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I typically don’t do first impressions anymore, but this game seemed worth it, and isn’t one I’ll likely “finish.” The Coin Game surprised me a bit. It delivers on what was my main expectation–a virtual simulation of old-fashioned arcade machines, free from the real-world burden of needing to insert actual currency into. It’s filled with an accurate representation of all kinds of old machines–the kind that rely more on physical objects interacting than screens and microchips. What was surprising, is that there’s a lot more to it.
The game instead delivers strongly on simple childhood nostalgia. It is effectively a simulator of being 12 again. A time where you sustained yourself off of fizzy soda and gummy bears. A time when your bicycle was your most trusted mode of transportation, when scratch lottery tickets were fascinating, and when that dusty arcade machine in the corner of the super market held more appeal than a college diploma, your own house or a better job. It simulates the days when scrounging for a few extra bucks to buy that next fleeting firework was enough to sustain your meaning and existence in life.
The restriction of curfews is revisited, the desire to mow lawns and the safety of knowing that the roof over your head will always be there without your need to provide for it. No, The Coin Game isn’t just about arcades, it’s a childhood simulation–when all the flashy things in the world grabbed your attention and held your fascination.
True, there are walking robots in place of people. Yes, you have a mysterious uncle that’s running the island. And of course you have a pet goose that you must feed. But all of that is kind of irrelevant in the face of just being a kid again but this time getting to do all the things you always wanted to, but were never allowed to–and now that you’re an adult there’s no reason to. I’ll admit, there aren’t enough mechanics here to keep me hooked, which is likely why I won’t finish it. There’s not a clear motivation or goal to achieve, and even if there was it would be simplistic at best. That being said, the game is definitely honorably mentioned at Tier 2 for its willingness to try new things and desire to bring something to a game that I’ve not quite experienced before.
