Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid

 Switch
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
  1. Hey Poor Player
    Sep 10, 2024
    90
    Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid offers distilled Summer Break happiness in video game form, with its vast open world, boundless activities, and magnetic rural charm. I’ve played a lot of video games in my life, but I don’t know that I’ve ever quite played one like this. I can say one thing for sure, though—I’m already looking forward to my next summer adventure.
  2. TouchArcade
    Aug 14, 2024
    90
    Those who are looking for a ton of gameplay hours for their buck might find Natsu-Mon a little lighter than they’re after. It’s really the only caution I have to offer here. Otherwise, this is an excellent example of the kind of game it’s trying to be. If you want to transport back to a childhood you never had, there’s no better way to do it this summer. It really grabs on to you and carries you along at its pace, despite the whole game being structured around you doing things at your own speed. I really love this game, and I hope we keep seeing more of these in the future.
  3. Digitally Downloaded
    Aug 7, 2024
    90
    It’s impossible to experience everything that Natsu-Mon has to offer in a single play-through – much like how it’s impossible to get everything done that you want to over a summer. They’re always over too quickly. But then the very best way to play is to put Natsu-Mon down for quite some time afterward and let that one run through the game be your memory of it. This is something to be experienced, not played, and as far as emergent narratives are concerned, this is the best example of that I’ve seen in many, many years.
  5. GameGrin
    Sep 10, 2024
    85
    Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid is like living through your childhood summers: filled with adventures, friends, chores, and great memories to look back on. Though the controls could be finicky, the overall experience was a level of wholesome all its own!
  6. Pure Nintendo
    Aug 19, 2024
    85
    Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid provides a gaming adventure as cozy as its name. Its stakes may be low, but it packs in plenty to accomplish and will have players feeling nostalgic for a time they may have never even experienced.
  7. Noisy Pixel
    Aug 15, 2024
    85
    Natsu-Mon! 20th Century Summer Kid is a cozy game above the rest, exuding a charming vibe that just comes across naturally. It’s the ultimate pre-internet summer vacation time capsule. It’s one thing for a video game to help you escape the real world, but what about a game that ends up teaching you to appreciate your world a little more? It’s easy to take the grind of life as ordinary and for granted, but sometimes it’s worth seeing the world like a little kid again.
  8. Cubed3
    Feb 18, 2026
    80
    Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid is a great summery, relaxing time, with an engaging story, decent visual and sound design, and a lot of heart. There is a lot of fun to be had, even with the slightly unbalanced elements like character voicing. For anyone looking for a somewhat nostalgic and cheeky adventure where they can switch off and have a blast, look no further.
  9. Movies Games and Tech
    Oct 7, 2024
    80
    I truly recommend this game for fans of explorative adventures like Stardew Valley or Animal Crossing, or those just looking to reminisce on the good old days, both real and imagined.
  10. Tech-Gaming
    Aug 8, 2024
    80
    Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid makes most commercial games feel like thankless labor. Set against backdrops of azure skies and verdant hillsides, the game lets you loose in a rural town. You can tackle kid-size goals if you’d like, or just spend your days capriciously, chasing butterflies and seeing where footpaths lead. This is the kind of open-world experience we need more of.
  11. Siliconera
    Aug 5, 2024
    80
    Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid launched at a time when I really needed it, and that made me appreciate this cozy life sim even more. The older we get, the rarer it is to enjoy weeks of freedom, discovery, and joy. I get so caught up in work, especially around summer events when there are events back-to-back. Millennium Kitchen and Toybox really captured the magic of a peaceful summer where you can live at your own pace. Everything is new and an adventure. It’s refreshing and rejuvenating.
  12. God is a Geek
    Aug 5, 2024
    80
    Natsu-mon: 20th Century Summer Kid is a charming rural romp full of bug catching and recycling, perfect for a stress free evening.
  13. Impulsegamer
    Aug 15, 2024
    76
    Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid is an amusing adventure game where you run around all summer and nothing is as important than what you want to do. Bounce on plants, explore caves, and kick a tree in this open world game where your freedom is the only thing that matters.
  14. NintendoWorldReport
    Aug 9, 2024
    75
    Even though I haven't experienced all that Natsu-Mon: 20th Century Summer Kid has to offer, I've seen enough to know that it should well serve a niche looking for a laid-back, Animal Crossing-like experience. The game follows a one-month summer countdown, so it's unlikely that you'll see everything on offer during a single playthrough. Almost every single in-game day brings something new, though, and if you have patience enough to buy into the premise, you'll be rewarded with your own chill summer break. It has some rough edges, but it's hard not to jive with the small town vibes of Satoru’s summer home.