Idle Loops: Squirrel Edition review

So the first thing you need to know is that there are at least four separate forks of the game called Idle Loops:

Stop_Sign's version, which is the original and was abandoned at version 0.77. This is the one in incrementaldb as "Idle Loops".
Omsi6's version, which modestly extended the original and added QOL improvements, made after Stop_Sign stopped development. This is the one the original dev recommends that people play. I don't believe incrementaldb has a listing for it. Final version is 0.94.
lloyd-delacroix's version, which picked up from where omsi left off, adding a final zone and a reachable ending. This is the only complete version of the game and is in incrementaldb as "Idle Loops: Lloyd". Final version is 3.0.
mopatissier's version, which is a complete rework introducing a new companion mechanic, and is sometimes called "Squirrel Loops" or "Idle Loops: Squirrel Edition". Development of the playable web version was abandoned around zone 4, and as of 2025 the game is being fully refactored with a different engine, to be re-released at some future date. Playable version is 0.3.9.

All four have a robust core and plenty of content. That said, I recommend the squirrel version for people who have completed Lloyd's Idle Loops and who want to extend their experience with fresh content. Squirrel Loops is fun for all the same reasons the original is; the added content is fun and there are some side challenges (especially in the brand-new tutorial zone) that will be completely new for players of the original game. The tutorial zone is definitely notable, in that this is the only version which attempts to hand-hold new players through the process of building move lists, and for that reason some people would recommend starting with this if you're new to the looper genre.

That said, the squirrel mechanic adds enough complexity that I think the game is best for those who are already fully comfortable with the Idle Loops/Stuck In Time-style "build a list of actions" mechanic and are looking for a variation on the formula. It's also disappointing that you run out of things to do midway through Merchanton; unlike with Stop_Sign's or Omsi's versions, you can't just import your save into Lloyd's and finish the game from there, so you have to walk into this prepared for an abrupt end to the experience. If you like the idea of the tutorial, I would suggest playing this just long enough to wrap your head around the mechanics, then switch to Lloyd's version, complete the game, and come back for the extra squirrel content; that way you won't play through the original feeling squirrel-less.