I played the Windows version in Wine on Linux. I also tested the Browser version on Firefox while investigating sound issues.
I spent a solid 5 minutes trying to progress past the first dialog, until I realized I needed to push "E" to advance the dialog. It would be better to indicate this somewhere on-screen.
I couldn't progress past the first area. Then I watched the first few seconds of the walk-through video and realized I didn't read the "I need to bring my umbrella and floatie" dialog. I then restarted the game, because I had previously pushed the floaty into the water while aimlessly walking around. It would be nice if you could get a hint from your friends that you need to move these, as they are unresponsive at this stage.
The pickup radius for shells could be increased. If you are directly on top of a shell, you can't pick it up.
I arrived in dream world: wow this is incredibly detailed.
I looked at the walkthrough to get the "number" puzzle; I would have never solved that myself.
I then solved the leaf puzzle myself.
I discovered what to do with the knife myself.
I discovered how to get the hammer myself, and while trying to put the hammer down discovered what to do with it.
I discovered what to do with the pearl myself
I discovered what to do with the fish myself
I discovered that there are two ways that you can view the fruit puzzle stickers, and I was viewing them the wrong way.
I departed the dream dimension.
The "number" puzzle was the most difficult, by far.
Are those Beach Independence Day fireworks, or is that a coincidence?
Overall: I gave this game my highest average rating between all rating categories, compared to all other games in this Jam.
Fun: I was not having fun to start with, but I warmed up to the game after I started a few puzzles.
90s: the art and general rendering fits, however the realtime shadows and rigid body physics are a bit too fancy for 1990s hardware. I don't think it would affect the game to remove those, and otherwise this would run on Sega Saturn if you wished. It would be a delightful port.
Visuals: throwing the rice to xiebalba was fun. You really made the unshaded art style work well.
Sound: the volume slider appears to have several bugs. It you change the volume prior to starting the first beach scene, then re-open the menu, the previous volume setting is not shown. The volume setting does not appear to work at all in Dream World.