I’ll Fight You for Them Undies! Tiny & Big: Grandpa’s Leftovers Review

This game was reviewed on PC

Puzzle games scratch a distinctive itch compared to other genres of games.  After all, solving puzzles has been around since the dawn of human history.  Video games have met this demand nicely with games such as Portal, Braid, Professor Layton, or Shadow of the Colossus.  Puzzle games often have to straddle a line between being challenging enough to keep the player’s interest but not so esoteric and demanding the player gives up in defeat.  Tiny & Big: Grandpa’s Leftovers is a great entry into the genre of puzzle gaming because it meets these challenges with aplomb while managing to remain unique.

The story of Tiny & Big: Grandpa’s Leftovers is very simple and light-hearted.  You play Tiny, who is seeking his heritage: a pair of white underwear his grandfather left behind.  However, you face a major obstacle in a fellow named Big who is after the same pair of underpants.  If players are expecting a deep, voice-acted storyline like that of Ico or Portal 2, they’ll be disappointed.  However, if your taste in games leans toward the more family-friendly, ridiculous, or simple, then you’ll be happy with the narrative of Grandpa’s Leftovers.

Of course, Big won’t give up the underwear without a fight.  Armed with skills from the game’s tutorial, players can push, pull, hook, jump, climb, and run in order to bypass the terrain between them and the goal of the level.  The major mechanic of the game is Tiny’s laser-gun, which he can use to shear terrain in half.  Not only does this lead to some fun puzzle solving, but it also allows the player to get him or herself out of sticky situations where he or she has made mistakes.  The end result of Tiny’s toolkit is a variety of fun gadgets that are satisfying to use without a glut of options that paralyze the player.  In addition, Tiny & Big: Grandpa’s Leftovers is friendly towards casual players, younger players, and people who are new to puzzle games because there is no gameplay demanding quick reflexes.  However, the controls are a bit floaty, leading to misjudging animations and distances because of the slow physics of Tiny’s jumps.

The game’s graphics are simple and cartoony but clear and easily readable. It is always easy to tell where your goal is (although actually making your way there can be a challenge) and there is no misunderstanding the level’s requirements.  There are only a few environments for the player to enjoy, but they are different from each other in neat ways and it makes progressing through the game a little more interesting.  Tiny has a design slightly reminiscent of Finn from Adventure Time with a twist, making him an appealing protagonist to play.  However, the text bubbles of a character’s voice that would pop up during cutscenes were difficult to read due to the text’s font, size and background, making gameplay more fun than watching the story progress.

The best part of the Tiny & Big: Grandpa’s Leftovers is its length.  The game lasts long enough for the player to understand how the tools at his or her disposal work and have a firm comprehension of them, allowing for fun tricks to get through the levels.  There are multiple ways to advance, which gives the game some replay value others within the genre lack.  Furthermore, the game ends on a high note.  Often I feel as though the last third of the game turns into an endurance slog to the ending; Tiny & Big: Grandpa’s Leftovers ended with me wanting more.

I would be comfortable recommending Tiny & Big: Grandpa’s Leftovers to nearly anyone.  Even as someone who is usually horrible at puzzle games and sceptical of silly storylines, I found the fun factor of the game overwhelmed my defences.  Tiny & Big: Grandpa’s Leftovers is definitely a great gateway game to new players while still having some surprises for people who have been around the block with a couple of other franchises.  Sometimes a ridiculous and straightforward game can go toe-to-toe with a dramatic, complex challenger and come out ahead, and this game is one of those contenders.

Tiny & Big: Grandpa’s Leftovers earns at 4.5/5.0 for its zany fun!