by Alex QuevedoFalling Down is a 1993 film starring Michael Douglas. He’s an ordinary man stuck in LA traffic who realizes he’s done dealing with taking L’s. He goes on a rampage through the city to the oppressive world. That’s essentially Table Flip Simulator.
Okay, I probably dated myself with that example, but Table Flip Simulator is a lot more like it than not. You create a character stuck in a dead-end job with a terrible boss. You can’t take it anymore, so you start throwing stuff around the office, ultimately flipping the table. As you continue to get fired from your next jobs, you go viral and create a social movement. The people are over the proverbial man. If your Big Flip Energy can create a better world, then why not take it as far as possible to create positive change?
It’s all based in a fantastical world and roots everything in chaos and extremes. Yet, through its simplicity, a paradox: a game that is aggressive in nature but strangely cozy and relaxing. Everything is exaggerated, with characters looking like giant Miis who rag doll when getting hit with plates, roses, or whatever you can get your hands on. Animals play a big role in taking things to deeper levels. None of it takes itself seriously, which is appreciated.
Table Flip Simulator leans into a very simple look to provide a fair amount to do in each level. You’ll play through over 20 core levels and have access to use in-game currency to open up bonus maps. Each level will require at least one key action to be completed, but packs at least several secret objectives to give you bonus cash. You get two currencies: tables and cash. Tables open up bonus maps. Cash is used for character customization and there is a lot of that.
Mechanics work well, if sometimes a little too slowly. You get stationed behind a table you’ll eventually flip. You’ll be given a variety of items to throw, often having chances to expand your inventory by breaking boxes. Each type of item has its own result, a very nice touch. So if you throw a rose, you’ll need to put a lot more arc and force into a throw, whereas with a plate, even a little less arc and force can still result in a solid hit. You’ll also switch into “giver” mode, throwing items that people want. Periodically, you’ll also fight bosses 1v1. There’s a learning curve to getting your throws right, and everything can pay off so well when you really nail it, but it can also be incredibly frustrating when it’s not reacting as intended. It’s hard to tell what some items are, leading to wasted resources from bad throws.
Replayability is interesting. With a lot of hidden things to do, there’s plenty to go back for. It both kept me engaged and trying to proactively figure out what the hidden targets were (there may be some visual clues as you return). Where I struggled was with the repetition. Sometimes, things just felt too much the same. There were so many levels that I started to wane.
Even with some repetition issues, Table Flip Simulator packs quite a bit for its $14.99 price tag. If you’d like to have a cozy type of game that lets you cause a scene, not too dissimilar from Untitled Goose Game or a pared-down Goat Simulator, this is a solid value. There’s good fun to be had, as it genuinely got me chuckling for what I could take down along the way.
Table Flip Simulator
