As a kid you imagine fantastical worlds out of the most mundane objects. Bookshelves become towering castles; the gap behind the couch a secret cave. Small World plays on that childhood instinct.
Indie game connoisseurs may appreciate the pun in the headline. Small World is reminiscent of Nicklas Nygren’s Knytt series, an exploratory platformer that discards the typical genre tropes (collectibles, goals, bastard-hard precision jumps) in favour of a leisurely journey of discovery.
Small World brings the clever idea of gradually zooming out on its play area as you explore, its initially abstract blocks slowly revealing gorgeously pixellated cityscapes, underground caverns and pulsing organs. The knitted textures on each pixel echo the play that sees you following each path like a single thread across a tapestry.
Pretend you’re a kid again.
Small World [David Shute]
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