According To... Eris (Slime Rancher)

According to… is a series where we sit down with our kids and talk about the games they/we have been playing. Each article, we will have different questions for them depending on the game and will be answering some of our own that will stay the same. We’re hoping that these questions will help us to explore the potential benefits that games offer children.

This entry of According to… we’re going to talk about Slime Rancher with Eris. Unlike Minecraft or Super Mario 3D World, I can say I have a sort of history with this title. I was given the chance to preview the game when it joined Xbox’s Preview Program and have spent a lot of time ranching slimes by myself or with my Rancher-in-Training. Eris has always loved the bright, colorful, and vibrant world of Slime Rancher, with its squishy slimes and varied landscape. With this wonderful title being part of the Games with Gold program not too long ago, I thought it’d be the perfect time to see what Eris thinks of the slimy experience.

Q: What is Slime Rancher?
A: It’s a game about slimes and keeping out bad slimes.

Q: What do you do in this game?
A: Like, collect slimes but I can’t find any new ones, so I just collect pink ones.

Q: Which slime is your favorite?
A: I like the rainbow (Mosaic) slimes! They have ALL the colors on them.

Q: Do you like how the game looks and sounds?
A: Yes! Because everything is beautiful and there are lots of places to buy.

Q: Why is it so much fun?
A: Because I like collecting slimes and sucking up slimes is really funny.

Q: What’s your favorite thing to do?
A: Keeping an eye on some slimes that want to hurt my slimes. Because that’s how I keep them safe.

Q: If you could do anything in the game, what would you do?
A: I’d collect all the slimes and unlock slime doors so I can find more and new slimes.

Q: Could you tell me a story about your favorite time playing?
A: I woke up at the ranch, then I went to a new place and I collected a whole bunch of Rock and Kitty slimes. I took them home and I went to bed at nighttime.

She may not play the game the exact way others would suggest, but she has her fun and that’s all that matters. Just like before, I’ve got a few questions I’ve asked myself.

Q: What do I think of Slime Rancher?
A: What can I say about this gem that would express how much I enjoy it within only a sentence or two? I cannot find a fault in Slime Rancher. With the title offering many, many hours of fun in such a gorgeous world, I simply cannot wait for any future content to be released.

Q: What is she learning?
A: In a way, she could be learning quite a few things from simple counting to responsibility. While she has to keep track of how many items she’s carrying, she also has to keep in mind what her various slimes need or want. It may not be super complicated, but it’s just right for her.

Q: Do I play with her?
A: From time to time, she’ll show me how her ranch is going or ask me for help with certain problems. Other than that, I’ve let her explore my own ranch several times and she always loves seeing anything new I’ve added.

Q: Will I let her keep playing?
A: Most definitely. I hope she eventually begins taking care of more types of slimes, forcing her to track what each will and won’t eat. I feel like this will help her develop her memory skills as she’s not one to check the Slimepedia.

Q: Are there any negative effects?
A: There have been a few times when I had to explain that she can’t be mean to her slimes, but I believe we’ve gotten past that and she understands that she is meant to take care of her slimes.

Slime Rancher is a title that doesn’t cater to any one group or age. Not only do Eris and I play, I have a similarly-aged friend who plays that loves shooters and strategy games almost exclusively. A game that can provide so much to so many is truly unique and I don’t see any of us giving it up soon.