Lil Gator Game is a perfect, golden afternoon

Our family loves us some cozy indie video games. In fact, that's almost all of what I’ve personally played video game-wise for the last couple years lol And we really enjoyed Lil Gator Game.

You probably didn't think you needed a violence-free reimaging of Breath of the Wild as a kid running around a park, smacking cardboard monsters and making friends. I certainly didn't think that. But I turned out I was wrong.

I believe that the official description of the game is a 3D platformer but it's really an open sandbox that just happens to be very small. However, since you are playing a child, the park still feels huge.

The game has two parts. Knocking down cardboard monsters while collecting the scraps for arts and crafts and making friends by doing 'quests'. While some of the quests actually involve some work, others are very simple. One of my favorites is a girl who's fallen down and all Lil Gator needs to do is giver her a hug to make her feel better.

The game wears its Breath of the Wild influence very much on its sleeve. In fact, the game all but name checks the Legend of Zelda several times. While they can't use the name, the designers using the hero of legend with their sword and shield and hat and paraglider make it clear what they're talking about.

While running around a lovingly rendered park is charming and fun, the heart of Lil Gator is the relationship between the title character and their older sister.  When they were younger, they played legend of hero games in the park all the time. Unfortunately, with college, grownup responsibilities have made her pull back from that. The entire game is Lil Gator creating a massive version of their game to try and win her back.

One of the things that the game makes very clear is the sister very much loves Lil Gator and that the game was (and is) important to her. The park is full of memories of the two of them. However, grownup responsibilities are pushing down on her. She is fully sympathetic. 

Lil Gator manages to capture a sense of innocence that you usually need Ray Bradbury to find. It also manages to have some real emotional heft. Not as bittersweet as Ray Bradbury's feels though. It is fun to explore the park but it also has a center that reminds you why you're there.

Lil Gator Game is a very short game and it’s not a difficult game. My wife has to watch me play platformers with her eyes shut and preferably in another room but I could handle it. Instead, it has loads of charm. It is the perfect afternoon with the knowledge that it can’t last.