Tiny Atolls
- September 29, 2023
- MONKE
Tiny Atolls is a minimalist building strategy game where you expand across colorful islands, making connections between tiles to increase your score and unlock new tools. With procedurally generated islands, unlockable tiles, and an online leaderboard, the game encourages strategic planning and creative expression. Complete quests to build unique structures and reshape the picturesque landscapes in this calming and cozy atmosphere.
Reviews
- Charming and aesthetically pleasing with a relaxing atmosphere and beautiful art and music.
- Engaging gameplay that encourages strategic thinking and creativity while building multi-tile structures.
- Promising early access title with active development and a roadmap for future updates, making it a great choice for fans of city-building games.
- Lack of a save feature and performance issues, including crashes and bugs, hinder the overall experience.
- Balancing issues and luck-based gameplay can lead to frustrating moments, especially in later stages.
- The game feels unpolished compared to other titles in the genre, and some mechanics, like the tile deck shuffling, need improvement.
- graphics14 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are praised for their charming and aesthetically coherent design, featuring soft artwork that creates a calming atmosphere. Players appreciate the adaptive visuals that evolve as they build, reminiscent of titles like Townscaper, enhancing the relaxing gameplay experience. Overall, the graphics contribute significantly to the game's appeal for casual play, complemented by a cute soundtrack.
“Charming and aesthetically coherent, tiny atolls is a great way to spend some relaxing time.”
“I got it a few days after release and have to say I really love it - the gameplay is very chilled and takes elements from dorfromantik & islanders. The graphics work similarly to Townscaper in that what you have already built will 'adapt' to any new pieces you add; it is a real pleasure watching these islands develop into little communities.”
“The music has a happy calm tone; the artwork is soft and has this breathing aesthetic; gameplay encourages you to put tiles down and figure things out as you go.”
- gameplay11 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The gameplay is described as easy to pick up and enjoyable, featuring a relaxed pace and charming visuals and soundtrack. Players appreciate the strategic elements that require adapting mechanics and developing strategies over time, with comparisons made to games like Dorfromantik and Islanders. Overall, the experience is characterized by a sense of community-building as players watch their islands evolve.
“The art is great, and the gameplay itself is fairly easy to pick up, despite a tutorial that's fairly bare-bones.”
“I got it a few days after release and have to say I really love it - the gameplay is very chilled and takes elements from Dorfromantik & Islanders. The graphics work similarly to Townscaper in that what you have already built will 'adapt' to any new pieces you add; it is a real pleasure watching these islands develop into little communities.”
“You have to learn the mechanics and develop strategies and improve on them in later games, adapting them on the fly to the current needs of the situation you find yourself in.”
“You have to learn the mechanics and develop strategies and improve on them on later games, and adapt them on the fly to the current needs of the situation you find yourself in.”
“Tiny Atolls has some mechanics that set it in a league of its own.”
- music8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its cute, chill, and relaxing qualities, complementing the beautiful artwork and easy gameplay. Reviewers appreciate the happy and calm tone of the soundtrack, which enhances the overall aesthetic and encourages a soothing gaming experience.
“The art is beautiful and the music is very chill and relaxing.”
“The music has a happy calm tone; the artwork is soft and has this breathing aesthetic; gameplay encourages you to put tiles down and figure things out as you go.”
“Cute soundtrack, visuals, and easy gameplay.”
- story4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is enhanced by the introduction of a color system that diversifies quests and point accumulation. However, players have noted a significant drawback in the lack of shuffling in the tile deck, which can lead to repetitive and limiting gameplay experiences when opening quest reward boxes.
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game is significantly hindered by frequent performance issues, crashes, and bugs, which detract from the overall enjoyment for players.
“Performance issues, crashes, and bugs prevent me from enjoying these sorts of games.”
“Performance issues, crashes, and bugs prevent me from enjoying these sorts of games.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "Tiny Atolls" is described as relaxing and enjoyable, reminiscent of other city builders like "Dorfromantik" and "Panorama." Players appreciate the tranquil experience of watching their constructed landscapes come to life.
“Tiny Atolls is a fun little city builder, much like Dorfromantik or Panorama. I certainly enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of the game and seeing the landscape of what I have built.”