Why Tiny Bookshop?

Tiny Bookshop is a cozy management sim where you run a traveling bookstore out of a little van. Instead of focusing on fast-paced strategy, it leans into calm, creative decision-making. Each day, you choose where to set up shop, decorate your stand, and stock it with books that will appeal to the people passing by.

The heart of the game is in the atmosphere—it’s gentle, relaxing, and gives you the freedom to play at your own pace. Meeting locals and learning their tastes makes each stop feel personal, and the simple joy of matching the right book to the right reader never gets old. Decorating your stand also plays a role in how successful you are, adding a touch of creativity and customization to the experience.

It’s not a game that pushes you to the edge of your skills, and that’s the point. The slower pacing and light challenge make it perfect for winding down, though players looking for a complex management sim may find it a little too simple.

How We Test Games

For testing games we use a Nintendo Switch firmware version 2H. Hardware includes Joy-con and Pro controller on a large screen TV. Tests are done with up to 5 players. We take turns playing and evaluating games.

Whenever possible we play multiple players. We also use a Nintendo 2DS, DS XL, and for PC games we use a Ryzen 7 1700x CPU, AMD RX580, running on Win 10. This game only 1-players on PC/Steam, Nintendo Switch and more.

Pros

• Charming concept: Running a traveling bookshop feels fresh and unique compared to most cozy sims.
• Relaxing gameplay loop: Stocking shelves, chatting with customers, and setting up shop in new locations never feels stressful.
• Lovely art style: The soft, illustrated visuals give it a warm, inviting feel, perfect for cozy gaming sessions.
• Customizable décor: Decorations don’t just look pretty—they actually influence sales and customer interest.
• Wholesome storytelling: Meeting townsfolk and learning their reading habits makes the world feel alive.

Cons

• Not for hardcore Sim fans: There’s little risk or penalty for mistakes and Slow pacing. It’s more about atmosphere and storytelling than deep strategy, so hardcore sim fans may want more complexity.
• Repetition in dialogue: Customer requests and book descriptions can start to repeat after long play sessions.

Summary

Tiny Bookshop is less about “winning” and more about soaking in the cozy vibes of running a seaside bookshop on wheels. It’s a game for winding down, enjoying the charm of books, and building small connections with virtual customers. If you love relaxing, story-driven sims with a strong cozy atmosphere, this one is a delight.

Recommended for: Book lovers, cozy sim fans, and anyone seeking a peaceful and creative gaming experience.

Tiny Bookshop – Game Review brought to you by Gaming Chickadee

Chickadee loves to have family gaming days. She loves birds, unicorns, ponies She also likes the Nancy Drew Games. She loves to play as Princess Daisy in the Super Mario Games, Her favorite games change a lot but right they are: Mario Party Superstars, Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Pretty Princess Party.

This was when Pac-Man was at it’s height of popularity. Games like Space Invaders, Q-bert, and Pitfall were all the rage. Spy vs Spy didn’t get as much attention as those other games but it was notably different from most games at that time. It’s one of the first two player games that was actually fun. Players actually went head to head on a split screen. I don’t count corny Atari games like pong.

Spy vs Spy was an incredible leap forward in video games. It wasn’t a side scroller, or shooting game. Players searched through different rooms for four items. The first to collect all four items and make it to the exit won.

It’s common to see games with maps, inventory, goals, and an ending. In 1984 this was new. Games like Among Us, Zelda, or other adventure games weren’t around yet. Spy vs Spy was only ten rooms, but incorporated many new features for video games.

It had a 3d layout. Meaning, it wasn’t a top view or side view. Rather like looking into a house that was missing a roof and front wall. More like a TV show type view. The graphics were high tech for the 1980’s. The music was also perfect for the game, considering they only had a few notes to work from.

Spy vs Spy not only looked and sounded great, the gameplay was top notch. The game was mostly about searching for items in a small house, however, it also included combat, traps, items, and a map.

Both the Black Spy and White Spy were searching for the same items in the same house. So, naturally you would run into each other in the same room. Which of course turned into a battle.

The loser would respawn in a different room and have some time removed from their countdown timer. Both players had to collect a key, money, passport, and map before time ran out. Once they collected everything in the briefcase they could go to the airport and win the game.

Not only could you fight each other during the search, You could set traps. This was the best part of the game. Each Spy had a bomb, a deadly spring, an acid filled bucket, and a gun with a rope.

You set the bomb and spring in places being searched, such as the desk, bookcase, wall safe, table, or chairs. The gun and bucket traps were set on doors. When a Spy, including yourself, came across a trap it was time to respawn.

The game also included a bag and umbrella to save you from a trap. Still, you had to search for those items and they only had a one time use. Needless to say, respawning was common. Eventually, respawning eats up so much time the game is over for that spy. The remaining spy can finish the game if they can find everything before time runs out.

Spy vs Spy included a map to help you on your quest to find the four items. It was rudimentary but useful. The map showed a block layout of the house. A dot meant there was an item in that room. The color of the block showed whether a room had been searched or not.

A map, inventory, and items were new concepts for video games back then. Spy vs Spy made good use of those features. Nothing was wasted or useless in this game.

Spy vs Spy incorporated so many new features I forgot to say how much fun it was! This game was a blast playing with friends. We enjoyed setting traps, fighting each other, and yes, even racing against the clock. There was usually plenty of time to find everything, unless you spent more time fighting than searching.

Spy vs Spy was a great game back in the 1980s. It even had a couple sequel games. Sadly, it’s not found on any modern gaming platforms. However, if you are looking for a great retro game, get an emulator or modern Commodore 64, and give Spy vs Spy a whirl.

Best of Commodore 64: Spy vs Spy brought to you by: David M.

I’m David M. I’ve been playing video games a long time, my pong game was fire. Now, my kids run circles around me but we always have a good time. We mostly play party and family games. Strategy and battle games are still among my favorites. I like writing about games almost as much as I do playing them. My favorite games are: Moving Out 2, Out of Space and Overcooked All You Can Eat.

Why Petz Horsez 2?

Petz Horsez 2, developed by Ubisoft, is an equestrian adventure game that combines horse care, riding simulation, and a light mystery storyline. Released for various platforms including PC (and Steam), PlayStation 2, and Nintendo DS, this title caters to younger players who love horses and enjoy nurturing gameplay mechanics. However the DS compared to the PC is like to different games.

The game is set in the countryside, where you play as a young character who visits a ranch. The narrative unfolds through a series of tasks and challenges as you raise horses, train them, and uncover a local mystery involving a shady character and the ranch’s future. The story is complex with lots of different endings and choices to make, it adds a sense of progression and purpose to the gameplay.

The core gameplay focuses on horse care (feeding, grooming, and bonding), training in various disciplines (jumping, cross-country, dressage), and exploring the open environments. Players can customize their character and horses, and each horse has different stats and personalities. The mini-games tied to caring and riding add variety, though they can become repetitive over time.

The visuals are colorful and friendly, with stylized horses and scenic backdrops. While the graphics are dated by modern standards, they’re still serviceable for the game. The music is calm and cheerful and the sound effects add to the cozy ranch atmosphere.

It’s available on the PC from Steam, Nintendo Wii, Playstation, and Nintendo DS.

How We Test Games

For testing games we use a Nintendo Switch firmware version 2H. Hardware includes Joy-con and Pro controller on a large screen TV. Tests are done with up to 5 players. We take turns playing and evaluating games.

Whenever possible we play multiple players. We also use a Nintendo 2DS, DS XL, and for PC games we use a Ryzen 7 1700x CPU, AMD RX580, running on Win 10. This game is up to 1-players on a computer/steam.

Pros

Kid-friendly and fun to play.

Fun horse care and riding mechanics.

Light adventure story adds interest.

Open-world areas encourage exploration.

Cons

Repetitive mini-games and tasks.

Basic graphics and animations.

Can be a bit challenging for younger players.

Summary

Overall, Petz Horsez 2 is a wholesome and accessible horse simulation game that appeals to animal lovers and even mystery lovers. Its mix of storytelling, open-area exploration, and horse care makes it engaging, especially for those new to the genre. Though it be harder younger players, it offers a relaxing and enjoyable experience.

Petz Horsez 2 – Review brought to you by Gaming Chickadee

Chickadee loves to have family gaming days. She loves birds, unicorns, ponies She also likes the Nancy Drew Games. She loves to play as Princess Daisy in the Super Mario Games, Her favorite games change a lot but right they are: Mario Party Superstars, Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Pretty Princess Party.

Overall, it’s a solid addition to the other two games and their expansion packs. For a cheap game it does a good job of providing a lot of entertainment. It has both co-op games and head to head competition for up to 6 people.

As expected, these are games anyone can sit down and play. They couple basic controls with instinctive mini games. Which turns into simple fun for anyone.

Party Party Time 3 includes a few mini games that seem familiar to anyone who has played any Mario Party games. Really, just about any mini-game that exists can be found in one of the Party Party Time games and their expansion packs.

They mix them up enough to keep them interesting. Also , many new games are really fun to play. I can say there were very few klinkers.

As always, the techno music catchy. The player animations are interesting. From what I saw, the graphics are simple but their dance moves are hypnotizing. It’s a very colorful game too.

Party Party Time 3 is as budget friendly as the others in the series. So far there’s just the base game which includes 30 games. I’m sure they will come out with a few expansion packs in the future.

Party Party Time 3 is great for anyone having a bunch of friends over for a good time. If you’re looking for a collection of minigames to play with friends, then this is a good option. We didn’t have to waste any time learning the controls. There’s basically jump, attack, or some action.

if you’re looking for simple games that are fun, then Party Party Time 3 is a good option. The games are clear and obvious for the most part. There are a few exceptions, but the controls are always shown in the top corner.

If you like puzzle, carnival, combat, shooting, racing, sport, card, and survive games then Party Party 3 is an ideal game to try.

We tested this game with 1 player, 2 players, 3 players, 4 players, 5 players, and 6 players. It was best with 4 players and no computer players. Adding computer players actually lowered our chances of Success!

When we played with 5 or 6 players it was a lot to keep track of on the screen. But there was some improvement over previous versions. Keeping all the players on one large screen helps tremendiously.

When we played with 1 player, many games were fine. There were a lot of co-op games the computer players were no help at all. I had no problem beating the computer players on player vs player games.

Similar games include the Mario Party games, Carnival Games, or Cake Bash. Mario Party recently added a new version and some of the games make an appearance in Party Party Time 3. While not as elaborate as the Mario Party games, Party Party Time 3 offers some simple fun without all the cut scenes.

Party Party Time 3 is on par with Carnival Games. Honestly, I liked Party Party Time 3 much better than Carnival Games. The Party Party Time 3 games are more diverse and just better in general. After a while Carnival Games comes down to two or three types of games with different skins. Not so with Party Party Time 3.

Party Party Time 3’s appearance and sounds also reminds me of Tsum Tsum Festival. However, Party Party Time 3 has a broader range of games. The co-op games in Party Party Time 3 are also more forgiving than the ones in Tsum Tsum Festival.

Overall, I liked Party Party Time 3 better than Tsum Tsum Festival. Curling could be fun if you didn’t waste so much time watching animations. Don’t even get me started about how awful it is unlocking the same characters over and over in Tsum Tsum Festival.

Party Party Time 3 allows you to unlock a few characters as well as some customization. It cuts out any frills, cut scenes, or nonsense. Just select your game and off you go.

You can’t beat the price. Considering how brutally expensive most Nintendo games are, Party Party Time 3 is a refreshing price point. It’s a good value and many of the mini games are just as the ones in the expensive party games.

A drawback is minigames aren’t something I can play for hours. I would tire of them after 20 to 30 minutes. Switching from game to game keeps the action going for a couple hours. But even after a long session we were ready for something else.

Party Party Time 3 offers many minigames is another advantage. There were enough to keep in the rotation to keep it interesting. I think they also have a better filter for this version. They dropped the math games. We enjoyed every game.

They didn’t do much testing on the co-op games in my opinion. Achieving the success on some games seems impossible. While on others it’s too easy. The games are still fun enough, it’s just frustrating to see that failure screen at the end over and over.

We found there was a game for everyone. Meaning, nobody totally dominated every mini game. There were some games people were naturals at and easily won. Then other games it was a toss up every time. Definitely makes these games worth playing again and again.

Our Party Party Time review gives it 7 out of 10 stars. The freshness of all the mini games in the third version of a game is noteworthy. Many minigame themed games suffer from burn out. Not so with Party Party Time 3, they’re still adding fresh new games.

In fact, I think Party Party Time 3 is an improvement over the 2nd version. We all had our favorites. While Party Party Time 3 hasn’t moved to the top spot in our library, it sure isn’t going to collect much dust either. It’s good filler for those times you’re not sure what game to play and looking for something different.

Party Party Time 3 review brought to you by: David M.

I’m David M. I’ve been playing video games a long time, my pong game was fire. Now, my kids run circles around me but we always have a good time. We mostly play party and family games. Strategy and battle games are still among my favorites. I like writing about games almost as much as I do playing them. My favorite games are: Moving Out 2, Out of Space and Overcooked All You Can Eat.

This game is made for antics. We spend more time testing the limits of the game than actually doing any deliveries. We’ve found many ways to wile away the time playing TRDS without doing any deliveries.

One of our favorites is to stop the trolley. Did you know it’s possible? The trolley goes in an endless loop around the city. Near the drawbridge is the entrance to a narrow valley. Which makes for a great bottleneck if you’re inclined to attempt to stop the trolley.

Bring in trucks, airplanes, hot air balloons, UFO’s, forklifts, and anything else that moves. Then pile them in the narrowest part of the valley to block the road and wait for the trolley. This takes at least two players since vehicles disappear if you get too far away from them.

Have at least one player near the opening to the valley at all times while others bring vehicles. Don’t block the trolley’s path right away. Get at least a dozen vehicles in the area, wait for the trolley to pass then pile everything you have in the valley to block the road.

By the time the trolley returns you should have a good wall built. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try, again. Even if you crash the game, it’s worth it.

Another similar game is trying to stop the ferry. Using the bridge in combination with UFO’s usually results in some hilarious attempts. The pirate ship also does well for this game too.

There just aren’t as many options for the ferry as there are the trolley. It’s practically impossible to stop the either but it sure is fun trying.

While we’re at it we usually try flipping the pirate ship or UFO upside-down. It’s not as easy as it sounds. Flipping them right side up is even harder.

Another favorite is to play is UFO tag. The player who’s it get’s the UFO while everyone else scatters around the map. The idea is for the UFO to collect the players and toss them in the water before time runs out. Once a player respawns, they’re out.

The time limit depends on the amount of players or how much of the map is allowed. We usually make it somewhere between 5 or 10 minutes. The only rule is the other players aren’t allowed to use the UFO or other flying vehicles. If they could swim or fly it defeats the point of the game.

Any game that has vehicles doubles as a racing game. The faster vehicles are so hard to control, it mostly comes down to who crashes the least. Give each vehicle a try. Each vehicle offers a different type race.

Unlike Mario Kart, these races aren’t about speed. They’re mostly about who can stay on the track or even finish. It surprisingly easy to get a vehicle stuck upside-down or in a tree. Each vehicle comes with it’s own challenges.

Boats and airplanes can also race around the city for a track. Racing with forklifts isn’t recommended, unless you just want to have a battle type race. There are many vehicles to choose from to have a race.

We fool around a lot in this game and found a few ways to have fun. The more players you have the better. But there’s a more to do in this game than just make deliveries.

Totally Reliable Delivery Service Unusual Methods brought to you by David M.

I’m David M. I’ve been playing video games a long time, my pong game was fire. Now, my kids run circles around me but we always have a good time. We mostly play party and family games. Strategy and battle games are still among my favorites. I like writing about games almost as much as I do playing them. My favorite games are: Moving Out 2, Out of Space and Overcooked All You Can Eat.

Which we do often. While taking our leisurely time, we tend to goof off. We noticed there are several other mini-games we can play within this one. Granted, you have to clean all the rooms and not place the last battery for this to work. But it’s worth it.

If you close a watering bot, sink, and bucket in vent rooms, then it takes a long time for the last clean, unpowered room to spawn any eggs. In the meantime, we play tag, hide and seek, and all kinds of other games.

One of our favorite is to setup the game where goo makes you faster. Then play to the point where every room is clean but don’t place the last battery. Make sure one player is dirty while everyone else is clean.

Leave watering bots in the vent rooms, have cleaning bots, chef bots, and use a bug spray on the last room if necessary. Then have everyone go to the beginning platform with a bunch of buckets, and start a countdown. One the game begins the dirty player runs off while everyone else grabs a bucket.

The idea is to chase the faster player around throwing buckets at them. Once they’re clean, the next person gets dirty and the game starts over.

You can add a watering bot or two if you need some help. Or have everyone get dirty and see who can avoid the watering bots the longest.

The next game we do is Cocoon. The goal here is to cocoon other players. This game requires the rule food explodes when it hits the floor. Time once the ship is stable with one room unpowered, you need to setup a lot of refrigerators stocked with food and some cleaning bots. Get a chef bot early in the game and they should have a good start by the time you get the ship stabilized.

This time, everyone starts at the beginning platform. Have a fridge full of food in the next room. Once the game begins, everyone starts running. One player heads to the fridge to grab some food while everyone else runs away. The player who’s it has to throw the food at the other players until they are cocooned.

Only the player throwing the food can shower. The other players have to stay dirty. The game finishes when all the players are cocooned. We let everyone take a turn and whoever cocooned everyone the fastest won.

You could also set a time limit, say 30 minutes and if a team member survives that long they win. One trick we found during this game is pulling batteries sets off refrigerators is like a bomb. Instant cocoon if a player is near it when the power is cut.

Cocoon was the first mini-game we played within Out of Space. Definitely our favorite. Bonus rule is dirty water so you can throw buckets of goo too.

Another variation is a free for all. Everybody for themselves trying to cocoon each other. Last player standing wins. Be careful with this one because if everyone gets cocooned the game is over.

The horde took a lot of time to setup but was actually worth the wait. The goal in this game was to outscore the bots. On one side were 12 chef bots, on the other were the players. The chef bots goal was to make meals from the aliens, our goal was to make battery cores from the aliens. Whoever has the higher score, meals vs power cores, wins.

The setup is a bit involved. As you clear the ship, save every alien and pumpkin you can in a refrigerator. Use the shower trick to avoid eating. Once the ship is clean of all goo and 1 power core needs placed you can start the setup.

A few exercise bikes will pay for all this stuff. You need two bases on opposite ends of the ship. Setup 12 chef bots, and 6 microwaves as far to one side of the ship as you can. Leave the doors closed to these few rooms. In the middle should be 3 or 4 refrigerators full of aliens and pumpkins. On the other side of the ship setup 3 or 4 mixers.

Once all the bots, mixers, and refrigerators are ready, you can begin. Have the other players wait by the mixers. One player will open a door to let out all the chef bots, and the games begin! Everyone has to steal items from chef bot before they put it in a microwave and get it in a mixer.

When all the refrigerators are empty the game is over. Count up how many batteries you have vs how many meals the bots made. The high score wins. The more stocked fridge’s there are the longer this game lasts.

It feels like you’re fighting off a horde of chef bots!

We try to incorporate mini-games within other games all the time. Some are flops, some are unintentionally hilarious. Someone accidentally cocooned another player in Out of Space, that’s what gave us the idea.

Out of Space Unusual Methods brought to you by David M.

I’m David M. I’ve been playing video games a long time, my pong game was fire. Now, my kids run circles around me but we always have a good time. We mostly play party and family games. Strategy and battle games are still among my favorites. I like writing about games almost as much as I do playing them. My favorite games are: Moving Out 2, Out of Space and Overcooked All You Can Eat.

Petz Horsez 2

Petz Horsez 2 is just amazing. I wish they would make another or update this one’s graphics but the way it is, is still amazing. You play as Emma and try to solve a mystery while taking care of horses. This game is for the PC.

DQ Tycoon

Dairy Queen Tycoon is lots of fun. Learn to work at a Dairy Queen store over summer and make Ice Cream cones, Blizzards, Cakes and more. DQ Tycoon is for the PC.

Totally Reliable Delivery Service

TRDS is lot of fun and laughs, you can just goof around or try to deliver packages to people. Either way, you’ll always end up laughing when you play this game. Totally Reliable Delivery Service is for the Nintendo switch, Xbox, Steam/PC and more.

Out of Space

Out of Space is one of our favorite games to play. Make your way through a spaceship by cleaning, sweeping and disposing of aliens. Out of Space is for the Nintendo Switch and up to 4-players.

Baker Business 3

Baker Business 3 (or Baker Buiz as we like to call it) is a cute and fun game. Bake Cakes, Cupcakes, Doughnuts and more in your own bakery. Baker Buiz is for Steam/PC, Smart Phone App and more.

Pit (board game)

Another one of our favs; Pit. We always have good time playing Pit. Trade cards like Coffee, Sugar etc. Try to collect all nine of a kind to win. We usually end up trading the same card over and over.

Welcome to my home

Welcome to my home is another cute and cozy game to play. Decorate your dream workshop, craft stuff, dress up and more. This game is an free App for a smart phone.

Party Party Time

Party Party Time and Party Party Time 2 are two of our fav games to play. It’s has a collection of minigames to play. It’s up to 6 players on the Nintendo Switch.

Crafting Mama

In this game you make crafts like origami, sewing, knitting and more. Crafting Mama, Cooking Mama and the rest in the series are fun games to play, but our favorite is Crafting Mama though.

Muddledash

Although there isn’t much to Muddledash, it’s a lot of fun to play. Play as an Octopus racing to be the one to bring the gift to the party. This game is for the Nintendo Switch and up to 4-players.

I hope that you enjoy these gems as much as we have! If you have any of these games and enjoyed them, feel free to comment below!

10 Hidden Gem Games you should know brought to you by Gaming Chickadee

Chickadee loves to have family gaming days. She loves birds, unicorns, ponies She also likes the Nancy Drew Games. She loves to play as Princess Daisy in the Super Mario Games, Her favorite games change a lot but right they are: Mario Party Superstars, Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Pretty Princess Party.

I’ve played through every achievement and delivery solo. Which was okay as far as games go. However, I’ve laughed so hard I cried playing with other people. You just can’t get that same experience playing solo.

In Totally Reliable Delivery Service the idea is to deliver packages all over the city. You are employed by TRDS and it’s your job to deliver packages. You select a character where you can customize their hair, outfit, etc. Then spawn at headquarters where you get your first delivery.

Each delivery has special instructions. Generally, they are either time sensitive or damage sensitive. Meaning the package starts at 100% and lowers every time it takes damage. Keeping a package at 100% takes a lot of time so there is no time limit for these packages.

On the other hand, time sensitive packages have no damage meter. So throw, launch, or move these packages by any means to get them on time.

While the first few deliveries are easy, they do get harder. As you progress you unlock more vehicles and delivery areas. Earning achievements and money for custom skins. All things considered, completing the game solo amounts to an average game.

Where Totally Reliable Delivery Service really shines is when you play with two or more people. The deliveries and goals don’t change. In fact many become easier with more players. During solo games the packages tend to not stay in the vehicle.

Having one player responsible for the package while the other player driving works out well. Getting packages on time or with no damage is a little easier with more players.

It’s also much funnier. The mechanics and physics of the game are setup to make everything from driving to moving around difficult. There’s a thin line between helping and hindering. But at least everyone will have a good laugh while trying to make deliveries.

TRDS also has a a few built in mini games and a mini Rocket League stadium. When you buy the DLC the mini games unlock power ups such as wings, a helmet, or float.

While doing deliveries and the mini games are fun, I’ve found many ways to have fun apart from doing deliveries. When we get together to play we rarely do deliveries anymore.

Instead, we have races, play other games, and see how far we can push the physics of the game. We like to play tag, crack the whip, follow the leader, hide and seek, etc.

We play tag, follow the leader, or hide and seek pretty much anywhere. Crack the Whip can be played with any vehicle or carnival ride in the game. The airplane is best for Crack the Whip. Have everyone grab hold of the airplane, then one player takes off and tries to fling everyone off.

You can mix up follow the leader with the power ups. Hide and Seek requires turning off the name tags. Using the UFO to catch people and throw them in the ocean is fun too. But the most fun we have is making up challenges.

How many vehicles does it take in the narrow pass no block the trolley? Can you stop the ferry with the bridge or other boats? How many vehicles fit in the delivery truck? Can you land an airplane in the blimp? Who can jump a boat farthest onto land?

You get the idea. Totally Reliable Delivery Service also doubles as an open world type game.

In my opinion, Totally Reliable Delivery Service is a great co-op game but not for doing deliveries. It’s much more fun to just goof off and see what you can do. I definitely recommend it if you have two or more players.

Totally Reliable Delivery Service: A Worthy Co-Op Game brought to you by David M.

I’m David M. I’ve been playing video games a long time, my pong game was fire. Now, my kids run circles around me but we always have a good time. We mostly play party and family games. Strategy and battle games are still among my favorites. I like writing about games almost as much as I do playing them. My favorite games are: Moving Out 2, Out of Space and Overcooked All You Can Eat.

We recently added Party Party Time 2 to our library of Nintendo Switch games. The first Party Party Time was a hit with us and the second version is too. This game is a collection of minigames for 2 to 6 players.

Not many games offer 6 players on one Switch. To get more than 4 usually requires more than one Switch. There’s limited screen space when playing with 6 players but most games are simple enough this isn’t an issue.

Party Party Time 2 is a budget friendly couch game. There are plenty of minigames for player vs player and co-op action. Like the first version, the graphics are colorful and the music is catchy.

I didn’t notice enough changes to justify a new release. It seems to me this could have been another expansion pack. However, the original game is getting crowded from the expansion packs.

Since the cost is roughly the same as an expansion pack, it’s hard to pass up. Even if a few of the games are recycled from the first version. Overall, Party Party Time 2 is as fun as the first version.

If you tire of all the cut scenes and extra animations found in other party games, then Party Party Time 2 is a great alternative. I don’t mind the slow pacing in other party games occasionally. But there are times I just want to get to the action and start playing. The animations get redundant and boring after several rounds.

This game is a no frills party game. Select a minigame, wait for a brief loading screen, and then you’re off.

These are games anyone can sit down and play. Instinctive mini game coupled with basic controls. It offers simple fun for anyone.

This game is a collection of minigames meant to be played with friends. There aren’t any complicated controls or tactics to learn. If you’re looking for some simple but fun minigames to pass the time with friends, this is a good option.

I found the games are incredibly intuitive. The goals are clear and how to score points is obvious. Even if some games are recycled versions from the first Party Party Time game. They were still fun.

I can’t say if any game particularly stood out as bad or good. They were all okay. Many get their inspiration from Mario Party games. If you like those then Party Party Time 2 is worth checking out.

Anyone who likes puzzle, carnival, combat, shooting, racing, sport, card, and survival games would like Party Party Time 2.

We tested Party Party Time 2 with 1 player, 2 players, 3 players, 4 players, 5 players, and 6 players. In my opinion, this game is best with 4 players and no computer players.

Playing with 5 or 6 players was a bit more confusing in my experience. The smaller screen takes some getting used to. Not many games can boast up to 6 players locally. A larger TV makes a big difference with that many players.

When I played with 1 player, it was fine but not as appealing as with multiple players. A few games were good solo but most lacked the craziness that comes with friends.

I’d say the most similar games to Party Party Time 2 are Mario Party Superstars and Super Mario Party. Only in terms of minigames since Party Party Time 2 lacks the board game layout.

Our collection of multiplayer games is vast and includes a few other similar games such as Carnival Games, Cake Bash, and the original Party Party Time. I definitely liked Party Party Time 2 more than Carnival Games. Many of the Carnival Games felt redundant compared to Party Party Time 2.

I liked the original Party Party Time better than the second version. But I’d still recommend getting both versions since they are so inexpensive.

Cake Bash is another good party game meant to be played on the couch with friends. My only criticism of Cake Bash is the lack of minigames compared to Party Party Time 2. Cake Bash edges out Party Party Time 2 for quality, but not by much. Both games are great party games.

In appearance, Party Party Time 2 reminds me of Tsum Tsum Festival. Especially in terms of sound and colors. However, Party Party Time 2 isn’t filled with animations, cut scenes, or fancy scoreboards like Tsum Tsum Festival.

Even without all the frills found in bigger titles such as Tsums Tsums or Mario Party, I still immensely enjoyed Party Party Time 2. It’s a goofy game we got a lot of laughs from.

The best part about Party Party Time 2 is it’s inexpensive. Like the first version, it’s hard to find fault considering the price point. Our expectation wasn’t very high going into it but this game exceeded our expectations.

A disadvantage is it’s easy to tire of the minigames. However, this is true of any minigame or Party game. While I could spend hours playing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. I couldn’t say the same about Mario Party Superstars. After playing through each minigame a few times we were ready for something else.

Another benefit is the colors and sounds. The music is catchy without being annoying. The colorful appearance is eye-catching. The silly victory dances or loss animations are well done too.

For an inexpensive game, it doesn’t suck. True, many games are inspired from other minigames but there is a good variety of games here. I’d thought low cost = low quality. However, that isn’t the case with Party Party Time 2 or the original.

They didn’t include as many math or card games as the original. I can’t say I was disappointed. We didn’t care for those. I was disappointed a few games were recycled versions from the original.

My Party Party Time review gives it 6 out of 10 stars. Mainly due to it feels more like an expansion pack rather than a sequel to the original game. The music, layout, and overall feel is extremely similar to the original.

Once I started playing I couldn’t tell any difference between the original or this version. While there are new characters, there aren’t near as many as in the original.

As for the minigames themselves, they were good. Again, I don’t understand how Party Party Time 2 is any different than an expansion pack for the original. However, I did enjoy most of the minigames so I’m not complaining. It just seems odd.

Overall, I’m glad we got Party Party Time 2. It isn’t much different than the original. It isn’t going to take the top spot for our most played games on our Switch. However, it’s good for some occasional laughs with friends that doesn’t cost too much.

Party Party Time 2 review brought to you by: David M.

I’m David M. I’ve been playing video games a long time, my pong game was fire. Now, my kids run circles around me but we always have a good time. We mostly play party and family games. Strategy and battle games are still among my favorites. I like writing about games almost as much as I do playing them. My favorite games are: Moving Out 2, Out of Space and Overcooked All You Can Eat.

I’ve been playing Out of Space for a while and decided to critique it. It’s definitely high on my favorite game list. For a game with a simple premise, it makes for some challenging and fun game play.

The premise is you have to clean a spaceship of aliens and the goo they spawn from in order to power each room. You can play solo or up to 4 players. While choosing a ship with 6, 9, or 12 rooms.

The camera angle is above and fixed. Although, it does zoom out when there are more players.

Out of Space is galactic housekeeping at its finest. Couch Edition is for Steam, while the console version is for Nintendo Switch.

The game play is simple. You can pick up items, buy items, use items, and move around. No jumping or shooting, just dumping a bucket of water, using a mop, or common appliances.

You clean your way through all the rooms of a spaceship. Disposing of aliens along the way. Earning money as you cleanup and buying helpful items from the store.

Chores such as eating, sleeping, and cleaning keep you occupied between bouts with aliens. Once every room has power the game is won.

If you’re looking for action shooting aliens, this isn’t the game for you. The closest it comes to fighting is stunning aliens with a mop. The same mop you use for cleaning rooms. It’s a war of attrition game where you struggle to keep the goo from taking over.

The goal is placing power cores. When every room is powered you win, whether or not there are any aliens left.

If you like strategy or cooperative games then you’ll like Out of Space. For a game with little actual fighting I found it is very challenging. Strategically performing tasks or placing items is required to win.

You use a mop to stun the aliens and clean up the goo they spread. They don’t attack you directly. Rather they spread goo everywhere they go, including on you.

If you’re looking for a game that’s fun to play with friends or solo, this certainly is the right game for you. I’ve enjoyed every game solo or multiplayer, win or lose.

Being overrun and losing is chaos, but fun chaos. Since they don’t directly attack you somehow losing doesn’t sting as much. You almost have to admire the efficiency of the little gremlins spreading goo and spawning more aliens.

If you’re looking for a game that’s easy to learn, Out of Space has a small learning curve. By the 3rd game we felt ready to tackle 12 rooms. We didn’t win, but we sure went into it with every confidence we would.

One of the things I liked about this game is the developers made it so as you progress in skill so does the game. Tougher aliens are unlocked as you progress. But helpful items are also unlocked.

It’s funny how 6 rooms seemed challenging at first but after several games we cleared 6 rooms in 10 minutes. Even though a veteran can clear 6 rooms without difficulty, speed running through 6 rooms is still fun.

If you’re looking for a game that’s played in 5 or 10 minute blocks of time, this game isn’t an ideal choice. You should expect to play an hour. Time flies when you’re having fun though.

We tested this game with 1 player, 2 players, 3 players, and 4 players. Each additional player ramps up the max aliens per room. The timers for recovering sleep, egg production, aliens spawning, and aggressiveness were also ramped up per player.

In our experience solo was easiest, while 4 players was hardest. 2 and 3 players fell in the middle for difficulty during our tests.

In my experience, the average 12 room game lasts 45 minutes. If things go well clearing 12 rooms in 25 minutes is common. When things go bad I’ve had games that last 1 hour 20 minutes, but that’s rare. Usually, the game is over one way or another in under an hour.

If you only ever play this game with 4 players, it might seem a different game. With 4 players, one rogue alien can quickly overrun your entire ship.

Playing with 2 players, one alien hardly overruns more than one room. Recovery is much easier. Mistakes are forgiven.

Out of Space is a co-op couch game, comparable to Overcooked, Moving Out2, Very Very Valet, Lumber Hill, and Shakes on a Plane to name a few. If you like any of those you should like Out of Space too. I’ve played all those games and Out of Space is my favorite by far.

Out of Space is similar to Overcooked in that you’re all working together toward a goal. You do routine tasks in an efficient manner to win. Unlike Overcooked, Out of Space is actually fun playing solo.

In my experience, Overcooked has a bigger learning curve due to all the ingredients and steps necessary for an order. Out of Space is cleaning goo with a mop or bucket of water and getting rid of stunned aliens. All while keeping hunger and sleep at bay.

Out of space is forgiving as far as sleep and food goes too. Your character falls asleep at inopportune times to be sure. But eating and sleeping don’t dominate the game play the way ingredients do in Overcooked.

Instead of struggling with the timer in Overcooked, you’re struggling to keep aliens at bay in Out of space. Whether you get to the last room in 15 or 50 minutes, the same number of aliens are there.

I found Overcooked got infinitely more fun when they added an assist mode to change the timers. Out of Space ramps up the fun by switching up the rules.

If you’re struggling to win, do a random challenge where you get a bigger mop, additional dogs, no power requirements, or hyper-charged bots.

Conversely, if you want to make the game even more challenging, do a random challenge where you get cocooned with 1 hit, a limited store, only armored aliens allowed, or secret Santa.

Being able to choose a game with custom rules keeps Out of Space fresh. There are so many custom rules, each new ship is just different enough to keep it interesting.

Overcooked just puts the chopper in an inconvenient location or moves the ingredients around while you’re playing. I like Overcooked but inconvenient item locations got old real quick.

If Moving Out used aliens instead of furniture and added more ghosts and gremlins to get in the way, it would basically be Out of Space.

Instead of breaking everything in Moving Out, you’re trying to clean everything in Out of Space. Moving Out and Out of Space both have an easy learning curve, simple game play, and is loads of fun.

While you can’t slap other players in Out of space. You can have fun with other players by handing them useless items or tossing aliens at them. If you’re particularly cheeky, you can hog the couch. Hogging food may lead to solo play since nobody will play with you.

While Out of Space has a lot in common with Moving Out, Out of Space is much more challenging. Out of Space requires a strategy moving from room to room. The order in which you take each room directly impacts your workload.

It also requires much more coordination between players than Moving Out. While you can all do your own thing and still win, coordinated attacks make life easier.

Moving Out and Out of Space are two of my favorites. One because it’s fun breaking everything, the other because it’s challenging ridding a ship of aliens.

While Lumber Hill, Very Very Valet, and Shakes on a Plane are other multiplayer coop couch games, I’m not a fan of struggling against timers. All those games and Out of Space offer easy learning curves, simple game play, and loads of fun. However, I find Out of Space less frustrating.

Which is saying something. Because taking and losing a room over and over again in Out of Space is incredibly frustrating. But also rewarding when you finally win.

There’s just something about getting 3 out of 4 trees to the lumber yard, only for a meteor or animal delay you from getting the 4th tree there. Then it’s all for nothing and you have to start the order over.

Lumber Hill and Shakes on a Plane are the worst for this type of frustration. Out of Space doesn’t have a time limit. It actually has a max occupancy per room. So if you take your time with each room there’s no penalty.

The good things about Out of Space are the controls are easy, the game is intuitive, and there isn’t a time limit. The weekly challenges or choosing a random challenge keep the game from getting stale.

The bad things about Out of Space are the zooming out with multiple players and it’s easy to grab the wrong item. The camera zooms out when players spread out. So keep close when you’re fighting aliens.

The mop is especially sticky, which is good because you use it a lot but bad because it gets in the way when you’re trying to pick up other stuff. I’ve found turning 180° to drop it behind you works best.

One thing I should mention is 4 player is much harder than other modes. I’ve played a lot with 1, 2, 3 & 4 players and 4 people is noticeably more challenging than the others.

Sleep recovery is longer for players and aliens recover from being stunned quicker. Also, eggs and aliens spawn much quicker.

I didn’t notice any imbalance with 1, 2 or 3 players. They’re all fun and challenging from beginning to end. 4 players just gets a tad more intense after taking the 4rd or 5th room.

Losing and taking a room over and over happened more often with 4 players. I find the challenge exciting, some may find it frustrating. If you play with 4 people a rug in each room cuts down on the damage and recovery.

Those are minor criticisms though, overall the game is very enjoyable.

This Out of Space review gives it 9 out of 10 stars. Definitely my favorite game in a long time. Out of Space strikes a good balance between resource management and action. The game play isn’t bogged down trying to eat or sleep but they can’t be ignored either.

Instead of spending time developing multiple levels, bosses, or a storyline. They put a lot of effort into developing a balanced game. More games should follow their lead.

Fighting the clock or making routine tasks difficult are low effort ways to make games challenging. It takes a lot of effort to develop a game based on careful use of resources, employing effective battle tactics, and keeping pressure on the players.

Out of Space accomplishes this in a fun and engaging way. You can master it after several games, yet veterans enjoy fresh challenges by randomizing the rules.

If you’re looking for a fun game to play with friends or solo then Out of Space is an excellent option. I thoroughly enjoyed chasing the little aliens around the spaceship and cleaning up their goo.

Out of Space review brought to you by David M.

I’m David M. I’ve been playing video games a long time, my pong game was fire. Now, my kids run circles around me but we always have a good time. We mostly play party and family games. Strategy and battle games are still among my favorites. I like writing about games almost as much as I do playing them. My favorite games are: Moving Out 2, Out of Space and Overcooked All You Can Eat.