Not every puzzle game needs to be about intricate mechanics and stressful situations. A Little to the Left looks to capitalize on the calming aspects of organization, asking players to arrange household objects neatly and in their proper place. Fans of Marie Kondo’s techniques or 2021 indie hit Unpacking should find a lot to love here.
Available now on Nintendo Switch, A Little to the Left has a launch trailer that gives you a good idea of what to expect. You’ll be moving around simple objects like plates, bowls, jars, books, letters, and a lot more, all while watching out for a meddlesome cat who likes to offset all of your carefully placed items. A Little to the Left has more than 50 puzzles to solve, with multiple solutions for each — this isn’t meant to be a stressful experience at all. Developers Anne Macmillan and Lukas Steinman explained the motivation behind all this during a segment on the latest Nintendo Indie World Showcase. The game is inspired by their lives, their home, and their cat, who also makes an adorable appearance in the trailer.
As mentioned, A Little to the Left is available now on the Nintendo Switch eShop, where it’ll cost you $14.99 USD / £12.99. You’ll also find it on Steam, listed at the same price of course. The game’s drag-and-drop controls make a lot of sense for both a touch screen and a mouse in terms of controls, so we don’t expect to hear anything about additional platforms anytime soon.
Many gamers will look at A Little to the Left and be reminded of the aforementioned Unpacking, another puzzle game with a focus on organization. That indie title was received very warmly last year, even helping some players handle the stress of managing physical spaces in the real world. It was also praised for its queer themes, leading to a Gaymer Awards 2022 nomination for Game of the Year.
