music contributes positively to the game's charm for some, it detracts from the experience for others.

    • “The graphics are cute and remind me a lot of storybook pages, the music is very light and catchy in a way that I never find myself getting bored of it.”
    • “I really wanted to like this game, it's really cute, I like the story even though it's simple, the music is nice.”
    • “It's easy to get drawn in by the game's forgiving gameplay, great music, heartwarming stories, and dramatic day-night changes, and hard to put down, given all there is to do post-game.”
    • “I do play the game without sound at all for the same reason other people mention - the soundtrack is obnoxiously repetitive and the dragon just does not hush with his constant crying.”
    • “The music is mostly 'meh', as are the mechanics and main characters.”
    • “For a finished game with an A-list price tag, it's incredibly bad (from the staff running into you constantly in your cafe, to a 30-second jump timer, also now my dragon just does his emotion animations 24/7) has no map, a repetitive soundtrack, and the crappiest draw distance I've seen in a long time.”
  • grinding20 mentions

    The game features minimal farming elements, primarily involving ingredient collection from bushes and a small field, which some players find misleading. While the initial experience is enjoyable, many reviewers note that the repetitive nature of gathering can quickly become tedious, leading to a sense of rushing to complete tasks. Despite these criticisms, the game is appreciated for its relaxing atmosphere and charm, appealing to fans of gathering and casual gameplay.

    • “Everything started off great but quickly became a tedious chore that I was rushing to complete.”
    • “Little Dragons Café is an extremely tedious exercise in repetition.”
    • “Little Dragons Café is a low-risk, low-reward farming simulator that can become a little bit of a drag.”
  • emotional11 mentions

    The game is described as a charming and wholesome adventure that features quirky characters, engaging gameplay, and heartwarming stories, making it easy for players to form emotional connections. Its friendly atmosphere and delightful elements create a genuine experience that resonates with players without pretension. Overall, it offers a fun and inviting emotional journey that keeps players invested.

    • “It's a charming, wholesome, genuine adventure involving delightfully quirky characters one can quickly come to care about.”
    • “It's easy to get drawn in by the game's forgiving gameplay, great music, heartwarming stories, and dramatic day-night changes, and hard to put down, given all there is to do post-game.”
    • “This game is very wholesome.”
  • character development4 mentions

    Character development in the game is highlighted by charming and nostalgic character designs that evoke classic gaming aesthetics. Players appreciate the witty writing and the evolution of their adorable dragon companion, which grows and changes color, enhancing the exploration experience. Overall, the combination of engaging character design and mechanics contributes to a rich and enjoyable gameplay environment.

    • “The character designs are cute and remind me of the old games.”
    • “Interesting character design, some witty writing, and a cute dragon.”
    • “Great style, character designs, and forgiving mechanics; there's a whole lot to explore, collect, and perfect. The awesome soundtrack complements your own adorable dragon, which grows, changes color, and assists in exploration, with fast travel back to the café.”
  • humor3 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized as sweet and charming, featuring adorable characters and a delightful art style, making it particularly appealing for children. Reviewers appreciate the lighthearted writing that enhances the overall experience.

    • “It's sweet and funny with many adorable characters.”
    • “Adorable art style, great game for children, charming humor and writing.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    Overall, "Little Dragons Cafe" experiences some performance issues, particularly on the Nintendo Switch, which can lead to slow progression and unresponsive controls. While the game is enjoyable and relaxing, these optimization concerns detract from the overall experience.

    • “Little Dragons Cafe is a very good and relaxing game about raising a dragon and managing a cafe, let down by bad performance on Nintendo Switch.”
    • “Very minor performance issues, slow progression at times.”
    • “The gameplay becomes a little repetitive over time, with performance issues and unresponsive controls.”
  • stability2 mentions

    The game experiences notable stability issues, including visual glitches such as terrain and character clipping, alongside minor gameplay problems that make outdoor navigation challenging, particularly with jumping mechanics.

    • “There's visual glitches (clipping of terrain, characters, etc) and minor gameplay issues (jumping around the outdoors is pretty tricky, it's easy to miss your mark and get stuck on the side of what you were jumping over for a few seconds).”
    • “There's visual glitches (clipping of terrain, characters, etc) and minor gameplay issues (jumping around the outdoors is pretty tricky, it's easy to miss your mark and get stuck on the side of what you were jumping over for a few seconds).”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

65% average critic score

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