Gamertell

Title: Toy Shop
Price: $19.99
System(s): Nintendo DS
Release Date: April, 29, 2008
Publisher (Developer): Majesco Games (Gameinvest)
ESRB Rating: “Everyone”
Pros: The business simulation works well. Making toys is fun. Once you really get into the game, it can be addicting.
Cons: It starts out slow. Hunting for toy plans from NPCs is a hassle. Graphics aren’t that good.
Overall Score: One thumb up, one down; 75/100; C; * * 1/2 out of 5

Toy Shop shouldn’t be overlooked. It probably will be, due to the childish concept, humble graphics and unassuming presentation. Most people will probably see it on a store shelf and assume it is shovelware. Instead, it is a fun store management sim that fans of Lemonade Tycoon or The Sims 2: Open for Business will enjoy.

It isn’t perfect, as the game starts out slow and there are some special toy blueprints held by town residents which must be hunted down. Parents may buy Toy Shop for a child, only to have that same child become frustrated by the slow start. If you have the time and patience most simulation games require, then Toy Shop is definitely worth picking up at your local game store.

Its a shame magical elves don’t build the toys.
There really isn’t much exposition in Toy Shop. Two nameless kids have inherited a toy shop from their grandfather, and must make a certain amount of money with said shop or it will be closed forever. The only way to possibly save it is to build toys and sell them in the shop.

So the boy characters takes charge of the workshop, creating toys, and the girl character mans the actual store. During the day you can make toys in the workshop with the boy, set up items in the shop with the girl or take a break and roam around town to talk to NPCs in the hopes of finding secret blueprints. Once the day ends, the characters return home, where you can watch them briefly relax, and a moment later it will all start over again.
If you build it, they will buy.
The best part of the game is making the toys. The rest just feels like supplemental material. After all, there isn’t much you can do in the shop, once you’ve set up the floor plan to your liking, stocked the shelves and set the prices. Then all you do is tap the open sign to open the store each morning.

And the roaming around town feels pointless. The graphics are only passable and the NPCs’ dialogue is uninspired. I visited each location once then decided whatever extra toy blueprints I could acquire weren’t worth it.

The workshop itself is a joy. After selecting toys for the boy’s “To Do” list, he’ll set out to make them. Instead of just watching, you can take part to try and make the best toys. During construction, a tool icon will appear over his head. Each icon is assigned to a direction on the direction pad, and if you tap correctly it can impact his success. Of course, once he’s skilled at making a toy (around level 10), you can ignore the tapping mini-game.

The one thing I’d liked to have seen is the ability to have the characters switch roles. Make them individuals - assign stats to each one, instead of just dumping them each into somewhat stereotypical positions. Have the girl be better at toys that require a lot of detail work or painting, and the boy be better at tools that require more physical strength to make.

Toy Shop isn’t for “Everyone”.
The “Everyone” rating on Toy Shop is a bit misleading. It is true, it is a title with absolutely no offending content that any person of any age can play, but it also requires a level of patience and diligence that some children (and adults) might not possess. The first two or three months of the game move slowly, and you’ll have very little spare money.

If people are willing to invest the time, Toy Shop does pick up. After the first slow months, customers start coming in, you get the ability to upgrade the store and you will have a constant surplus of funds. You just have to have the patience to get to that point.

Site [Toy Shop]