Price:	$19.95		Reviewed by:	Shaun McGill
Supplied:	HANDY entertainment		Review date:	11/11/2004
Pros:	excellent graphics and animation good value longevity		Cons:	a bit of a learning curve at the start

Strategy games on Palm OS have tended to be few and far between- classics have recently been released such as Warfare and Legacy but a true business simulation has been missing until now. Lemonade Tycoon was released many moons ago and while it caused some excitement at the time it was low resolution and had little depth to it. That's not to say it wasn't a good game because it was but it just didn't float my boat. Tots 'n' Togs on the other hand...

HANDY entertainment sent me an early copy of Tots 'n' Togs and I must admit to being quite sceptical about the premise of the game. I have seen many so called simulations for Palm OS and the majority have been poor. On this occasion though I was surprised by the quality of the interface and the way in which the game 'drags' the player into the environment i.e. your clothes shop

I am not going to go into great depth regarding the objective of the game because it would take forever to describe what you need to do and that would ruin the fun of getting to know it but HANDY do a good job of tweaking the prospective buyers interest with this statement- "Weird clothing shop simulator. How drastically your life can alter with inheriting a retail clothing shop business in the city's busiest main street? Invasions of cloth moth and robbers in mask are all part of a nightmare you have to live through to the appetite and pleasure of your fastidious and ridiculous customers."

It sounds bizarre but it really does work well- you are thrown in at the deep end with your own shop and even stock to sell to customers and thus I would recommend reading the User Manual (http://www.handyent.com/download/totsntogs_manual.pdf) which includes some useful hints and tips to get you started. The options available are extensive and include 5 city locations to choose from, 8 customer groups whose clothing tastes vary dramatically, approximately 1,000 clothing items and accessories and the ability to upgrade equipment, change shop staff and call services. When you involve marketing, seasonal changes and statistical analysis you have a bewildering array of factors to manage. It sounds daunting but this is what helps to make Tots 'n' Togs what it is- the BEST business simulation available on a PDA at this time. I have to recommend this game and even though it is not cheap at $19.95 you are getting a huge amount of longevity for you money based in an immersive environment which will keep you happy for months!