Developed by h.a.n.d. Inc. and Published by Neos Corporation, Shin Chan: Shiro and the Coal Town is an open world, Slice of Life, collectathon point and click adventure.
Kids might not always be the sharpest tools in the shed, but Shin chan really takes things to another level with his ridiculous antics all over town. His blend of silliness and pure stupidity turns the mundane into a bit sillier mundane.
Plus, why is it that every time someone in this town sees a six-year-old, their first instinct is to hand him a totally random task?
A Shin Chan Cartoon
Shin Chan and his grandfather travel to this village, while they’re there, Shin Chan has no school or nothing. Obviously he gets bored really quickly, so he goes around town helping people do their daily tasks to pass time.
Eventually they start taking advantage of him by forcing him into “child labour” of sorts by giving him the strangest of tasks to complete. Like, for example, catching bugs for an obsessive woman or (other crazy thing Shin Chan does in the game)
I haven’t really watched the show before, but I’ve definitely heard of it thanks to its popularity. With my limited knowledge, I recall it being quite different from what I experienced in the game.
It’s interesting how things evolve over time, much like what we’ve seen with The Simpsons and Family Guy, which have changed significantly since their early days. Still, the sheer randomness and unpredictability of Shin Chan: Shiro and the Coal Town is something else entirely!
Child Labour
While the tasks you have to do in this Shin Chan game are an extensive list, I don’t want to spoil them for you so I will only explain the first one to you.
The game begins with the aforementioned plot explanation from Grandpa to Shin Chan followed by Grandpa taking Shin Chan to a field somewhere in the village, to catch bugs. The gameplay here and through most of the game will be point & click plus some button pushing. It is quite simple, Google Play Store simple.
Afterwards, Grandpa tells us about a lady in the village who loves bugs and says that we should take the one we caught to her. We take it to her, and so begins an endless tirade of tasks.
After this mission, the open world of the game is made available with a time cycle that moves forward after every completed task.
The fun thing was that you had to be home by night and were not allowed to leave till morning after. A nice touch of realism if I do say so myself.
I will say that most of this game is just plain old children’s game dribble with often pointless and boring tasks and dialogue straight from the bum. One thing, however, gave me some enjoyment. That one thing was the world itself.
The ever expanding world of Shin Chan: Shiro and the Coal town captures a perfect blend of video game and serene Japanese countryside.
Travelling the locations available in Shin Chan: Shiro and the Coal Town gave me the feeling of anemoia, if you will.
A Young Feeling
And there you have it! Shinchan: Shiro and the Coal Town is a wild, whimsical ride through a charming Japanese village, filled with Shinchan’s trademark shenanigans. While some tasks might feel a bit mundane, the real joy comes from exploring this quirky world and meeting its eccentric characters.
If you’re in the mood for a lighthearted adventure that captures the carefree spirit of childhood, this game is definitely worth checking out.
