NaughtyPenguin's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3
- Helpful Votes:340
- Reviews Submitted:39
- First Review:June 11, 2012
- Most Recent Review:December 2, 2021
- Featured reviews0
The Rise of Atlantis
Travel around the ancient Mediterranean and collect all seven powers of Poseidon to raise Atlantis back to the surface.
Overall rating
2
/
5
11 of 15 found this review helpful
Good example of why people find Match 3 boring
PostedDecember 31, 2012
NaughtyPenguin
fromSun City, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Marble Popper, Puzzle, Mahjong
Current Favorite:
4 Elements II
(156)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
I play a lot of match 3 games but this one is, at best, old-time basic. I made myself keep playing the demo hoping something interesting would happen; it didn't. The game board is small, the playing pieces are uninspired. The only interesting thing about this game is there is history about each location you visit, such as Babylon. The game is tedious and the reason so many folks find match 3 boring. There are lots of better match-3 choices out there. Try 4 Elements II for a real challenge. If you want a bright colored relaxing match 3 that lets you compete to improve your score, try Jar of Marbles. If you want a basic match 3 that's more interesting than this one, Cradle of Rome is an excellent choice. Keep looking; there are some great Match 3 games out there.
I don't recommend this game.
4 Elements II
Set the fairies of earth, air, fire and water free, and restore the book of magic!
Overall rating
5
/
5
Match 3 meets the Maze
PostedDecember 14, 2012
NaughtyPenguin
fromSun City, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Match 3, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Marble Popper, Puzzle, Mahjong
Current Favorite:
4 Elements II
(156)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Best match 3 game I've encountered, not to mention the best bang for the buck! If you just want a relaxing game you can enjoy this for its explosions of color and relaxing sounds. The graphics are excellent and the colors are bright and eye-pleasing. For those who enjoy a challenge and didn't find it in other match-3 games, I recommend giving this one a go. Combining the features of a maze along with match 3, makes this a challenging game that rewards strategy. Every time I play it (I've been through it 3 times now), I find more reasons to appreciate the thought the developers put in to this. The first time through can be confusing; you're not sure where to go, and, unless you actually read the tutorial/tips at the beginning of the game, you'll struggle through it as I did. There is no place to look at these instructions later so be sure and pay attention. The chapters have gorgeous scenes that begin with a small 'adventure', followed by 5 mazes and ending with a hidden object puzzle. The object clues are clever but the objects are so tiny that the adventure and hidden objects portions can be frustrating. You will definitely get your money's worth. The first time through took me more than 21 hours to complete. The 2nd and 3rd time through each took 16 hrs to complete so even if you only play it once, it's about 35 cents an hour; cheap entertainment! For me, replayability is essential and that's where the developers fell short. At the end of the game, a page pops up and tells you how much time it took to complete the game and how many tiles you broke. But you'll need to write these down if you want to compete with yourself because this game doesn't keep scores; it's biggest drawback in my opinion. The other design issue is that when you try to read the story for the chapter, frequently a fairy popups on top of the story so you can't read it and there's no way to go back and look at that particular page. Nonetheless, this is a game I highly recommend. After playing for 52 hours, I'm still keen on it.
I recommend this game!
Dream Day Wedding Bella Italia
Create the romance of a lifetime! From the perfect proposal to cutting of the cake, bring this charming adventure to life!
Overall rating
2
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Could have been 5 stars but
PostedNovember 28, 2012
NaughtyPenguin
fromSun City, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Brain Teaser, Marble Popper, Puzzle, Mahjong
Current Favorite:
Amazing Adventures Riddle of the Two Knights
(66)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
The story isn't half bad. The scenes are gorgeous and romantic. No junk piles :) If the objects had been large enough to see without a magnifying glass, I would have snapped this one up. I have a 23" screen and even when I used the hint I had problems seeing the object. Definitely give it a try before buying to see if this is an issue for you
I don't recommend this game.
Mystery P.I. - The Lottery Ticket
Grandma Rose has hired you to find her winning lottery ticket. Scour the city for cleverly hidden clues before it`s too late.
Overall rating
2
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Junk Piles
PostedNovember 28, 2012
NaughtyPenguin
fromSun City, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Brain Teaser, Marble Popper, Puzzle, Mahjong
Current Favorite:
Amazing Adventures Riddle of the Two Knights
(66)Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
After going through 5 scenes on the demo, I realized I wasn't enjoying the game because the scenes are unpleasant to look at. At first I thought it was all the junk piles. But even if the scenes were devoid of clutter, they are just plain unattractive. These aren't rooms you'd want to be in. It made searching an unpleasant experience and I couldn't wait to get out of there. Check out the difference between this game and the wonderful crisp scenes in Amazing Adventures: Riddle of the Two Knights
I don't recommend this game.
Amazing Adventures Riddle of the Two Knights
Follow a curious trail through crowded bazaars and snow-swept summits to find what is missing!
Overall rating
5
/
5
1 of 1 found this review helpful
This is what an HOS should be!
PostedNovember 28, 2012
NaughtyPenguin
fromSun City, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Match 3, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Marble Popper, Puzzle, Mahjong
Current Favorite:
Hidden Wonders of the Depths 3: Atlantis Adventures
(30)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
The crisp graphics make searching for objects delightful. There are no junkpiles here! There are no demands to find this or that in order to proceed to the next scene; it's pure hidden object at its best. There are so many objects hiding in plain sight, yet not obvious because you're taking in the whole scene. I've played this one over and over, trying to beat my previous scores. Suitable for ages 6-96.
I recommend this game!
Lost Souls: Enchanted Paintings Collector's Edition
After the police and FBI come up empty in their investigation, Bella turns to forces beyond our world to find her missing son!
Overall rating
5
/
5
11 of 12 found this review helpful
Gorgeous settings!
PostedNovember 28, 2012
NaughtyPenguin
fromSun City, AZ
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Match 3, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Marble Popper, Puzzle, Mahjong
Current Favorite:
Hidden Wonders of the Depths 3: Atlantis Adventures
(30)Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
If you love fantasy kingdoms with fairys and dragons, elves and magic, you'll love this game. I frequently get frustrated with dark games that require you to find non-sensical things and go from place to place before you end up in an HOS. This game was an exception. The hints are good and I quite enjoyed figuring out what I needed to accomplish a task. The tasks actually seem to have some purpose to the story. What really draws me to playing this one over and over are the gorgeous settings! You travel to 5 different fantasy worlds. Just when I think my favorite is the fairy kingdom, I land in the dragon world. The map makes it easy to navigate and the game tells you when you no longer need to return to a particular scene. You never go to to a specific HOS more than twice so there's lots of variety and the scenes don't look like crazy junk piles. I only wish the game was longer.
I recommend this game!
The Golden Path of Plumeboom
Plumeboom the Peacock has found an ancient map of treasures! Help him match orbs and bring down the magnetic locks.
Overall rating
3
/
5
4 of 4 found this review helpful
Pleasing to the eye
PostedNovember 22, 2012
NaughtyPenguin
fromSun City, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Hidden Object, Match 3, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Marble Popper, Puzzle, Mahjong
Current Favorite:
7 Wonders: Ancient Alien Makeover
(50)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
My reaction to this game keeps changing. During the free play I kept getting interrupted so it took me three sessions to use up my hour. I loved the bright colors and bursting bubbles that spun around the center so I bought it. And it was fun...in 20-30 minute chunks, after which it became tedious. I was determined to finish it so I did. There's no scoring of rounds, no mini-games to break up the monotony, and the screens change so little when you get to a new level that, unless you look at which level and set you're on, you really can't tell you've made any progress. You can't play 'beat your last score' because the only score kept is the final one which requires you to play 99 rounds. I was thoroughly disgusted with my choice. BUT, I find myself going back to this game when I have a short time to play and just want something simple that's pleasing to the eye. I play a level or two and then I might go back a week later and play the next level. It is relaxing yet not totally mindless. It's not a great game, but it's not all bad either. I suggest playing the entire demo in one sitting and see what you think. I hope the developers come up with something more challenging because the plumebloom characters are bright and appealing.
I don't recommend this game.
Bubble Odyssey
Enjoy the bubble bursting fun you've always dreamed of through these 70 exciting levels!
Overall rating
1
/
5
17 of 27 found this review helpful
Nothing special here
PostedNovember 22, 2012
NaughtyPenguin
fromSun City, AZ
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Hidden Object, Match 3, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Marble Popper, Puzzle, Mahjong
Current Favorite:
7 Wonders: Ancient Alien Makeover
(50)Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
If you want an old-time pinball type, truly mindless game, this is for you. I was bored after 3 rounds but played through 11 rounds to see if anything new happened. All the playing boards were the same. You shoot at marbles coming down from the top of the screen. I suppose if you do this enough times you might get additional colors to add to the challenge but basically this is a simple 'hit the marbles as they drop down from the screen' game. The best I can say about this one is the colors are nice and bright.
I don't recommend this game.
Amazing Pyramids
Jump into Amazing Pyramids and lead a group of scientists through exciting minigames and jumbled letters in the Saharan desert!
Overall rating
4
/
5
30 of 31 found this review helpful
a year later and I still play this game
PostedNovember 20, 2012
NaughtyPenguin
fromSun City, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Marble Popper, Puzzle, Mahjong
Current Favorite:
7 Wonders: Ancient Alien Makeover
(50)Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
You build words starting with long words at the bottom of the pyramid and work up. As you level up, more obscure words are used. The most frustrating part of this game is when you finish a pyramid and have to wait while the endless graphics effects circle everything. If it weren't for this incredibly annoying and boring aspect, I'd play the game for hours and much more frequently. Some of the pyramids have words that are part of a category (eg things related to movies# but most are random. There are two kinds of mini-games; one where you make as many words as possible out of a given set of letters and one where you unscramble the letters to create a word. It expects a certain word so you can create a perfectly good word but if it's not the one it's looking for, it doesn't count. Same with the pyramid words; it has to be the specific one it's looking for. I can live with that on the pyramid but it seems to me like any legitimate word should be accepted when unscrambling letters. This is a game I played several times initially. Now I go to it when I need a change of pace; I play a few rounds #until I get bored with waiting for the unnecessary graphic show at the top of the pyramid and then come back days or weeks later and play a couple more rounds. With some minor improvements, this could be 5 star entertainment.
I recommend this game!
Venice Deluxe
Venice is sinking! Launch treasures and score tumble bonuses to restore the city to glory!
Overall rating
3
/
5
6 of 8 found this review helpful
If you like pinball, you might enjoy this game
PostedNovember 20, 2012
NaughtyPenguin
fromSun City, AZ
Skill Level:Expert
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Hidden Object, Match 3, Strategy, Brain Teaser, Marble Popper, Puzzle, Mahjong
Current Favorite:
7 Wonders: Ancient Alien Makeover
(50)Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
The graphics are bright and crisp but the background is relatively simple and boring. I used to love pinball games but now avoid them because there's too much eye movement. The music on this game is very annoying: repetitive and LOUD. I kept turning it down but it kept turning it up until I finally turned it off. I think there are more interesting pinball games than this one.
I don't recommend this game.