Button City

Button City is an adorable little adventure-arcade game that is both lighthearted and heartfelt, with an amazing soundtrack, a lovable cast of characters, and a story with all the feels. It’s a worthy addition to any Switch library.

Overall, Button City‘s slow start and lack of overall variety in the minigames might not be for everybody. Those who have been longing to relive their youthful summer days, however, can do worse than this one. Its charming story, adorable characters and entertaining minigames do a solid job of reminding us all to take a minute and remember the good times.

Button City provides an enjoyable time but it comes with a lot of caveats that unfortunately sully a full recommendation. There are a number of “, but…” statements after saying “I like it.” You have to be the type of person who likes this gameplay loop, and there are a couple of forced memes in the writing. You also have to look past the large number of bugs. If those notes don’t sound like a dealbreaker for you, Button City is a very good game.

Button City delivers a deceptively poignant story wrapped up in an extremely adorable package. The playable arcade games also add some brief extra fun and novelty to what is otherwise a straightforward adventure. In total, it adds up to be a unique, memorable piece of art. But the slow walking speed is a drag, and the game’s so buggy right now that maybe you should wishlist it and wait a few weeks to play it.

Button City at its core is a cute, charming story about the trials of life (and how cool arcades are). With a memorable roster of identifiable characters and a unique style of presentation, it's easy to buy into its initial hype. Digging deeper in, various aspects aren't quite as polished as the surface allows witness to, especially those looking for a more varied gaming experience. Those willing to bear the brunt of passing time leisurely won't mind, though players craving a little more may be left disappointed.

The low-poly graphics may not appeal to everyone, and various mechanics can make gameplay feel a bit on the slow side, but those who love the cute aesthetic are guaranteed to have fun helping Fennel settle into his new town of Button City with the bright colours and entertaining characters. The range of mini-games means there is something for everyone to enjoy from racing to rhythm games, and the plethora of side quests add to the post game content. The almost non-stop humour aside from the moments where gravitas is required make it more than just a game. It focuses on and excels at showing the nature of friendship within small groups, and also the wider social structure of what it takes to be in a community.