Sometimes, I’d rather play with a toy than a game. Digital toys and games are quite similar, but Gacha, a game made for Ludum Dare 44, falls more into the toy category for me. And that’s not a complaint.
Gacha shows you one of those coin machines – you put in your money and out comes some random toys. There are three different areas of the machine – sides for $1, $2, and $3. Putting in coins equal to one of those amounts and turning the handle produces a small capsule with a toy inside. You can then open the capsule, click the toy, and get a short description. The toys pile on the side and are added to a sheet to show which ones you’ve collected.
You’ll run out of money fast, so you’ll need to wait a few years (which is done by hitting a button) before receiving more coins to collect more toys with. There is something so lovely about cranking the handle of this cute machine and gaining a toy with its own story. Collecting them all is the goal, but for me, this was a slow and joyous experience that I spent my time with, lining up stuff I thought fit together and seeing new items constantly.
Gacha is just fun to play around with, especially if you’re looking for something to bring you joy.
Gacha is playable for free on Itch.io.