As much as 2021-me wishes, I’m no gamer girl. I’ve tried, I really have, but the only games I’m good at are Mario Kart 8 (2017) and button-mashing Super Smash Bros (2018). After much of my friends’ pleading and prompting, they eventually realized I have very little hand-eye coordination, making me the worst at fast-paced video games. Thankfully I learned about cozy role-playing games (RPGs), otherwise my Nintendo Switch would sit gathering dust for the rest of its life.Â
I found Neoludic Games’ — an Indie game developer — TikTok page and instantly fell in love with the design and concept for one of their first video games. TikTok unfortunately introduced me to Tiny Bookshop (2025) three years too early. I had to wait in anxious anticipation for this game to finally hit online shelves. To be completely honest I almost forgot all about it until I went to the Nintendo Shop to look up Batman Arkham Asylum (2010) after a friend encouraged me to try to get back into gaming… and there it was.Â
Tiny Bookshop is a cozy RPG where you play as a bookseller travelling through unknown towns, getting to know locals and suggesting the best books that fit their wants. You can choose how your little bookshop looks by adding decorations you collect from patrons, buying furniture at the local flea market, or choosing the colour of both your interior and exterior walls. The choice is yours.Â
Being able to move through the game at your own pace is huge for me. One day in the game is only about 15 minutes in real time. It’s perfect if you don’t want to commit to spending hours playing but also hate leaving a game in the middle of a level like me. I’ve also found that it doesn’t require all of my attention which means I can feel doubly productive by not only playing but also watching a movie or catching up on whatever new show the internet has told me to like.Â
The muted colours and hand-painted look of the game really adds to the coziness factor. In the first town you pass through, you can sell books to crowds at a local coffee shop, at the beach, in front of a lighthouse, and in the parking lot of a big box store. The spots to stop at are all very scenic and if I could, I’d crawl into the game just to live in the peace and quiet of that beach.Â
As a bookworm, one of the best features of the game is the fact that almost all of the book titles are real. Of course if you don’t know the specifics of a title, there’s a helpful synopsis to guide you. This game has single-handedly built up my TBR for the rest of the year. It’s even got me to go back and start reading titles that I’ve bought years ago but completely forgot about.Â
If you’re a booklover and want to get into gaming, look no further. If you’re a gamer looking for something a bit slower, this game is for you. As the semester picks up it’s nice to take things slow, have lower stakes, and just explore a new place without the stress of getting killed or racking enough experience points to be able to defeat the final boss.
