Pigs aren't dirty, they're clean, and Nif Nif proves this. When a mysterious goo invades the local forest, its inhabitants take a strange turn and begin to attack sporadically. Luckily, this little piggy didn't go to market.
Nif Nif is a rogue-like deck-builder with a difference. Typically, the genre is associated with hair-pulling and frustration. Still, Springfox Games' Kickstarter encourages younger players to get involved, and overall, it is a genuinely family-friendly game that's fun.
Cue patronising tutorials and handholding, then send it to the next game. In the demo, a brief battle introduces the 'combat' not by depicting a health bar but a cleanliness one. Of course, like a health bar, if it reaches zero, it's game over, though the emphasis here is on positivity and literally cleaning up the forest with tissues.
Nif Nif Demo First Impressions
That's quite a mean feat, though that's Nif Nif's arsenal. No blunt oversized hammers, poison-tipped blades or electrified whips - everything at the pig's disposal is non-destructive. Naturally, there are types of cards that follow the genre convention: attack, defend and support.
There are two playable characters - the titular piglet and their cat companion. Interestingly, you can customise their appearance in the demo, from changing their skin to donning a hat with associated buffs. Essentially, both characters operate similarly, though their hand differs cosmetically.
When embarking on the journey, there will be a selection of paths, ranging from random encounters to elite enemies. Generally speaking, the turn-based element is very intuitive, so there's no need for handholding for either children or adults. In Nif Nif, three action points can be applied to cleaning an enemy: laying down a shower card that serves as protection or a buff card that draws another or adds additional power.
Where There's Soup...
Throughout the journey are setpieces where you can rest, upgrade a card or make soup. Soup is a consumable that can be played without using any action points and can provide protection or add more power points. It is a lifesaver when cleaning multiple enemies or the final boss, which is included in the demo on Steam. And where there's soup, there's hope.
It took a second attempt to run through Nif Nif in its entirety, yet even though it's a demo, played a couple of more times as it's a pleasing experience. The visuals are lovely and unlike any you may have seen before, and as mentioned, the gameplay is intuitive - ensuring it nails that goal of appealing to an expansive audience.
Now in a Kickstarter campaign, a playable demo is also available on Steam, which you should try if you're a fan of deckbuilders but want something a little cuter than what's currently on offer. More so, Nif Nif is an excellent entry point for younger players without having to hand them an axe to enjoy themselves.
