For the first question, the game evoked a sense of wonder, because of the fact that we are seeing through the perspective of a 12-year-old. It did not capture a feeling of nostalgia, because it seemed like it was more a reflection of one singular person's memory (i.e. the whole mention of Manasquan Reservoir, instead of a generic place name).
For the second question, the limited mechanics were okay (but not great), in the fact that the player was sort of limited to pre-determined guide lines on the screen.