This was a hard one to write and won’t be formatted like my other reviews. If you’re a Neopets fan and you were considering buying this game, don’t. Seriously, wait for a sale or don’t get it at all.

This review was made using a key provided to me. Keys provided to the Pixel Panda Arcade do not influence my review process.

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Introduction

I never got into Neopets, except for some McDonald’s toys. It was always a property that I wanted to get into, but I didn’t grow up with a computer. With that said, I love minigame collections. I view them as a nice thing to play when I need to just relax. Here is what the game advertises…

Journey back to Neopia with 26 classic games, brought back to life for new and returning fans! Neopets™: The Mega Mini Games Collection is a lovingly remastered collection of 26 fan-favourite mini-games from the golden age of Neopets! From collecting Doughnutfruits in Hasee Bounce, launching Kass in Kass Basher, or chasing Neggs in Meerca Chase, the magic of Neopets is back!

And introducing an all-new adventure: Starlight Symphony, starring Nyx in a dazzling musical quest through the stars!

26 Classic Games, Remastered

Celebrate 26 years of Neopets! Enjoy a curated library of Neopia’s most beloved web games, now optimised for controllers, widescreen displays, and silky-smooth 60 FPS gameplay. Four games also feature local multiplayer for the first time!

Play Your Way

Choose from Arcade, Challenge, or Endless mode. Perfect for a quick game or two, or an hours-long trek through Neopia.

Unlockable Goodies

Earn trophies, stickers, and Petpet-themed rewards as you play and master each game.

NeoPass Integration

Opt in and connect your NeoPass account to share your high scores on the Neopets website for all of Neopia to see and connect with other Neopets fans.

Neopia On The Go

Install The Mega Mini Games Collection on your Steam Deck to bring Neopets with you wherever you are! With Cloud Save support, pick up right where you left off when you go from your desk to your couch.

Relive The Magic of Neopia

From the Haunted Woods to Faerieland, each and every pixel, song, and piece of art has been restored with care, welcoming back returning fans and inviting new ones into the whimsical world of Neopia.

Connect With Your Inner Neopian

Whether you’re returning to Neopia or discovering it for the first time, this collection is your ticket to the colourful, quirky universe that inspired a generation.

So dust off your Slorg Blaster, grab your favourite pet, and get ready, you’ve got a world to explore!

Let’s get this out of the way right now. This game is going to force you to play through its story mode just to unlock the ability to choose which minigame you actually want to play. A decision that I disagree so strongly with, for that reason alone, you shouldn’t be paying the asking price of $24.99.

The first three minigames need some serious work done on them

You have to get a specific score for each minigame to move onto the next area. I did it for a few of them, but eventually this task became too monotonous to bother with. I truly believe that it was a mistake to hinder players in this way. 

The first minigame is called Jumpin Gem Heist, and it’s just alright. I think that the hitboxes could use some work, but overall, the game is exactly what I’d expect from a minigame collection. It’s nothing special and not too boring.

Spinacles is next; this is a game that functions similarly to any bubble popping game. You can actually see this game in action in my Steam Deck section further into the review. The issue I have with this game is how the cursor moves. Everything feels stiff, like I have to fight the joystick to be able to move it at all. It’s a fine version of bubble pop, I guess. 

The last game is a completely irrelevant minigame about collecting items, which I couldn’t bother to pay attention to. I’m not even joking, this game was putting me to sleep. If I didn’t have to get specific scores in all three games to move on, I’d never play a minigame like this.

Other Issues and Final Thoughts 

The Neopets – Mega Mini Games Collection is, honestly, awful. The story mode is nonsensical and full of typos. There are a few moments where the text will fall out of the text boxes, but the biggest offense is how boring the story mode is. 

The game just isn’t fun to play, which is a massive shame. Though, as I write this, they have released a patch. The hard thing is, there isn’t anything left to say about this game. It left a negative mark on me, and frankly, a game like this should’ve been a slam dunk.

The game runs amazingly on the Steam Deck 

It’s funny, the game actually runs amazingly on the Steam Deck. I didn’t even bother playing it on the PC. You can see a YouTube short I made below. While recoding, I got dizzy; that is not the game’s fault, though.

Score

The Neopets – Mega Mini Games Collection is getting a Bronze Token. 35/100.