Nintendo Switch Just Launched A Cozy Hilarious Delight

There are few things we all do in life more than wait for stuff. We wait for big events. We wait for anxiety-inducing deadlines. Wait for friends and family to get back to us. Wait for the weekend. We wait for games.

What if I told you that this collective experience could somehow be transformed into a video game? And what if I told you that a video game about the very act of waiting for stuff to happen is actually pretty fun? In my quarter-century of playing video games, I have rarely played a game with as outlandish (and creative) a premise as While Waiting. But somehow, indie developer Optillusion’s experimental title comes together as a cozy and hilarious romp through the mundanities of life.

While Waiting follows the life and times of a nameless average Joe right from conception. It opens with the spirit of the protagonist waiting in line to start his life. Going into While Waiting, it may seem like it’s going to pull the wool out from under you with a big twist. But this absurdly simple opening level proves it really isn’t. The core mechanic in While Waiting lives up to its name: you slowly move along in line waiting for your turn to join the rest of us on Earth.

While Waiting’s “no seriously” moment will be the deciding factor for many. The rest of the game is about helping the game’s protagonist through the harsh and boring realities of life in a series of insignificant moments.

For those who stick around, however, you’ll soon find that the game isn’t completely devoid of “traditional” gameplay. Each level is a slice-of-life vignette that has a short list of five or so things you can do to pass the time. One stage set during early childhood has you waiting for your morning toast to pop out of the toaster, during which you can launch cereal out of your bowl or flick a fidget spinner. Another level set during your adolescent years has you playing Uno with breathless anticipation as your friends keep playing skip and reverse cards despite you having just a single card left.

While Waiting is essentially a worldly bizarro version of Nintendo’s WarioWare series. Instead of given just precious seconds to complete abstract, deranged goals, you are given lengthy moments of contemplation to do virtually nothing or with a handful of “goals” you can maybe mess around with.

The fact that each of these macro games is based on relatable, borderline dull moments you’ve no doubt experienced before is part of its charm. And occasionally, you can break the monotony with the instinctual actions you’ve no doubt had to stop yourself from doing (like sitting on the baggage claim conveyor belt while waiting for your luggage at the airport).

While Waiting’s fixation on the innocuous makes it a unique brand of comedy in the pantheon of funny games. This isn’t the slapstick of Thank Goodness You’re Here or the Troma-inspired gross-outs of High On Life. While Waiting is a Curb Your Enthusiasm episode that makes creative gold out of the most innocuous moments in life.

There is a narrative to follow along. You’ll watch as the game’s playable nobody grows, his relationships with friends and family, and the ups and downs of the average life. More than a few tender moments go along with the laughs.

For those of you who are wondering: Yes, the vibes are immaculate. Your entire four to five-hour playthrough is accompanied by comforting classical music and a visual aesthetic that can best be described with the question, “What if a New Yorker cartoon got a Saturday morning TV slot?” While Waiting is as chill as its premise suggests, making it a subversive addition to the ever-popular cozy subgenre.

While Waiting is an eccentric game that mostly succeeds in its grand experiment. It is not a game for everyone, and I’m pretty sure developer Optillusion knows that. But those of you with a sense of humor, a soft spot for the unconventional, and most important of all, patience, should check this one out.

While Waiting is available now on Nintendo Switch and PC.