When I say The tin Soldier, you might be inclined to think about Hans Christian Andersen's sentimental story fairy-tale. In which case, you might be caught a little off guard by Alejandro Iglesias's queerly creepy and melancholic little point-and-click rendition of the tale. Emerging from his box, our one-legged hero discovers that his fellow toys are being menaced by a twisted jack-in-the-box. To put things right and rescue his lady-fair, he'll have to confront the villain... after a few unintentional detours.
The game is played with the mouse. When the cursor changes to a hand, it means you can interact with something. Click and hold on the arrows at either side of the screen, and the soldier will hop in that direction until something stops him. To use an item, simply drag it from your inventory at the top of the screen and it will snap into place when you move it over the correct spot. Characters communicate using speech bubbles with visual interpretations of words, but figuring out what each person wants is usually fairly straightforward.
Analysis: Playing The tin Soldier is a bit like having a bedtime story read to you by Tim Burton circa Stainboy era. Weird, cool, and just a bit creepy, the game doesn't possess any real violence or scares, but the overall sense of gloom that hangs over toydom might be too upsetting for some younger children. Adults, by turn, might wish the story took a bit more liberties with its source material; despite the look and feel, it's actually a fairly faithful retelling of the original story, and it would have been nice to see creator Alejandro Iglesias explore the darker side of things a bit more since the art and sound were clearly up to the job.
Unfortunately, the game is bogged down by some awkward mouse-movement controls and a little too much clicking. There's also very little help given towards some of the frequently bizarre puzzles that may frustrate some players. A section where you have to rewire a fish's brain using jellyfish tentacles stands out as being one of the biggest trial-and-error offenders, despite being fairly creative. As such, the game winds up feeling like it's leaning more on its overall sense of style than its gameplay.
The ending feels a little abrupt, and you'll probably wish it had been a bit longer, too. As it stands, The tin Soldier will probably run you a little under half an hour, and it's definitely worth a spin if you're looking for something a little bit different.
I'm stuck at the part with the fish, currently.
I like how it's pixelated, but it gives the impression of being sketched. I thought it was happy at first, but...
then I killed the doll. xD
Aww, I finished it shortly after. I thought this story sounded familiar! I read it as a kid, but it always creeped me out. Quite a bittersweet ending.
any hints on the fish brain?
I am stuck in the fish head as well
for help with fish head...u need to put back the teeth after using them to cut the tendons.place the tendons in the two holes then the teeth in correct order.this will make the fish move and take bait
I'm stuck at the part where I have 4 screws. there's a monkey and a frog that wants to eat. I've tried clicking almost everywhere and using the screws, but nothing seems to happen. What do I do next?
For the fish brain:
remove the fish's top teeth and use them to pull the tentacles off of the jellyfish. click movable wires on top to connect back wires to front wire. move to fish's head and use tentacles on holes next to pull-cord. pulling the first cord moves the fish forward and pulling the third cord looks out at the fishhook. i'm not sure what the second cord does or what to do from here.
I figured it out!
It took a few tries, but once you are close to the fishhook, pulling the second cord will open the fish's mouth and get you out of the fish.
I really enjoyed playing this game, everything felt in place very nicely and the music sounds good.
About the fish:
Use the fish's teeth on something you can cut
Like the tentacles of your "friend" of the first screen
I'm stuck on the part with the 4 screws too. I've tried clicking on anything and everything. Hints please?
No one's posting a walkthrough yet? Well, then, I guess I'll go ahead and do so.
WALKTHROUGH
The Beggining
Drag the box open with your mouse, from right to left.
Click on the tin soldier all the way on the right.
Movement - Use the left and right arrows on either side of the screen to hop in that direction. (Having only one leg, you're a bit crippled.) Go left.
Take the button to the right.
Talk to the doll.
Seems like she's a bit tied up. (Heh.) Well, too bad for her. FINISH HER. (Click on the button she's standing on.)
Go right two screens.
The teddybear doesn't have eyes, poor thing. What might it use for eyes?
Place the two buttons where the eyes should be on the teddy bear.
Grinding Gears
Ignore the frog for now. Go right.
On the robot's chest, with the three squares with dots in them, click on them. Notice that they change.
Talk to the robot, and arrange the squares as he tells you to.
The combination is 2, 3, 4. Press the button.
Talk to the robot again.
When the two images show up in the word bubble, click on the question mark option.
The clown will now let you pass. Go right.
Unscrew the screws in each corner.
Interesting. Two gears. But they do nothing. Back to the frog! (Go left two screens.)
The frog is hungry. The frog is a robot. Sadly, his plate is empty. What do you have that he might find to be a scrumptious snack?
Feed the frog the bolts by placing each one on the plate.
Take the gear.
Go right two screens.
Place the gear above and inbetween the two gears already there.
Turn the handle on the left side of the box.
Go right twice.
Meet Jack
Talk to the poor trapped girl. (No, you don't kill this one.)
That mean old monster has the key to the crate? You should go beat it out of him. Go right.
Wind the handle of the Jack in the Box. Oogaboogabooga, scary Jack.
Rock the Boat.
For this stage, you need to step in eiher the left, right, or center of the boat to tilt it and make it move past the obstacles.
Move to the left of the boat, until the boat stops.
Go to the right side of the boat to continue on your journey.
Argh! stopped again. This time moving doesn't work. Be patient.
Take the needle (?) out of the thing floating by.
Use it on the bottle in the water.
In the Belly of a Whale
Oh dear. Eaten by a robot fish! Well, it's actually a fish, but whatever. Your tin man seems quite disheartened. Go right.
Take the 3 teeth from one side of the jaw.
Go to the left.
Use any one of the teeth to cut the three tentacles off your jelly fish buddy.
Go right. Insert the two of the tentacles into the empty holes.
Click on the rightmost one to see a fish hook. But it's so far away! Maybe the other tentacles will help?
But they don't work yet. Put the teeth back. Place them in proper order.
(Hint, the other teeth on the opposite side.)
Okay, fine, put them in smallest to largest order, from left to right.
Still doesn't work. Go to the left.
Switch around the circuit thing to connect it to the other wires. Go right.
Now it works! Click the leftmost tentacle to move towards the hook.
Click the center tentacle to make the fish bite!
Dinner Time, and End
Now you're on a dinner table. Go left, and take some of the spaghetti.
Go right twice.
Click on the knife to tip it over.
Now attach the spaghetti to the knife.
Go right onto the spaghetti.
That doll has seen some better days. Go right.
Oh no! The Jack in the box again! Talk to him.
Have bittersweet sadness about the ending.
You win!
The ending doesn't have to be quite so bittersweet.
If you rescue the doll in the beginning using the domino, you can save the girl.
This is a very neat little game! Loved the bad ending! Thanks for adding this! :D
Oh and if you save the doll you get the good ending too.
Great little game, love the graphics. All ended too quickly though, I was just getting into it and suddenly....The End!
Wonderful game
Although the fish part is a bit tricky
My only complain is, however
That Jack-in-the-box in the good ending segment should die in the fire with a scream of suffering (shown in pictures like most dialogues of course) instead of just sliently. This can really make the adventure worthwhile and can reduce the dark atmosphere, IMO, as alomost pure evil villains should pay for thier evil deeds dearly
Sorry but I might be a bit a utopianist....-_-
Loved this game!
Having a problem with the fish head. Teeth are right. tentacles are in but when i pull the first one the fish goes forward very fast and only the back of the tail shows so I cant pull the middle one to get it to bite. Also cant move forward to the hook as I'm in the fish mouth and can only go to the front. It wont let me go any closer.
you dont need to kill the doll
pick up domino by the bear replace button with domino
This game balances perfectly on the line between good and creepy. I didn't find it too difficult and thats deffinitly why I liked it.
You don't have to kill the doll in the beginning!
Use the domino, by the bear, to place under her before taking the button.
she talked to me at the end so I don't think I did her in though some of the drawings were confusing.
Great game! In the original H. C: Andersen story the ending was infact the bad one, the love was fulfilled only in the aftherlife. Loved the idea of having two endings.
More!!!
Meh. Killed the doll on the first try. "Whuuut? Oh, you want me to remove this?" *death*
I didn't realize there was more than one ending at first. I didn't realize
taking the button would kill the girl (as she was a toy, after all)
. I knew the domino was probably there for a reason the first time, but I think I'd already taken the buttons by then.
I didn't realize there was more than one ending at first. I didn't realize
taking the button would kill the girl (as she was a toy, after all)
. I knew the domino was probably there for a reason the first time, but I think I'd already taken the buttons by then.
In any case, the music was great, the art style was nice (though sometimes confusing), and the game was short but sweet.
Sorry, I stopped about 5 minutes in. If you're going to have a game that relies on pictorial communication, at least make the pictures clear. Not only were the drawings bad, but they were pixelated beyond recognition. Just trying to get through one of the toy's rambling dialogs of blurry, poorly drawn pictures was frustrating enough to make me not want to even try.
I liked it. As several have already mentioned, you don't have to kill the doll at the beginning. Then when you encounter her at the end:
She gives you the key, which you use on the duck.
And that gives you the "good" ending. But both should be experienced.
I do agree that it didn't have to be so pixelated. It doesn't add anything stylistically. It just makes it harder to understand therefore adversely affects gameplay.
Still... I liked it.
HELP!!!
Where can I get the music of the game? Please help me! Thanks :)
There is a bug in the game.
It can be triggered when you click on the gear too fast when the frog spits it out.
Beautiful game! Loved the music; Really helped set the mood. I really liked both of the endings, and how you were able to understand the plot without the need of words :3
For the ones with the fish problem: When you've cut the tentacles of your ''friend'' in the beginning with a tooth, and you've put the tentacles in the holes, you've got to walk to the mouth until you can't go any further. Then put all of his teeth back in place. Then click the third tentacle in the hol, and move your cursor directly to the second tentacle. Click on that one when you see the hook. Out you are!
I think you ar forgetting something:
you don't need to kill the doll, if you go to the right there's a domino brick to replace the button with.
I tried playing this game but it wont let me go right, i only have the left arrow to move. I don't know if its just the computer im on but, yeah. Other wise it really interests me and i want to play it.
You dont have to kill the hung girl!! Put the domino next to the bear under her feet, then take the eye!
There is two endings. a happy ending and a sad one. if you put the domino under the doll at the beginning before you take the button you will have a happy ending.
you know you dont have to kill the doll thats "tied up" right? you could just pick up the domino piece the you go over to her and place it under her before you pick up the button yea!!! she doesnt die!! i got stuck in the fish too, i also wish the game was a little longer. i love the creepy, goth, no more hope feel but im weird.
Is there any way to download the music?
I just discovered there are 2 endings to this game!
Option 1
If you remove the button under the doll in the first screen without using the domino, in the end they both die. Bittersweet ending.
or
Option 2
Place the domino under the doll in the beginning.Later she is sitting under the table. talk to her to get a winding key. Put this in the duck in the next screen to push jack into the fire! Hello Happily Ever After!
omg what a messed up ending!!!! the tin soilder and his love are burnt in a fire and make a heart?!!! lol the ending ruined the game for me as it was such a good game. i loved the way they were pixelated as if they'd been sketched.
I LOVE this game...can anyone PLEASE tell me the name os the music in the background. Or help me find it. You would be helping me along. The ending is so sad.and yet sweet
People are complaining about the drawings? I swear, Y'all are too hooked into 3d animation and these PS3 type graphics. The game was meant to be done like this. Ya don't like it? Then don't play.
i love the music, i love the sketchiness of the art, i love the simplicity of the puzzles. i wish it was longer though.
booh Dora :p
I hate reviews that swing to both sides, the game was great
It was nice story
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