Magic Toenail Reviews

This appears to be an introduction to strategy games, ages 10 and up

It's fun but there are a few bugs also cant sex the wizard

Short, fun, unbalanced, chaotic. I kind of like overcoming the odds in the game's current state. There's a lot of unexpected interactions and complexity. Makes you think, amazing potential.

“The more, the merrier.” It’s a phrase we know too well, one whose spirit the so-called “gaming community” invokes all too often with regard to resolution, length, mechanics… … … *Traversable space.* But consider this. Compelling game design is about challenging a player’s priorities. Look at a chess board. Now imagine it was a thousand times larger, the opposing pieces separated by oceans. The further apart these elements of friction become, the less common it’ll be for the player to find themself in a position where they’ll have to make a meaningful decision. Now, I seem to recall at least an hour stretch of Tears of the Kingdom spent just scrounging around for something interesting. This will never happen in Magic Toenail, where it takes all of one second to start plotting the three grid squares you must navigate to evade Death. The verb-consolidation of Magic Toenail has the same effect. Shooting happens automatically during movement, and the projectile you’ll shoot during each square of traversal has to be determined before you begin. You’ll always move before your enemies, and you’re given everything you need to solve the puzzle of any particular stage. That level of honesty is rare. It’s a college course on how to think literally three steps ahead of the competition. Structurally, each level chunk of Magic Toenail exists as a single square within a larger grid (as all things do). It branches from the start, you’re allowed to reach out in whatever direction interests you in your pursuit of the exit. You have the freedom to approach the game as you like, but unlike a certain other game, you’re absolutely guaranteed to find yourself in The Best Part no matter your choice, because Magic Toenail solely consists of The Best Part of itself. The Tears comparisons might be tongue in cheek, but my praise is not. Magic Toenail is rock-solid and reeks of charm. There were moments while playing Magic Toenail that utterly embarrassed me, where I surprised myself, where I chuckled over the adorable sound effects and visual style. I generally attempt to avoid dryly explaining the topic (and often fail), but Magic Toenail’s merits bear explaining, because a game like this shouldn’t be taken for granted just because it appears simple. It’s an absolute minefield, no doubt as much to play as it was to develop. And what’s the barrier to entry? A mere four dollars, my friend. Go. Embrace the Toenail.

Fun strategic roguelite! Having movement and attack tied together is a cool concept for planning out how to approach each level. Cool vibes and art as well

Magic Toenail is a neat little roguelike that reminds me a lot of the games of Michael Brough, but with its own unique twist. Unlike most turn based roguelikes, you make 3 moves for every move the enemies make, but enemies have to be damaged by specific spells. I did find myself having to double check what kind of spell damaged what enemy relatively frequently, but hopefully over time I can internalize what the damage triangle is, which should hopefully speed up my pace of play. The overworld map is a pretty unique idea, and while I've seen it for some more expansive roguelikes in Qud, I really appreciated the minimalist take here where each tile gives you a different upgrade. There are some interesting combos that can be pulled off with the right gear, but the game doesn't get quite as wacky and combo oriented as something like Seven Scrolls or Cinco Paus, which is where my own personal taste lies, but this still has some fun unexpected behaviors that are worth digging into. I think anyone into designing games should give Magic Toenail a try because there are a lot of clever ideas here that could inspire some other games.

Neat little strategy game, has a bunch of ideas I haven't really seen explored before. Cool to see more slow paced combat roguelikes coming out. Only real complaint it that though I like the slower pace of the game, if you don't get at least 1-2 damage upgrades early, all the enemies start to out pace you and battles drag on a ton. Isn't a big deal but limits the amount of viable builds. Overall nice and sweet, fun game to pick up and play for a weekend

Magic Toenail deploys a vibrant art style, strategic gameplay, and a charming story to create my pick for GOT '23. The game forces the player to consider their next three moves in advance, as with each press of WASD they will both move one square in a direction and simultaneously shoot one of three magical elements (Whimsy, Goo, and Sparkle Spells) ... ideally towards their foes. Each spell affects the three enemy types (Goo Monsters, Whimsy Fiends, & Sparkle Beasts) differently, meaning each magical ejaculation will either harm or heal the AI's HP. Consequently, the player must carefully use their three moves to ensure they cast the appropriate spell to do damage towards (and not accidentally heal) the corresponding enemy type, while also positioning themselves in a safe spot on the board prior to the opponent's turn. When the player wins a match, they are presented with two clothing items to choose from that they will don going into the next fight. But choose wisely! These stat-changing garments come with major pros and cons that can drastically alter the endgame. Each level is randomized, leading to an enjoyable gameplay loop that rewards mastery over time. The music and sound design are crisp and tonally match the art style and gameplay beats. The game runs at a dairy-free buttery smooth frame rate on my Macintosh and I experienced no bugs or crashes. I highly recommend the Magic Toenail. 10/10 Worms.

This game is the cat's meow. I love the music and game feel. this rogue like has a lot of build variety and the cut scenes are funny.

Magic Toenail is a wizardry-roguelite game that makes you move and shoot smartly. The game is lively, fast and surprising. If you like mind-skill games, you will enjoy Magic Toenail!