Spilled! – A Parent’s Review
By a parent who games between coffee breaks and cleaning up spills.
Reviewed on: Steam Deck
Available on: PC (Steam)
The Quick Take
Spilled! is very short and simple cozy game where you are tasked to clean up ocean waste. You recycle ocean trash, earn coins, and upgrade your boat while exploring new areas. This honestly has been my favorite game of the year so far. Yes it only takes about an hour to beat but in a world with so much going on, I can easily turn my brain off and just relax and clean up the digital ocean.
The Parent Perspective
When I sit down to play, I’m usually juggling real-life to-do lists and trying not to fall asleep on the controller. So here’s what I look at as a parent:
- Can I play in short bursts? There are a total of 8 sections and each section takes less than 10 minutes to complete.
- Can I pause/save easily? The game is really easy to pick up and pause if you need to.
- Attention required: This is a very low stakes game. Pick it up and play it when ever and however many times that you’d like.
- Stress level: This is the definition of a cozy game.
- Content concerns: There is destruction to nature which might be upsetting to some, but you’re fixing that with your boat.
Kid-Friendly? Let’s Talk
Depending on your household rules and the age of your kids, this game may or may not make the cut. Here’s what I noticed:
- Good for kids? 5+
- Stuff they might love: The easy to use controls and Studio Ghibli style graphics
- Stuff to talk about first: This would be a great teaching experience about how if we don’t take care of the oceans and streams that something like oil spills and trash can happen.
How It Fits Into a Parent’s Life
- Works in 15–30 min chunks? Each section only takes up 10 minutes or less so you can easily complete a section and pause it.
- Okay to step away mid-session? Yes, the game only takes an hour to complete so you can easily step away for any period of time and come right back to it.
- Mentally exhausting or easy to sink into? This game is completely chill and easy to sink into.
Learning Curve & Controls
- Easy to learn? You can use the left and right triggers to move the boat back and forth to scoop up the oil and move the trash to the recycling center.
- Control scheme: Super simple. The paddles move the boat back and for and you use the joystick to move in the right direction.
- Tutorial quality: No real tutorial and you don’t need one.
Vibe Check
- Visual style: It has a pixel-art mixed with the Ponyo movie feel to it.
- Soundtrack: It has a super chill soundtrack
- Overall mood: Super cozy mood
So… Is It Worth My Rare Free Time?
- Great for parents who love: Cozy or Relaxing games
- Will I keep playing? It’s a game that I’ll keep on my Steam Deck for future playthroughs.
- Recommend to other parents? Absolutely! For less than $10, this game is an absolute steal.
Parent Score
My very official, highly subjective rating:
☕☕☕☕☕/5 out of 5 Mugs of coffee – Great for winding down and super easy to pick up between loads of laundry or if you wanna play something before bed and you don’t want to have to think.
Final Thoughts
Spilled! is proof that amazing things can come in small, cozy packages. Once you start playing you will want to play until the game is completed and then start it all over and play it again. It’s that good of a game.
If you’ve played Spilled! or have questions, drop them in the comments—I’d love to hear from you!
