There are many roguelike deck builders out there, but what about a roguelike deck builder that anyone (including kids) can play? Springfox Games’ Nif Nif wants to offer something in this space that the whole family can enjoy, and now it’s back on Kickstarter.
The game is already up and running (with a public demo available) on its Steam page, and is being developed by a team led by Masha Mallet, “an entrepreneurial mom who couldn’t find many options in strategy games for her kids.” According to its website, the studio’s pillars are “accessibility and nonviolence, strategy and diversity for all.” We can make sense of all this, but what about the actual game? I played the demo before release and had some ideas.
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As its latest trailer suggests, Nif Nif has all the essential systems and mechanics we’ve come to expect from the type of game it’s trying to break into. You must build a deck full of action cards and tools, progress through a procedurally generated map filled with different encounters and events, and try to become as powerful as possible before reaching the final boss. At least that’s how the demonstration was presented.
For younger gamers or those who just want to make video games easier, a major obstacle is overly complex user interfaces; they are often overcrowded with information and numbers, or are just too visually cluttered. Nif Nif’s clean art style goes beyond cartoony, cozy visuals to shape menus and interfaces as well. Big letters and bright colors make everything pop, and there’s never too much information displayed.
This “cleanliness” also applies to the actual cards played, the tools you encounter, and the dishes cooked with the right ingredients. At this stage, full information display for each element may require some additional work, but it is easy to quickly identify the role of each card, whether it is offensive or defensive. Coupled with a straightforward tutorial that consciously avoids being overly lengthy, I can see anyone with control over a PC or Switch being able to fully understand the game in under 10 minutes.
What’s even more surprising is that the demo wasn’t a walk in the park. Nivniv does a great job of communicating what your enemies are going to do next so you can plan out limited actions each turn, but a bad hand can partially ruin your adventure more easily than you think. . Enemies (actually animals and other cute critters covered in slime that need cleaning) will attack violently, and casually throwing cards at them has little effect. In fact, I made it to the demo’s final boss without much upgrading and was defeated quickly, prompting me to start over with a different, more defensive build (you can Started with a permanent item equipped), which healed me after every battle I encountered.
Nif Nif is passionate, but that doesn’t mean it’s frictionless. I underestimated it and had to go back to the beginning. While I may not be its primary target, I can understand its purpose and how it might appeal to both children and casual adult players if it continues to develop. Even if we put aside the (real) issue of too much violence in video games, certain genres are undeniably “only” for more mature gamers, so I have to agree with Springfox Games’ guidance.
If you enjoyed this demo as much as I did, and want (and can) support this indie project, be sure to check out Nif Nif’s Kickstarter page, which will be up and running until September 13th. Not so lucky and need some help. Anyone at Gamescom can check out the game in person and talk to the team.
