Dinkum Switch 2 Review

Dinkum Switch 2 Review
Version Reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2

I have done a couple of laps around this sunburnt country that I call home, and it’s safe to say, I absolutely love Australia. We have such diverse wildlife, many of which will try to kill you, as well as golden beaches that are the envy of the world, Prime Ministers that can chug a schooner of beer, and the vast, desolate beauty of the Australian Outback. Dinkum, by Aussie developer James Bendon, offers gamers a chance to experience this desolate beauty with an RPG/Sandbox/Survival game chock-a-block full of Australiana. What’s it Like? Slip on some thongs, chuck on your Akubra hat, and practice your best “G’day” as we review Dinkum on Nintendo Switch 2.

Dinkum tells a familiar story about escaping the dull and dreary industrial sprawl of “South City” for a remote island that will eventually become your new home. You arrive alongside Fletch, the no-nonsense administrator responsible for helping establish the town, and before long, you’re setting up your tent, placing the town centre, preparing a visitor site, and being left to carve out your own life in the Australian outback. You will not get very far without a licence, though, and thankfully, Fletch is there to handle all the paperwork. Whether it’s crafting, fishing, mining, hunting, or farming, nearly every activity in Dinkum is tied to a licence system that gradually opens up more of the game. These licences can also be upgraded into higher tiers, unlocking new recipes, abilities, and even sub-licences. Farming, for example, can eventually lead to irrigation systems that automatically water your crops. Initially, I thought this system was a strange choice for a cosy life sim, but it quickly became one of the game’s biggest strengths. The licence structure gives Dinkum a strong sense of progression and direction without completely removing player freedom. Rather than aimlessly wandering from activity to activity, there was always a clear short-term goal to work towards, and unlocking new tiers of tools, craftables, and upgrades felt consistently rewarding.

That said, day-to-day life in Dinkum can still be whatever you want it to be. Some days, I spent my time capturing animals for research and earning a healthy amount of Dinks, the game’s currency. Other days were spent fishing along the riverbanks, trying to catch my favourite fish, the flathead, while improving my fishing skills. Then there were days tending to the farm, or venturing deep into the mines searching for iron ore to improve my workshop. There is such a wide variety of activities available that each in-game day can feel either relaxing or incredibly productive, depending on your mood. You can even craft vehicles ranging from motorbikes and jet skis through to aerial vehicles that let you soar across the island from above.

Everything ultimately feeds back into the town-building mechanics, which are handled through projects at the Civic Centre. By gathering materials and paying off project costs, you slowly expand the island with permanent stores, museums, infrastructure, and even rentable homes. These additions are not just cosmetic either. Fully furnishing rental properties can generate passive income, eventually reaching a point where your town practically funds itself, leaving you free to simply explore the outback and enjoy island life at your own pace.

And explore you will, as the world of Dinkum has this simply amazing Australian charm about it, featuring all manner of wild and wonderful creatures from kangaroos to crocodiles, fire-breathing Tasmanian devils, and even our own living dinosaur, the mighty cassowary. Dinkum doesn’t shy away from its unapologetic Australiana, and even leans hard into it by letting you craft dagwood dogs, meat pies, and the iconic Vegemite sandwich.

Characters are full of personality, and there are a few nods to some of our local legends, like the animal handler “Irwin”, whose dialogue reminds us of a legend gone far too soon, while others are uniquely original. Building friendships with them unlocks new possibilities, like irrigation technology or new buildings for your town. The world itself is a sun-drenched caricature of the outback, featuring a few biomes like the tropical rainforests of the coast, to the more alpine areas down south, all offering different resources and creatures to discover. The only thing I could nitpick about the graphics is the resolution, which is sharp but pixelated, and I’m not 100% sure if that’s the Switch 2 port or a part of the charm of the engine. Regardless, it all runs at a silky smooth framerate with fast load times when entering and exiting buildings, and during my 40 or so hours, I didn’t have any issues gameplay-wise.

For my true blue Aussies looking into accessibility, Dinkum has a few options to make your time in the outback more comfortable. This includes UI scaling, adjusting depth of field, and isolating audio sources. Outside of that, there aren’t too many options, so as always, I recommend further research into whether Dinkum suits your accessibility needs. At $30 dollarydoos, Dinkum provides outstanding value for money. There’s a lot of content here and a lot of polish. The game is a sandbox that could provide hundreds of hours of gameplay, and I have seen some wild builds that far outshine my scrappy outback town.

Dinkum is a simply wonderful and charming cosy game that takes you to the outback on a true-blue Aussie adventure. Its myriad of content gives you something to do, and its licence system adds structure in a genre that often leaves players directionless and overwhelmed. There are so many nods to Australian culture here that will make locals chuckle to themselves, while international audiences might not get every joke, but will be charmed by it regardless. Dinkum lets you settle into a place that feels like home, and once it gets its hooks in, you’ll understand why leaving the outback is the hardest part.

So What’s It Like? Dinkum is like Australian Animal Crossing crossed with Stardew Valley.

Dinkum is a What’s it Like Certified Exceptional Game.

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