Review of “Chillin’ by the Fire”

I’m sitting here wondering why on earth I’ve spent hours with Power Wash Simulator of all things. Seriously, why do these “work-in-a-game” things get under my skin? It’s like, I know I’m playing a game, but my brain’s like, “Why are you cleaning a virtual thing when there’s a real unwashed car outside?” Anyway, when Nintendo showed off a campfire simulator, I didn’t even roll my eyes—just got intrigued. Oink Games, of all folks, decided to dip into this genre, which is odd and kinda cool.

So, if you’re not familiar, Oink Games does board games that are sorta neat and social, like Scout and Deep Sea Adventure. They’ve got this clean look and a knack for getting people to chat and laugh over a table. Their Switch and mobile release “Let’s Play: Oink Games” became a fave of mine for just chillin’ with pals. Somehow, “Chillin’ by the Fire” does that whole vibe in a digital campfire kind of way.

Picture this: you start with a cold campfire, some logs, and a single igniter. Grab logs, chop ’em up, and lay ’em down. Flick your lighter, and watch as the fire dances across your packjob. Bigger logs are your friends but take their sweet time to light up. The tiny splinters? They’re like the caffeine hit your fire needs to spread quickly. Moving, twisting logs around feels almost like Tetris, but warmer and oddly satisfying. There’s this up-and-down gauge measuring your fire’s enthusiasm; it’s a constant juggle to keep those flames alive.

Now, playing alone is calm and all, but bring in friends, and it’s this whole new beast. Online, local—you name it. The best part is, even those without the game can jump in! Oink got nostalgic here, like the good ol’ DS Download Play days. I was with a friend—me, measuring and stacking, them, chopping like a lumberjack in an eager race to make the biggest blaze. Oh, and the game likes to throw questions at you—like “If you could redo one thing from ten years ago, what would it be?” I mean, perfect chat fuel while you stoke actual flames.

Sure, there’re achievements too. Fire-lovers can nab cool axes or fire blowers. But you’ll also get some weird party stuff—fireworks, a kazoo, even a glow stick? Not joking.

Not everything’s perfect though. Wiggling logs around could be smoother. Sometimes they just stubbornly sit or roll where they shouldn’t. And those chairs and tents? Just extra fluff. The core is still a relaxing experience, a simple backdrop to friends or a binge session of whatever show you’re avoiding spoilers for.

The “extra” in this campfire simulator is something, but it’s the social magic that makes it stand out. Did I expect to enjoy stacking virtual wood? Heck no. But here we are, and I’m already picturing pyromaniacs setting speed records.