Tiny Lands Deluxe Edition Review

puzzle, Tiny Lands

Tiny Lands is a delightful, relaxing game about finding differences in handcrafted dioramas. It’s a cozy and casual puzzle game that has no time pressure, no punishment, just beautiful environments, relaxing music, and tiny differences. Developed by Hyper Three Studio and published by Hidden Trap, the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series version of Tiny Lands is finally here. The best part is that this is the Deluxe Edition, and it’s packed with extra goodies! In addition to the base game’s charming dioramas, the deluxe edition includes extra biomes and additional features that deepen the experience. You’ll find new environments to explore, each with unique challenges and more intricate details that really bring the cozy vibes to the next level.

Two Hundred handcrafted dioramas

Tiny Lands is full of charming biomes that each have their own distinct vibe and the artstyle of the game is definitely one of its standout features that brings it all together. The original base game has ten biomes and each biome has 10 levels totalling to 100 handcrafted levels. Then, the deluxe edition brings in an additional 10 biomes with 10 levels. Each diorama is lovingly crafted with a whimsical, almost miniature model aesthetic. The attention to detail is stunning, with each biome having its own distinct colour palette and design elements. The forest biome might be lush and green, full of rich textures, while the beach scenes are bright and sunny with sandy tones and gentle waves. This thoughtful artistry not only makes each scene a pleasure to look at, but it also sets the mood perfectly for that peaceful, introspective experience of finding differences. It all comes together to create a delightful, immersive world.

Find the difference, point & click puzzle game experience

When it comes to playing this point and click, finding the difference game, the controls are super straightforward and intuitive. You basically use the analog stick to rotate the 3D diorama, zoom in and out, and use the bumpers to pan left and right. Since it’s a find the difference game, you have both scenes side by side with five differences to look for. When you move the camera, both screens move, allowing you to better succeed in finding these differences. It’s very user-friendly, without any hassle of failing, or running out of time which truly allows that relaxing and cozy experience.

In order to progress and access the other biomes, you gain stars from finding a difference in each scene, then you use these stars to unlock more biomes. Which biomes you unlock is up to you, there’s no set order to choose from. The more biomes you unlock, the more stars are required to unlock the next one, giving you that slight nudge to keep playing and perhaps fully complete the previous biome before moving on to the next. It’s optional, but still gives that drive to find everything at your own pace.

20 biomes with 10 stages, each with 5 differences to find

Choosing which shiny new biome to unlock with your hard earned stars is part of the fun. As I previously mentioned, there are twenty biomes to choose from in Tiny Lands Deluxe Edition. The base game has Japanese themed biomes, spooky scenes, Western, desert atmospheres, or even sports themed biomes. The Deluxe Edition includes: Desert Mysteries, City Lifestyle, Warmy Christmas, Traditional Food, Cozy Interiors, Fairy Tales, Fish Tanks, Amusement Park, and Pirates. Lastly, this also includes the “Final Challenge” special world for those who are ready for the ultimate Tiny Lands experience.

To complete the experience, is Tiny Lands’ sound design. A cozy game isn’t complete without ambient sound and sound effects, right? Each diorama in Tiny Lands has its own ambient sounds that really bring it to life. For instance, a forest diorama might have gentle rustling leaves and bird chirps, while a beach setting has the soothing sound of waves and seagulls. These little touches not only make each environment feel unique, but they also enhance that peaceful atmosphere as you look for the differences in each scene. It’s a lovely blend of visuals and audio that really draws you in and keeps you relaxed.

This scene definitely makes me wish I was playing this game while eating sushi.

All in all, Tiny Lands Deluxe Edition is a delightful, soothing experience that should happily find its home in your collection on PS5 or Xbox Series if you are looking to relax and enjoy a bit of mindful fun.