The game was first released for the Wii U on November 18, 2012 in North America and November 30, 2012 in Europe. Little Inferno is set in front of a brick fireplace, which the player uses to set various objects, such as toys, dolls, and electronics, on fire. The player assumes the role of a small, largely unseen character who possesses the fictional "Little Inferno Entertainment Fireplace," which he uses to incinerate various objects, such as toys and appliances, to keep warm . The objects release money when they are burned, which is used to purchase more burnable objects from mail order catalogs. When set on fire, many objects react by activating, exploding, or changing the properties of the flames. The player is presented with a list of the game's 99 possible Combos; the names of the Combos hint the relationship of the required objects, and it is up to the player to determine the correct objects to burn. Little Inferno's story is primarily told through letters received from various non-playable characters. The game is set in the city of Burnington where the weather is constantly snowy and freezing.