For long-time viewers of What’s It Like, it’s no secret I really enjoy Farming Simulator 23 and have sunk close to 300 hours into that game, farming away to my heart’s content. There are plenty of intricacies you have to master and time to grow your crops, process and store them, and wait for the right time to sell them to maximize profits. Giants Software has absolutely nailed this genre, and the Farming Simulator franchise, much like my digital crops, has grown into its own, with Farming Sim having its own agricultural trade shows, and they have become the only name in the Farming Simulator field worth knowing (no pun intended.) Farming Simulator Kids is an attempt to bring a younger audience into the wonderful world of agriculture. What’s it Like? Create your character, jump in a tractor, and put on your overalls as we review Farming Simulator Kids for Nintendo Switch.
It’s hard to score a game like Farming Simulator for Kids as I’m not the target audience, so I thought I would approach this review as a parent instead of a critic. How did I do that? Well, after exploring the game and features myself, I handed the Switch over to my daughter who is 6 years old, and let her play it while I asked her questions about what she likes about the game. This review is built on those questions and that experience, and won’t come down to a score out of 100 like I usually do.
Farming Simulator Kids is very clearly built for a very young audience, and as such, only uses touchscreen controls, with gameplay similar to that of a basic phone or table app. There’s not a lot of reading or direction, and objectives are represented in colourful icons. The objective? Just have fun and do things your way! You start by creating your farmer avatar and friends, as well as any critters you like, and are then unleashed on the town of Farming Simulator kids to explore at your leisure.
While Farming Simulator 23 was all about carefully maintaining your crops and industry, FS Kids takes a more laid-back approach to farming, allowing players to plant crops, water, and harvest all in a few seconds which helps focus on fun and engagement for the younger audience. You can also milk cows, feed horses, and even make sandwiches to order with the sandwich machine, all with relative ease thanks to the intuitive touchscreen controls. Younger Farmers also don’t have to wait to drive combines or tractors, with all tools available at their disposal and ready to drive. The game surprisingly features actual licensed vehicles from John Deere too, which may be lost on the younger audience, but the authenticity is a nice touch for seasoned Farm Sim Parents.
Graphically, the game is bright and colourful with friendly-looking avatars and cute critters. It’s somewhat akin to kids cartoons and it features bright and colourful locales to explore and interact with. The art style looks nice and suits the game’s fun and bubbly vibe, littering every location with characters and creatures. The gameplay is simple like dragging a bucket under a cow to milk it or pressing a button on the seed machine to dispense wheat seeds to plant. You can drag your watering can across crops to water them, and drag the combine across the wheat to harvest it. None of it is complex, but I did find the touch controls on the Switch version a little fiddly at times. It wasn’t game-breaking, but the click-and-drag aspects may cause some frustrations for tiny hands.
For my vision-impaired Junior Farmers, there are no accessibility options, but the buttons are highlighted and the colours contrast rather well. That being said, as always, I recommend further research to find out if Farming Simulator Kids is for your Jr Farmer.
Value-wise, the $45 price weighs in at the steeper end of the scale for a game like Farming Simulator Kids, especially since the mobile version is significantly cheaper. That being said, there are no microtransactions in the Switch version like there are in the Mobile App, and I personally have fallen victim to my daughter purchasing $200 of dog treats for something on Google Play so it might be cheaper in the long run! The game will keep your child occupied for hours of entertainment, and for those who might be too young to dip their toes in Mario Kart or Animal Crossing, Farming Simulator Kids could be a good introduction to not only gaming but farming as well.
Overall, as a parent, I can see the appeal of Farming Simulator Kids. It’s bright and colourful, and has educational aspects in the processes of Farming, without having any text to trip up younger minds. Its point-and-click gameplay means it’s easy to pick up for children of all ages, but primarily will be best suited for those on the younger side. Despite having a slightly steeper price point than most games aimed at this audience, it is a complete experience with no microtransactions and plenty of things to explore. While Farming Simulator Kids is a far cry from the mainstream entries of its bigger brother, it does a great job of planting the seed of taking an interest in agriculture, and hopefully, that seed grows into a healthy and curious mind that wants to learn more.
