Dinkum is a new game that combines several aspects of many popular games, like Stardew Valley, Minecraft, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons. An indie game created by James Bendon, Dinkum allows players to create their own town on an Australian outback-inspired island.
Dinkum is currently in Early Access but has many features which already makes it a playable and enjoyable game. It's a game with its own unique charms and plenty to offer on its own, but it does have features that will be appealing for fans of the Animal Crossing franchise.
8 The Island Is Huge
The island that players will get to both name and create their town on is a huge stretch of land. There are four different biomes to explore; tropical, bushland, desert, and the "cold" biome. There are unique features to each of these biomes including the types of animals and plants that are located within it.
There are also different climates depending on the player's location on the island. It's generally hotter up north and cooler down south. It's also possible to travel from one level of the island to another without the use of ladders, vines, or ramps.
7 Can Fluidly Place Down Items
Players start off with a tent and sleeping bag, but in time they can own their very own house to decorate the inside and make it homier. But even with the simple tent, players are able to move and place items freely, without switching to another mode. In Animal Crossing players could only pick up and place items based on the direction their character was facing outside their homes.
But in Dinkum, players can rotate the item they want to place freely, both inside their tent/homes and outside as well, making placing items and decorating a much easier and enjoyable experience. It is also possible to create and place pathways from the start of the game, after setting up base camp.
6 The Town Residents
Just like in Animal Crossing, in Dinkum players want to have NPCs characters come and inhabit their town. In New Horizons, there are 413 different villagers to choose from when it comes to whom the player chooses to live on their island. Dinkum, so far, had 16, but each potential town resident has a distinct specialty and personality.
Aside from Fletch, one of the first town residents is John who will set up the general store in town once he is befriended. Among the different residents, there's a hairdresser, a furniture guy, an animal handler, and more. If the player has a high friendship with a resident, and they have a day off, players can invite them to hang out, and they will assist with whatever task the player is doing.
5 Durability Bar For Tools
Tools are important items in Animal Crossing, especially for players first starting the game. Players can't fish, catch bugs, plant trees and find fossils, get wood and different ore for crafting, shoot down balloons, or even cross over rivers and climb up cliffs without a tool.
So they're very important, and it is a great inconvenience to be in the middle of a task and have a tool suddenly break. In Dinkum, tools have a durability bar that players can see. There's absolutely no guesswork when it comes to wondering if a tool will break soon or not.
4 Cooking & Food Effects
Cooking is a new game mechanic that came in New Horizons' 2.0 update that let players cook food items if they know the recipe and have the right ingredients. Cooking these recipes only really give players two things, they can use the item as decor in their home, or they can consume it the same way they consume fruit, which gives a strength buff.
Cooking is a more elaborate game mechanic in Dinkum, and it's unlocked as soon as the player makes their first campfire. Players can cook in three ways, on the campfire, at a cooking table, and with a keg. When eaten the food doesn't just give a buff, but it also restores a certain amount of health and energy.
3 Farming... Animals Included!
With the last update to New Horizons, players can finally grow their crops. Players can plant potatoes, tomatoes, wheat, carrots, and sugarcane, along with pumpkins, flowers, and fruit trees, creating a proper farm for their islands.
Farming is a key feature in Dinkum, and players don't just farm crops, but they can also care for and breed different animals. There is a lot more to do to be able to grow and harvest crops, and every crop has different restrictions, like how much it can produce at a time, and even how much space it needs to grow. Some crops are even seasonal.
2 More To Do In Multiplayer
Dinkum has both a solo mode and a co-op mode where players can invite their friends to visit their towns. Animal Crossing: New Horizons also has a multiplayer function but the activities that players can do with their friends are limited. Just like in New Horizons and other Animal Crossing games, Dinkum also allows other players to fish and go shopping in their friends' stores.
However, in Dinkum other players can assist in constructing buildings. There are also a lot more activities to do together. Players and their friends can battle against crocodiles, race Emus, deep mine together and so much more.
1 Drivable Water Vehicles
In many Animal Crossing games, players have been able to take various types of transportation to travel around. There have been trains, taxis, buses, boats, and now planes with Dodo Airlines from New Horizons. But players have never been able to operate any of these modes of transportation themselves.
That isn't the case in Dinkum. Once the player buys the vehicle license, they will unlock the rowboat and the ability to purchase and ride water vehicles. Players can control the rowboat and ride it in the waters that surround and cut through the island. The boat can also be painted.
Dinkum is available for Early Access on PC.