Dink Smallwood

By Robinson technologies
www.rtsoft.com/dink/pages/home.htm

In the dumping grounds of information we call the internet, it’s often difficult to separate the gems from the broken coke bottles. There’s a lot out there, but most of it isn’t worth your time. That’s where the Tower of Cheapness comes to your aid. If you like playing games but are too cheap to buy them, here’s a perfect link for you. Dink Smallwood.

Dink Smallwood is a fantasy adventure/RPG game that you can download free off the internet. It has incredible graphics for a free game (even for one that isn’t free) and is actually fun to play. It has an overhead three-quarters view, kind of like Diablo, though its game play is a lot more like some of the later Zelda games. There are levels, magic spells to learn, and a quest to fulfill.

The story is actually very good, if a little tongue in cheek (though you might be able to tell that from the title.) Dink is a stereotypical fantasy hero, a peasant boy unhappy with his mundane life. However, the stereotype is taken to satirical lengths. I’ve often found myself chuckling while playing the game.

Mostly, however, I was amazed that something of this quality could be found free on the internet. I enjoyed Dink a lot more than many games I've paid money for. The gameplay is smooth and well-programmed, the visuals are of a Super-Nintendo style quality. There are plenty of secrets to find (mostly found by burning down trees and revealing passages, ala Zelda, though the burning graphic is a lot more fun. I found myself wasting trees right and left just for the fun of it. I only wish they didn’t come back once you leave the screen--so much for leaving a path of destruction in my wake).

If I have one complaint about the game (one that earns it a 5 instead of a 6) it’s that the game itself is too short. I like to spend time progressing in my RPG’s, and Dink didn’t really give me that. I beat it in under ten hours. Zelda Classic took me longer than that. But, what can you expect from a completely original free game?

One mitigating factor is the fact that there are dozens of ‘DMOD’s available. (Dink-mods. Add-ons to the game programmed by third parties.) These extend the game play quite a bit, though to be honest, they don’t quite appeal to my ‘epic’ sensibilities. I want to keep my same character as I progress through lengthy adventures, not start all over every few days.

However, that said, Dink is probably the best original game I’ve ever found on the web. It’s certainly the best RPG. Give it a try--I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Written by Tage on September 10th, 2002