Game: Hidden In My Paradise
Genre: Puzzle, Lifestyle, Adventure, Other, Hidden Object
System: Nintendo Switch (Also on Steam (Windows) and on mobile)
Developer | Publisher: Ogre Pixel
Age Rating: US Everyone | EU 3+
Price: US $9.99 | UK £8.99 | EU € 9,99
Release Date: October 9th, 2024 (UK: October 8th)
A review code was used, with many thanks to Stride PR.
Hidden in My Paradise is a hidden object game created by Ogre Pixel (developers of Lonesome Village and A Tiny Sticker Tale). However, there’s a twist: as well as looking for objects and fairies, you re-create photographs. And if that’s not enough, you can create and upload your own levels to challenge your friends and the wider community.
Will this be picture-perfect? Or scenes of mayhem!
Finding Objects in Hidden in My Paradise
When you start your adventure in Hidden in My Paradise, you are given guidance on how to play at the appropriate time. First, you are asked to find the objects, then you re-create the photos and finally find the fairies. However, after level 1, you can do these tasks in any order. Subsequent levels are locked until you collect enough paw prints, generally requiring the completion of two of the previous tasks.
Each level has a varying number of items to find. Some objects are large and easy to spot, others are small, but luckily, Hidden in My Paradise has a great zoom-in/out function, which helps to locate these. Sometimes, there are multiples of the same thing to find. As all of the elements at one level can be moved, I found it helpful to collect multiples in a certain location, so I didn’t keep selecting the same one! Once found, the icon gets a green tick.
Some items will be hidden behind or inside objects. As you move the pointer around the screen, a circle will reveal what is normally out of sight. There are even chests which can be opened to reveal other things. However, if you still can’t find the object, there is an excellent help function which takes you to the general location of the hidden item.
Some objects will be sparkling, and this shows that there is a fairy hiding there. To release the fairy, simply move the item slightly.
Capturing a Scene in Hidden in My Paradise
One aspect of Hidden in My Paradise that differs from other hidden object games is the task of re-creating photographs or snaps. Each level has one or more scenes to copy. Initially, I tried to copy the image exactly, but as long as you have the right items in the photo and ensure that any stacked objects are replicated, then the match is good.
Copying the snaps was not my favourite part of Hidden in my Paradise. Moving the different elements around the screen was a little tedious on the Nintendo Switch. Sometimes, even though I thought I’d grabbed the right object, I would actually move the camera instead. Trying to place grapes on a plate or apples in a barrel was very fiddly. Luckily, it was only a couple of the snaps that were really frustrating to replicate; most could be completed with just a few alterations to the scene.
Create Your Own Paradise
With only 25 levels in Hidden in My Paradise, the main game is soon over. However, you have the ability to create your own levels. You gain coins and tokens by completing the main game levels and opening chests. These can then be traded for a collection in the shop. Tokens can be used in the vending machine to receive a lucky dip of items.
Unfortunately, completing all the levels in Hidden in My Paradise and finding all the chests will not give you enough tokens or coins to buy all the different elements in the shop and vending machine. So buy wisely! You can get more coins by building and rating custom levels.
As with any creation, building a level takes time. The mechanisms for selecting and dragging an element to the scene is easy, and choosing which object contains a fairy or needs to be found, as well as creating your own snaps is very straightforward.
Once created, the level can be uploaded to the Hidden in my Paradise server. Online paradises can be downloaded, played and rated by the Hidden in My Paradise community. Levels can be reported if they are offensive (level and photograph names are free text) or not playable, and you can delete any of your uploaded levels.
Parental controls can be set on the Nintendo Switch to prohibit younger players from accessing the online part of the game.
Gameplay
Hidden in My Paradise plays well in both docked and handheld modes, although there is no touchscreen functionality. Your progress through the main game is saved regularly, and you are reminded on exiting the sandbox mode about saving any custom-built levels.
Although levels are set during the day, dusk or night, this can be altered, at any point, via the on-screen button. There are also different filters available to enhance the gameplay. The speed of the cursor, as well as the sound can be altered via the settings menu.
Generally, levels took 5 to 10 minutes to complete, but it depends on how easily you spot the objects!
As mentioned, moving and placing objects can be a bit fiddly on the Nintendo Switch. However, the zoom and help functions make Hidden in My Paradise less frustrating than other hidden object games.
Conclusion
Hidden in My Paradise adds something extra to the hidden object genre. Being able to move the objects around the scene to help find the items, re-creating snapshots and the ability to create your own levels makes for extended play.
Final Verdict: I Like it a Lot 
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