Indie games are unpredictable. Some overflow with creative storylines, unforgettable characters, or even a stimulating gameplay experience. However, there are numerous indie titles in the world that make you question the developer’s sanity, along with your own for playing it in the first place. Sometimes, you find yourself even enjoying them. With that stated, I take it upon myself to dig deep into the dark and quirky nooks and crannies of the video game community. This is The Odd and The Indiescribable.
While searching high and low for a ludicrous title that caught my eye, I came across a love story involving a boy and a fidget spinner. Unfortunately, you read that right.
The game is developed by qualifiedbadger and rightfully owns the title of Date a Fidget Spinner. The gameplay is fairly straightforward and plays like a visual novel. Occasionally, you get to chip in with one of the dialogue options presented to you. It turns out that your reactions don’t have any real consequences on future events. However, if you feel as if you’ve missed a vital component to the story, Date a Fidget Spinner allows you to save your progress, fast forward, and rewind.
The adoring story opens with a hunky man sporting long flowy hair introducing himself as your new principal. His disposition is concerning. Not to mention the nonchalant mention of a student at your new school who is, indeed, a fidget spinner. After the awkward introductions have concluded, you fast-forward to a classroom environment where you encounter Fidgey for the first time. She’s rightfully shy. I mean, the only part of her that is human is her face smack-dab in the center of the fidget spinner. Regardless of the glaringly obvious immoral aspects, a flame flickers inside of your heart. Could this be love?
Date a Fidget Spinner is fairly short in length but equipped with bizarre twists that really don’t make any sense. At one point, Fidgey practically forces you to promise to be her plus one on a school trip. Not that you mind because her spinning gears are astounding. A day later, a shady classmate with an even shadier name – Dick Dancer – swoops his way in to steal Fidgey’s heart…or whatever it is that pumps the blood through her ball-bearings. This, of course, upsets you. Thus follows a series of events that make you question humanity as a whole. No spoilers!
Considering the story maybe takes fifteen or so minutes to chuckle through, a handful of elements appear to be jammed into the freakish romance without much clarification. I ventured through the riveting love tale a couple of times to fully grasp what the point was. To be honest, there doesn’t appear to be one. You’re basically clicking through random dialogue while taking in the romantic atmosphere accentuated when chatting with Fidgey. However, what’s a story without a couple of love triangles?
Not only does Date a Fidget Spinner star a rotating gadget. An adoring yo-yo loops into your life to spice up the drama. Naturally, your good looks bewilders the yo-yo. Nonetheless, you only have eyes for the hottest toy in school. The game even somehow incorporates the movie Titanic into its eccentric world. It doesn’t make any sense, but then again we are talking about a fidget spinner dating simulator here.
When the love story comes to its end, you’ll find a cliffhanger. Luckily, qualifiedbadger did release Date a Fidget Spinner 2, but analyzing a sequel may have to wait for another day. Maybe a day when I’m feeling lonely, lit up candles encompass my solitude, and I’ve found fidget spinners on my mind once more – I mean – what?
Overall, Date a Fidget Spinner is an experience I won’t ever forget. Not because it's the best thing since sliced bread, but purely because of how uncomfortable it feels to make a pass at an inanimate object. You can’t just erase that image from your mind, no matter how hard you try. If you’d like to give qualifiedbadger’s visual novel some love, head on over to the Date a Fidget Spinner page. It costs nothing except for your time, but be warned that it's precious time you will never get back.
Date a Fidget Spinner was played on PC with a copy downloaded from itch.io.
What are your overall thoughts on Date a Fidget Spinner? Do you have a game in mind that you would like to see covered? Let us know in the comments below!