Tiny Brains

Tiny Brains is a cooperative 3D action, puzzle-platform game focused on physics-based problem solving and teamwork.

The story follows four small laboratory animals who have been the subjects of scientific experiments that grant them unusual psychic powers. After a failed experiment leaves them trapped in a sprawling research facility, they must work together to escape, solving a series of challenges created by the eccentric scientist responsible for their transformation. The tone mixes slapstick humor with absurd narration as the creatures navigate sterile laboratories, massive testing chambers, and obstacle courses designed to test their abilities.

The four playable characters each possess a unique psychic skill that interacts with the game’s physics engine. Dax, the bat, can push objects with a telekinetic blast. Stew, the rabbit, can pull objects toward him. Minsc, the mouse, can create ice blocks that serve as platforms or projectiles, while Pad, the hamster, can swap positions with another object or player. Players must use these powers in combination to manipulate switches, bridge gaps, transport fragile objects, and solve increasingly complex puzzles. Cooperation and timing are central: many obstacles require multiple characters to act simultaneously or in a precise sequence to progress.

Gameplay can be experienced alone or with up to four players, both locally and online. In single-player mode, the player can freely switch between characters to control all abilities independently, while in multiplayer each player handles one animal. Levels are short and interconnected, often chaining multiple puzzle types together, such as escorting energy spheres, defending against waves of robotic enemies, or constructing makeshift bridges from movable platforms. Environmental hazards like lasers, collapsing floors, and electrified machinery demand both agility and coordination.

Beyond the main story mode, Tiny Brains includes several secondary modes that expand its cooperative and competitive focus. “Challenge” mode offers short, high-difficulty puzzles emphasizing precision and teamwork, while “Soccer” mode turns the characters’ abilities toward a lighthearted arena game where players attempt to score goals by flinging an oversized ball into the opponent’s net. Scoreboards and time-based rankings encourage replayability, with bonus points awarded for efficiency and coordination.

Puzzles throughout the campaign blend physics-based interactions with platforming mechanics, requiring players to improvise and experiment with each character’s power. As players progress, the scientist’s tests become more elaborate, combining puzzle-solving with environmental hazards and simple combat segments. Visual cues and environmental storytelling hint at the characters’ growing intelligence and independence as they make their way toward freedom.