The mobile game Sprout: Idle Garden lets you grow flowers from seeds. It’s a casual clicker game that can be played by children over 4 years old. But the virtual plants are also interesting for adults. The app runs on an iPhone or iPad with iOS 9 or higher. The app has no paid content.
Gameplay Idle Garden
Sprout: Idle Garden is not to be confused with just another farm or florist’s guide. It is a relaxing game with primitive graphics. The basic functions of the game can be mastered in a couple of minutes. The app is great for “killing time” at work or school, in queues and on transport.
At the start of the game, you can control one gardener who lives on a small island. By planting and growing plants, the player gets money to increase the area of the island. Over time, he can unlock new houses, sculptures, types of soil and paths, and plant seeds.
To progress through the story, the player must complete simple missions, such as gaining a new level or expanding the island’s area. The number of gardeners will increase as missions are completed. The game allows for landscaping, beautifully placing houses, flowers, paths, sculptures and other objects on the plot.
The gameplay is cyclical. Virtual flowers will consume solar energy and release oxygen. Gardeners will pick and sell flowers, earning money and increasing happiness levels.
The relaxing effect is achieved through cute graphics and repetition of the same activities. The game doesn’t get boring because the time per session is limited. You often have to wait to progress through the story. Unlike many other mobile games, Sprout: Idle Garden has no timer acceleration for a donation.
Pros and cons
Sprout: Idle Garden is suitable for people who care about the game’s process rather than the result. The game provides a calm meditative atmosphere and complete freedom of creativity. Players can create their own world without having to follow a storyline. The measured gameplay is addictive, making you want to return again and again to the little island and watch the gardeners at work.
The mobile app is free. Players do not have the option to get unique items or privileges for real money. There is only one way to gain access to new items: by completing the missions offered.
In reviews on the App Store, some players complain about the monotonous missions and the lack of a night mode. But it’s worth realising that the game was designed to gain sanity. There are no difficult missions to trigger negative emotions here. And playing at night is not useful: to successfully cope with stresses, you must rest well and follow the mode.
Conclusion
Sprout: Idle Garden is a casual clicker that doesn’t transcend the genre. There are no stunning graphics or complex strategies. This game is all about the measured cultivation of plants. Repeating the same activities and watching the gardeners reduces anxiety. The simple gameplay in a world with pleasing graphics is a great stress reliever.