Kardboard Kings review – “Cool concept, clunky controls”

by

  • Run your own card shop
  • Chill vibes and lovely art style
  • Controls not optimised for mobile

In today’s world, it’s common to find cooking simulations or business tycoon games. However, coming across a unique card shop simulator with an intriguing masked thief theme is quite rare, isn’t it?

Kardboard Kings – with its intentionally misspelled “K”, this game sets itself apart by its laid-back atmosphere and unique artistic flair. It’s a nostalgic trip down memory lane for anyone who’s had a soft spot for those small, wallet-consuming cardboards. Now available on mobile devices through Crunchyroll Game Vault. The question is: Is it worth subscribing to the premium service just for this game, or should you explore other options in their library instead?

The hand-drawn visual style definitely adds to the chill vibes here, especially given how artsy the characters look. The way they’re designed complements their very distinct personalities, which is a lovely touch to what’s otherwise your average business management sim.
The gameplay loop is split into days, each one featuring different scenarios for you to adapt to. Based on the “news”, cards can either go up or down in value, so keeping an eye on your calendar is crucial. It’ll jot down days when black cards go up because of some misguided Satanic rumours, or when a certain someone suddenly declares her love for a particular set that’ll spike its prices for the general public.
Kardboard Kings would’ve been enjoyable as it is if it weren’t for the lack of mobile optimisations. For one thing, it’s incredibly difficult to tap and drag a card from your collection to the shop’s display case – my taps just wouldn’t register, which is extremely frustrating since this is the main way for your shop to actually make any money. It takes several tries for a card to lock into place on the display shelves – doubly annoying when customers are pouring in and you can’t replenish your stock fast enough for them.
For another, plenty of descriptions are positioned below your finger when you tap or hold onto a certain item, which means your finger actually gets in the way of reading any of the text. I’m assuming this is because a mouse cursor wouldn’t block anything at all, while a human finger is an entirely different thing.

In my opinion, it’s those seemingly minor details that significantly diminished my overall enjoyment due to the unintuitive controls, making it challenging to maintain a relaxed state in what was supposed to be a laid-back setting. Plus, since a shop sim inherently involves a daily repetition loop, the frustration only intensifies within this cycle.

As a fan, I must say Kardboard Kings presents an enticing idea – managing your very own card store, complete with a mysterious masked card swiper and visually appealing art. Unfortunately, the controls could use some polishing for mobile play, making it challenging to enjoy this fantastic concept if gameplay isn’t smooth and effortless.

Read More

2025-01-28 19:18