It’s a busy time of year. As someone in the United States, the drama surrounding the November 2022 election came to me. Holidays are around the corner. Even though I’ve had my latest COVID booster and flu shot, it seems like everyone I know is sick with something. Not to mention getting back into a job I love and needing to get up to speed, making sure I’m doing all I can for the people who depend on me. It can get a lot. That’s why I’m more grateful than ever Shin-chan: Me and the professor on summer vacation – Endless seven-day journey released this year and cannot recommend it enough.
Shin-chan: Me and the professor during summer vacation basically a Boku no Natsuyasumi game with Pencil Shin-chan Spice. That means the goal is to “become”. It’s summer vacation. Shin-chan stayed in a small rural village called Assou for a week. Do whatever you want while you’re at it. Spend your day how you want. Catch bugs. Fish. Talk to the people around you. Buy snacks. Get involved in people’s lives. It’s a game of experience. Don’t save scum. Take things as they come. When you’re done, come back in a week.
no different Crossing animals title, Shin-chan: Me and the professor during summer vacation provides you with both spoken and unspoken goals. Restaurants put up bulletin boards asking for some vegetables. Shin-chan can grow crops at Kurokami farm to meet pocket money requirements. There’s the Encyclopedia of Fish and Insects to fill out. (To make things easy, there will be a twinkle when you see some new bugs, as a way to let you know that you need this. That means it still takes thought and effort to complete a task or make a difference. However, there is no pressure on you to do that.
What I also love is that while this is a Shin-chan game, it welcomes those unfamiliar with the series. All you need to know is that he’s a smart and nimble kid. His early sarcasm is kept to a minimum and he is never malicious. Instead, he’s a sly guy who has a chance to make a small town his own. The humor from the series isn’t too overwhelming. It appears over time. The problem is that if it bothers you, you usually have to quickly step aside before you have a chance to move on and explore more of the town.
However, if you want to embrace that absurdity, there’s that too! A good example is the dash button. It uses Shin-chan’s “butt dance” to send him running around the screen. But in a more elegant and minimalistic tweak, it’s his ability to determine how verbose he is when documenting his adventures. “Fastball” presents everything in a realistic way. You see the pictures as memories and facts. If you use Curveball, many of Shin-chan’s personal characteristics will be added to the description. While it’s not always “funny,” it’s always more memorable.
There’s even an opportunity to compete or get a little more involved in everything. There is a Dino Card in Chocobi. If you get the card, you can fight kids with your dinosaurs in the minigame Dinosaur Shodown. But again, the execution means it’s much less stressful than other card games. The stakes are low. You are literally fighting children. It’s fine if you just use the dinosaurs you like or don’t invest much in collecting cards.
Shin-chan: Me and the professor during summer vacation is a pleasure for the same reason Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Star Valley still very welcoming. It was a way to escape to a world of permanent comfort. There is a slower paced life here. It’s a place filled with fun, friends, family, and an optional “to-do list” that you can tip off on the sidelines. It’s a joy and the result is the kind of game that will stand the test of time.
Shin-chan: Me and the professor on summer vacation – Endless seven-day journey available for PS4, Switchand computer.
