Time Flies Review: Playables and Panic Deliver an Innovative Indie Gem for Nintendo Switch

Time Flies Review: Playables and Panic Deliver an Innovative Indie Gem for Nintendo Switch When it comes to quality indie experiences on Nintendo Switch, few publishers have the pedigree of Panic.

Known for critically acclaimed titles like Firewatch and Untitled Goose Game, Panic has established a reputation for supporting imaginative and meaningful games.

Their latest published title, Time Flies, developed by Swiss studio Playables, adds another memorable entry to their portfolio, inviting players into a delightfully quirky world filled with humor and subtle philosophical reflection. Originally announced for multiple platforms, including Nintendo Switch and Steam, Time Flies places players in the unlikely role of a fly with a limited lifespan.

Your task: complete as many whimsical bucket list items as possible before your time runs out.

The game presents each session confined to about a minute, echoing your fly's expected lifespan based on your starting location.

Player objectives range from learning an instrument and becoming inebriated to making someone laugh—all rendered in a charming, hand-drawn monochrome aesthetic. Unlike many modern titles that are heavily promoted through trailers and constant social media buzz, Time Flies offers a refreshing sense of discovery.

Each run begins with little preamble, allowing exploration and experimentation to drive the experience.

The ticking clock adds a layer of tension and introspection, with your fly unceremoniously falling to the ground when time’s up.

Notably, the game lets you adjust lifespan settings to match different locations, offering subtle changes in gameplay flow.

There's even a clever secret to be found when experimenting with these options in the game's second area. Inspired in part by minimalist puzzlers like Minit, Time Flies manages to blend elements of exploration, achievement, and puzzle-solving into each location.

Completing the bucket list requires both skillful movement and observational prowess.

Each setting is loaded with clever surprises and unique collectible items, but the main pleasure comes from what you uncover as you experiment and learn. In a recent statement, the developer emphasized how Time Flies was designed to give players moments of meaningful reflection within its short play sessions.

The core experience, they noted, is about "making choices, living with their consequences, and appreciating the fleeting nature of opportunity." As players pursue both humorous and more existential goals, the effect is subtly profound. The Nintendo Switch version of Time Flies is expertly optimized, with Panic and Playables ensuring smooth performance and tactile feedback through well-implemented rumble and haptics.

The game also runs without issue on the Steam Deck and is fully compatible with the Nintendo Switch successor via backward compatibility, providing wide accessibility for handheld gaming fans. Time Flies has quickly emerged as one of the standout indie games of the year.

Its blend of humor, creative mechanics, and thoughtful design cements Panic’s status as a top-tier indie publisher and highlights Playables as a developer to watch.

While its unique concept may not appeal to everyone, players looking for something refreshing and introspective on the Nintendo Switch eShop should not miss this inventive gem. Overall, Time Flies is another high point in Panic’s indie publishing journey—a testament to the power of simple ideas executed with care and originality.

For those ready to ponder life’s brevity while completing a fly’s bucket list, this is a must-play.

Nintendo Switch Nintendo Switch platformer Panic Playables Time Flies Firewatch Untitled Goose Game Arco Thank Goodness You're Here Steam Deck