Tux And Fanny Switch Review - It's The Small Things

Tux and Fanny isn’t just a game; it’s a playground of creativity and discovery, through a series of mini-games, but crucially, from the perspective of two BFFs. It’s as if it was devised by someone living their life in the equivalent of Minecraft’s creative mode, as the level of imagination here is limitless and mirrors the animated adventures that this is an extension of.

Ghost Time Games aren’t holding a gun held to my head, nor am I typing from a great height on this steed of mine, attempting to come up with a quotable line that does this justice or generates some attention. It’s just such a great concept and a joy to play. 

The game evokes a child-like perspective without the fear of being judged by other grown-ups. Well, I play games sort of for a living, so I couldn’t care less what people think at this stage, but that childhood innocence in Tux and Fanny is what truly makes this a delight. Dare to discover, and make sure you share it with someone.

Tux And Fanny Switch Review

Tux and Fanny are best friends and do everything together. Tux will tap away at the piano while Fanny dances, and even when you attempt to play the instrument alone, the other will declare that it would be so much better with the other one. They’re inseparable. Alas, their ball has burst, and that prompts our adventure, though there’s no rush to complete your objective.

Their home is full of trinkets that reflect their personalities. If you’ve seen the animations, you’ll be in familiar territory, such as adjusting the aerial on top of the roof and other mini-anecdotal events. Each room has its own little focal point of entertainment, from the piano to computer games.

Heading outside into nature, they’ll lay in the grass looking at clouds and record all the little mini-beasts and birds they hear, then seek out with binoculars. They also record their experiences in little scrapbooks. It’s all adorable and not remotely as sickening as it sounds. It’s pure, playful and of an inquisitive, poetic nature.

An Acquired Taste

Other than the titular pair, you’ll play a cat who eats birds whole, and a flea that fulfils a prophecy passed on by an Elder. It’s at this point where you say Tux and Fanny sounds like a head trip, and you have to be on something to appreciate it, but I beg to differ as I played this with my kids.

I’m not going to sugarcoat this Tux and Fanny review and say the visuals were amazing, as I’d honestly overlook it at face value. It’s worth noting that the presentation is faithful to the original shorts created by Albert Birney. Investigative journalist I am not, though I am a film fan [insert your label] and love animation – especially the avant-garde. So, I sought it out.

The Tux and Fanny feature is freely available on YouTube, uploaded by the director too. The first part is just over an hour, and I’ve watched it multiple times and loved it. Gabriel Koenig has captured the atmosphere of this pair perfectly, and it’s a lot of fun to play a part in their adventures. 

While I’m not a fan of the visuals on the surface (the stop-motion was fantastic), conceptually, the presentation is unique. Why is the screen depicted in this almost square-like ratio? It’s to mimic the original videos that were uploaded to Albert’s Instagram account. Also, that real estate down the sides helps confirm the hot keys and what-not.

Point, Click, Score!

So, what can you do? Explore mostly – both figuratively and literally. You can unlock the original soundtracks to play at will, play some video games, and even some books to read, similar to The Longing, where one of them has some hints on gameplay if you get stuck.

Tux and Fanny is essentially a point and click adventure, which is another reason why I love it so much. You’ll stumble across items, chuck them in your inventory and combine them with something when the time comes. Almost all of these situations come hints, so while it’s an ‘easy’ game, the objective is to explore, interact and escape rather than steamroll through.

Another comparison to the point and click also comes from the point system as seen in games like Police Quest and the original Leisure Suit Larry. Personally, I hate that mechanic as I HAVE to get all the points, no matter who knows, but objectively, this was a good choice as it’s a visual guide to indicate you still have some exploring to do.

My Cup Of Tea

While I get this won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, so many elements appeal to me, so you’ll have to forgive me for swooning. It’s not that Tux and Fanny is groundbreaking, but it’s the mood it evokes. Can I say that it’s inspiring? That might seem strong, but I love how the duo’s conversations feel so natural, and they don’t appear to have any of the modern hang-ups we all deal with. 

Like I mentioned with Little Mouse’s Encylopedia, it makes you want to get out and explore your environment and be more observant of your surroundings, without having to sign up for a membership, wearing particular attire or worshipping some space chickens. It’s all free and available to you now. While the Tux and Fanny Switch version isn’t free, it’s well worth the price and I’m mildly irritated that I didn’t explore this sooner.

Unlock your playful self and go check this out. At the very least, seek out the feature film in the link above. That is all.