As a ’90s child, I’ve got a lot of nostalgia for Polly Pocket, the pocket-sized dollhouse I carried around in my youth. Tiny Garden is a laid back gardening simulator and decorating game encapsulated in the iconic Polly Pocket housing, the in-game days of which are powered by a hand crank. As much of a game as it is a toy, Tiny Garden is both a puzzle and a plaything to poke at; though Tiny Garden isn’t available until April 8, I’ve been playing its demo as part of the Steam Next Fest.
Tiny Garden’s little toy is filled with magic: First, the magic of growing plants. You begin simple, growing radishes, carrots, and cacti before moving onto plants grown in more complex environments. This is where the puzzle elements come in: The soil changes depending on the plants that have last grown there, so you’ve got to plan ahead on what and where to plant. Meanwhile, plants are acquired and used to trade for decorations — both inside and outside your Polly Pocket-esque toy.
Underneath it all, the toy’s story is being told: “Before you got your hands on Tiny Garden, others have played with this toy,” developer Ao Norte wrote on the Steam store page. “Through letters, you’ll uncover a heartfelt story that reminds us that objects aren’t just things — they hold the traces of lives lived and stories shared. Each new discovery offers more than just a piece of furniture or a plant — it’s a glimpse into a deeper connection.”
I’ve found Tiny Garden to be an absolute delight, a simple pleasure while a chaotic reality spins around me. Though there’s a ton of variety in what you do and how you decorate, the objectives of Tiny Garden are clear: just create. Create at your own pace, it seems to say, and feel free to be surprised and delighted by what pops up. There’s a lot to like in this tiny package of a game.
