Some of the hottest genres in the current gaming zeitgeist — roguelikes, deck-builders, and cosy games — have had their powers combined in Nif Nif, a charming neurodivergent-friendly game launching on Steam and Nintendo Switch on April 1st.
Developed by Springfox Games, Nif Nif follows an adorable piglet on a heartwarming adventure to clean his forest home and save his friends from a mysterious evil goo. While the game’s premise might seem simple, I can assure you that there is plenty of fun to be had.
Inspired by the developer’s autistic son, this game is primarily designed to deliver a fun and engaging experience for children, where they can explore and play in a positive, non-violent environment — though adults may find just as much enjoyment.
Being diagnosed with Autism as an adult, it’s been quite the journey for me to learn more about myself, my boundaries, and my abilities. This review will cover the accessibility for this game for someone with Autism. As always, my experiences, limits, and abilities are my own, and you should consider these carefully before deciding to purchase the game for yourself.
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Gameplay
The concept of Nif Nif is fairly straightforward: clean up the forest and rescue your friends. To do so, Nif Nif embarks on an adventure where he encounters animals taken over by the goo. To save them, he needs to clean them, but they don’t make that easy. Creatures hurl attacks at Nif Nif that make him dirty, and you need to play your cards right to manage your own cleanliness while also purifying enemies. You make your way through a map consisting of branching paths, enemies encounters, and events that culminate in a challenging (but not overwhelming) boss battle.
The blend genres — cosy and rougelike deck-building — might seem contradictory, but the mix works perfectly in Nif Nif. Upon failure you’ll have to restart each run from the start, but importantly, the game never feels punishing, helping to maintain that cosy atmosphere. The cutesy vibes and slow, turn-based pace make it the perfect game to relax to, while the strategic deck-building mechanics add just the right amount of mental stimulation to keep your brain engaged.
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Completing runs under certain conditions will unlock further bonuses for future runs. For instance, Nif Nif can unlock and wear different hats, each giving different benefits to the gameplay. Plus they look adorable on the cute little piglet!
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When on a run you’ll encounter shops and stops where you can purchase and upgrade items, or help Nif Nif regain health. These places contain fun little Easter eggs, often referencing pop-culture like The Matrix, Alice in Wonderland, and Doctor Who!
Accessibility
Nif Nif’s core accessibility features are baked into the game itself, rather than found in settings you can turn on and off.
For example, every transition — whether moving from a battle to the map, from the map to a shop, or any other shift — is preceded with a screen explaining what is about to happen. This means there are no surprises about what is to come. Consistent expectations and structured routines are imperative for reducing anxiety in people with Autism, so that’s one big tick for Nif Nif.
Another thoughtful feature is the game’s audio, which is muted by default. If you want the sound, you will have to manually enable it in the settings. Nothing hurts my brain more than a booming title screen, and while I think most people find these annoying, they can be especially painful for people with Autism who experience sensory overload.
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It’s features like these that, while not labeled accessibility in the game’s settings, that actually make the game accessible. The small but considerate details are what make this a neurodivergent-friendly indie game.
It’s also worth mentioning that I played Nif Nif on both PC and Steam Deck, running flawlessly on both platforms. After spending a month with the game, I can confidently say that it’s a polished experience and just works, which is something that isn’t always a given in today’s gaming industry.
Should You Buy Nif Nif?
While not doing anything particularly revolutionary, I found Nif Nif to be a solid and enjoyable experience; a comfort food offering hours of entertainment. With its well-polished gameplay and thoughtful design, it’s a fun and cosy romp that seamlessly blends some of today’s hottest gaming genres.
It’s a game that I can wholeheartedly recommend to both kids and adults alike, neurodivergent or otherwise. Nif Nif is launching on April 1st for PC via Steam and Nintendo Switch.
Quest Daily scores Nif Nif:
8.5/10
A copy of Nif Nif was supplied to Quest Daily for the purpose of this review.
