Shin-chan: Shiro and the Coal Town

Shin chan: Shiro and the Coal Town is a stunningly beautiful game balanced by its fair share of weird humour. While not mechanically complex, it’s a charming slice-of-life game that will likely delight any fans of the Crayon Shin-Chan series.

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In "Shin chan: Shiro and the Coal Town," the Nohara family visits Akita Prefecture for Hiroshi's job assignment. They rent a farmhouse and enjoy country life, with Shinnosuke learning about bug-catching and fishing from his grandfather. However, when Shiro appears covered in soot, Shinnosuke follows him and discovers a mysterious phenomenon in a nearby abandoned coal town. The game offers a heartwarming family story while incorporating elements of mystery and adventure.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 45 reviews

story6 positive mentions

grinding7 negative mentions

The game offers a relaxing experience with enjoyable activities like bug collecting, fishing, and gardening, making it a great way to unwind.
The graphics are vibrant and well-designed, creating an immersive and nostalgic atmosphere for fans of the Shinchan series.
The game features a well-structured story with clear objectives, allowing players to engage in both main and side quests without feeling overwhelmed.

Main missions often lack clear direction, leaving players to figure out objectives on their own, which can be frustrating.
The game has some frustrating mechanics, such as poorly designed trolley racing and elevator controls that can hinder progress.
There is a lack of replayability after completing the game, as many activities become redundant once objectives are achieved.

story
23 mentions
26 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
13 % negative mentions
The story in the game is engaging and features a mix of main and side quests that guide players through a vibrant world, though some main missions lack clear direction and can lead to confusion. Players enjoy the overarching narrative and whimsical humor, with many appreciating the relaxing holiday theme and character interactions. However, certain quests, particularly those unlocking key gameplay elements, can create frustrating delays near the end of the main story.
- “As the main story unfolds, players encounter Yuri’s older brother, Chuck, a magician with a plan to implement a 'waste-free' system that restricts the townsfolk’s freedom to live their lives as they choose.”
- “There is an overarching story that guides you along the way to keep the flow moving forward.”
- “It's a satisfying little adventure story with a ton of very odd humor and a really unique design.”
- “Main missions lack clear direction, with some story quests providing insufficient instructions, leaving players to figure things out on their own.”
- “Players must complete a quest to unlock the final four beds in another area, but this quest is near the end of the main story, causing a long delay.”
- “It's not a cozy game; most of the activities are focused on completing quest objectives.”
gameplay
9 mentions
33 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally enjoyable and not repetitive, with a fun story that enhances the experience. However, some mechanics, such as fishing, elevators, and trolley races, have received criticism for being frustrating or poorly designed. Overall, the game offers a visually appealing experience with solid gameplay elements.
- “You may not recognize any of the characters or fully understand his peculiar personality, but that doesn't in any way detract from the gameplay.”
- “The story is pretty good (I'm not far into it yet but I'm enjoying it so far) and the gameplay is fun without being too repetitive.”
- “Looks like a painting in every scene and as far as gameplay goes it doesn't feel grinding at all.”
- “The elevator mechanics are frustrating.”
- “The trolley race mechanics are poorly designed.”
- “Fishing mechanics are similar to those in Animal Crossing.”
grinding
7 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, particularly in farming resources and upgrading trolley parts, which can be costly and frustrating due to RNG elements. Limited initial farming beds and the eventual uselessness of crops after achieving their purpose contribute to this sentiment. However, some players feel that the overall pacing is well-balanced and does not feel overly grindy, especially for those familiar with the series.
- “Farming resources and earning in-game currency to upgrade trolley parts is excessively grindy and expensive.”
- “Completing logs or farming for specific resources can be frustrating due to RNG.”
- “For example, farming crops serves a specific purpose, but once that purpose is fully achieved, your crops become essentially useless.”
graphics
6 mentions
83 % positive mentions
-33 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The graphics are widely praised for their vibrant and charming aesthetic, contributing to a wholesome storyline. While some users note a limitation of 30fps, the overall visual quality is considered excellent, evoking nostalgia and enhancing the gaming experience.
- “Cute graphics are nice and vibrant, and the storyline is wholesome.”
- “While I think summer vacation is more charming, this one has multiple improvements, especially in graphics.”
- “10/10 visuals, brings back childhood memories.”
- “The graphics feel outdated and lack the polish expected from a modern game.”
- “Character models are poorly designed and look lifeless, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- “The environments are bland and repetitive, making exploration feel uninspired.”
humor
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is consistently praised for being light-hearted and charming, contributing to its cozy atmosphere. Players appreciate the funny conversations and nostalgic elements, making it an enjoyable experience overall.
- “Super cozy, pretty funny, and very cute game!”
- “Cozy game with funny conversations!”
- “It is cozy, funny, and brings me nostalgia!”
music
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised, with users rating it a perfect 10/10, highlighting its enjoyable integration with the scenery and quests, enhancing the overall gaming experience.
- “10/10 music”
- “The scenery, music, and quests are all extremely enjoyable.”
atmosphere
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in Coal Town is lively and dynamic, characterized by ongoing construction and a variety of amenities including restaurants, shops, a bathhouse, a children's park, residential apartments, and a trolley raceway, creating a bustling community environment.
- “Coal Town features a vibrant atmosphere with ongoing construction, restaurants, shops, a bathhouse, a kid’s park, residential apartments, and a trolley raceway.”
replayability
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The game lacks replayability once players achieve 100% completion, as there are no additional challenges or content to encourage further play.
- “The game doesn’t offer any replayability after 100% completion.”
- “Once you finish the main story, there’s little incentive to play again.”
- “The lack of varied endings makes replaying the game feel pointless.”
emotional
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game features cute and vibrant graphics that complement its wholesome storyline, creating an emotionally uplifting experience for players.
- “The graphics are cute and vibrant, perfectly complementing the wholesome storyline.”
- “The emotional depth of the characters really resonated with me throughout the game.”
- “I felt a strong connection to the story, which evoked a range of emotions from joy to sadness.”