Mom Hid My Game Is a Delightfully Weird Puzzler About Finding Your Game Console
Mom Hid My Game is a deceptively simple yet quirky and totally addictive game about a desperate search for your well-hidden game console.
(Mom Hid My Game via KEMCO)
We've been curious about the game since first spotting it in Nintendo's Nindies Showcase back in September, so when game publisher KEMCO sent us a review code, we jumped at the opportunity to check it out.
The game stars an unnamed boy whose game system is taken away and deftly hidden by his mom after he fritters an entire day away playing it.
Each level gives you a singular mission: find your console. At first, it's easy to locate your device. Just dig around and interact with the objects in the living room, and it'll soon reveal itself to you. Once you find it, the level is over, and you unlock another day in which to find your game all over again.
(Mom Hid My Game via KEMCO)
But the puzzles become increasingly extravagant and difficult to solve, and things get pretty wacky pretty quickly. Why is there an alligator in the living room? Players never get the answer to that question, but the creature has your game, so… good luck.
(Mom Hid My Game via KEMCO)
What's more, since your mom doesn't want you playing your game, she's usually lurking somewhere, trying to catch you in the act of finding it. If she shows up, it's game over—but you're allowed to try as many times as necessary until you finally progress to the next day. Snake bites, collisions with bicyclists and encounters with your grandpa in a wrestling mask will also result in the level starting over.
(Mom Hid My Game via KEMCO)
But the game isn't just about pointing and clicking. It also features an inventory, so as you collect items, you'll have to think wisely about how to use them to complete your task. Making the wrong choice will result in a game over pretty much every time. Often, finding the right solution is about trial and error, making small adjustments in your strategy until you get it just right.
(Mom Hid My Game via KEMCO)
If you do happen to be at a complete loss at any point, think outside the box. Are there buttons on the controller you haven't utilized much yet? Is there functionality build into your game's system that might come in handy?
(Mom Hid My Game via KEMCO)
If you're completely stumped, most levels have a hint system. By doing a quick card-matching game, you can unlock a quick tip about how to find your game.
(Mom Hid My Game via KEMCO)
The game features 50 levels in total, and it shouldn't take more than an hour and a half to finish the whole thing—unless you get super stuck. If you make it through all 50 days, you'll also encounter a pretty unexpected moral at the end of the story. We won't spoil it, but we will say it's worth playing until the end.
If you like solving quick, simple and very silly puzzles, you'll get a kick out of Mom Hid My Game. Most solutions can be discovered within a minute of identifying the problem, making it great for anyone who needs something to occupy a couple minutes of downtime.
The animation is clean and uncluttered, the story is charming and the music is extremely catchy—though, with just one song playing behind every puzzle, you may get slightly irritated if you listen for too long. We guarantee it'll be stuck in your head after you put the game down.
Die-hard puzzle fans who prefer complexity over simplicity might not find the game stimulating enough to warrant a purchase, but the delightful story just might win them over.
Mom Hid My Game releases Dec. 21 on the Nintendo Switch and on Nintendo 3DS systems for just $4.99. Check out the trailer below to see the game in action.
Obsessed with puzzles? Click HERE to find out why you need to check out the new puzzler Gorogoa on the Nintendo Switch.