Video Game Spotlight Night: Pikuniku

Video Game Spotlight Night is back at the Plaza Branch of the Kansas City Public Library on Tuesday, October 27, from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. This is part of a new monthly series the library has put together: every month a different game is hooked up in the branch's Large Meeting Room, and anyone who drops in can have a go at something new or play a favorite they already know while chatting gaming with other players. It's a low-stakes way to try a title before you buy it, and the social side is as much a part of the night as the game itself.

This month's title is Pikuniku, which Nintendo describes as an absurdly wonderful puzzle-exploration game set in a strange but playful world where not everything is as happy as it seems. If you've never heard of it, you'll be controlling a little red creature with long legs in a world that looks like a child's drawing come to life. It's a puzzle game at its core, so you'll be figuring your way through levels and interacting with the odd characters you meet along the way. The "not everything is as happy as it seems" part is the hook—it starts out bright and silly, and then it starts to pull back the curtain on what's actually going on in this world.

Because it's a public library event, you don't need to bring your own console or know anything about the game to join in. You can just show up, take a turn, and hang out with other people who are playing. If you're already a fan of Pikuniku, it's a good excuse to play it in a room full of other people instead of alone on your couch. The whole thing runs from 5:30 to 7:30 PM on Tuesday, October 27, in the Large Meeting Room at the Plaza Branch.