‘Figure It Out: The Tantrum Simulator’ Review (Nintendo Switch)
Disclosure: This review is based on the Nintendo Switch version of the game, played using a review copy provided by the publisher. I played most of it during a three-hour flight to Poland while on tour with my band, Horrenda.
A Strange Premise That’s Hard to Grasp at First
Figure It Out: The Tantrum Simulator is exactly the sort of oddball indie concept that gets your attention instantly. A game about managing tantrums, emotional storms, chaotic outbursts, and the strange mini-puzzles that arise from them sounds like something between a surreal comedy sketch and an experimental jam project. And that’s because that’s what it is, it’s a Game Jam game. What’s surprising is that the game doesn’t really tell you what’s going on until you dig into the menu, where the actual premise and inspiration are quietly tucked away. Going in blind, the first playthrough is genuinely a wild, disorienting experience. Not necessarily unpleasant, just baffling in a way that feels almost intentional.
Switch Gameplay: Clever but Frequently Infuriating
The Switch version deserves credit for making creative use of the console’s features. There are small, clever touches in how the game uses movement, inputs, and the handheld format. When these mechanics land, they feel quirky and inventive. But when they don’t, they slide straight into frustration. Controls can feel imprecise, the game’s logic can be opaque, and sometimes actions don’t behave the way you expect. During turbulence at 30,000 feet, trying to wrestle with its fiddly mechanics became a challenge all its own. There is charm in the attempt, but inconsistency in the follow-through.
A Brief Spark That Doesn’t Sustain Itself
Once you understand what the game is trying to do, especially after reading the inspiration in the menu, it becomes easier to appreciate the humour and the slightly surreal tone. It has personality. It has ideas. What it doesn’t have is staying power, and the gameplay loop becomes repetitive quickly.
Scenarios Start Blending Together.
There is very little progression or evolution. The systems feel shallow, even for a small-scale indie experiment. After the initial “What on earth is this?” phase, you quickly settle into “Oh, that’s it.” Even on a long flight with nothing else to do, the game struggled to keep my attention after the first burst of novelty.
Who Might Still Enjoy It
To the game’s credit, Figure It Out is unique. If you enjoy little experimental curiosities, short bursts of weirdness that are more about the idea than the execution, it may entertain you for a brief window. Fans of quirky micro-games or offbeat humour will likely get a smile out of it.
Pros:
- Clever use of Switch controls or hardware features.
- When it clicks, it feels intuitive and occasionally charming.
- The style and humour are super fun. The clever visuals and tone lean into silliness; the humour works if you’re on its wavelength.
- At first pick-up the uniqueness is a huge plus.
Cons:
- For every mechanic that feels creative, another feels clunky or unresponsive.
- The repetition is brutal. The gameplay loop grows predictable quickly now it is eased when you upgrade to a different girl but there just is not enough here.
- Once you understand the gimmick, there isn’t much depth to keep you playing.
- Not enough guidance early on, so you literally have no idea what you’re meant to be doing.
Conclusion: Funny, Inspired, but Far Too Thin
The humour landed for me, especially once I understood where the developers were coming from. And as a quick distraction during a flight, it served its purpose well enough. But the truth is simple: the gameplay just doesn’t offer enough to hold attention for long. It is clever, and it has personality, but it is ultimately a 20-minute time-waster, an amusing idea that never fully becomes a satisfying game.
If the premise grabs you and you enjoy experimental oddities, it might be worth a brief look. Otherwise, it is probably not going to hold you for more than a single session, plane ride or otherwise.
