pennmom36's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.7
- Helpful Votes:358,445
- Reviews Submitted:4715
- First Review:December 10, 2012
- Most Recent Review:May 17, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
A fun and relaxing hidden-object experience!
Overall rating
4
/
5
36 of 59 found this review helpful
WHAT'S WRONG WITH WANTING TO ESCAPE INTO A NATURE-THEMED GAME?
PostedMay 4, 2023
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
I enjoy playing this nature-themed game! The scenes aren't really about plants; they are about beautiful nature scenes. Cherry Blossoms, Hydrangeas, Tulips, Petunias, Orchids, and various succulents from the developer plants are hardly exotic, I have all but one of these flowers in my own garden! As for the unprompted Zoom feature mentioned by cbtx, there are several ways to prompt the scenes to zoom, one of which is to scroll the mouse wheel to enlarge the entire scene. You can also prompt a magnifying glass by right-clicking, but I prefer to enlarge & drag the entire scene, which will solve the issue of trying to spot small objects.
Each scene has a Hidden Photo that converts to Coins that allows you to purchase Plants & Flowers in the My Garden Section. You can even choose where to place the plants or select multiple's of the same plant. You can also click the Camera icon to take a picture of your arrangement and set them as wallpaper. I wish you could place the plants in any arrangement versus placing them on preset snap points, such as grouping a set of plants together.
Each scene also has 3 Shapeshifting, Morphing Objects that are incredibly well blended. They morph at a slow pace and can be quite challenging to spot! (morphs can appear in Zoom Zones too) Each Morph found converts to a flower you can plant in the wild in the Nature Album. I agree that the Morphs are difficult to spot. The developer needs to add a Strategy Guide with their location or add a Morphing Object Hint button.
The Mini-games are nature-related as well. I love the Spot The Difference games and the swap-type puzzles that have multiple shapes to swap.
COLLECTOR'S EDITION EXTRAS:
18 Scene Locations, +6 Bonus Locations, 12 Bonus Mini-games, 24 Wallpapers, 10 Dev Plants, +5 CE Bonus Plants, 13 Music Soundtracks, 3 Shapeshifting Morphs per scene (converts to puzzle pieces to plant flowers in the Nature Album Section), 1 Hidden Photo per scene (converts to coins to purchase flowers in the My Garden Section), 20 Flowers & Plants to purchase & place (multiples of plants can be selected), and Flower Fun Facts.
Come join us at my new Nature-themed forum at thewoodsforum.boards.net
Each scene has a Hidden Photo that converts to Coins that allows you to purchase Plants & Flowers in the My Garden Section. You can even choose where to place the plants or select multiple's of the same plant. You can also click the Camera icon to take a picture of your arrangement and set them as wallpaper. I wish you could place the plants in any arrangement versus placing them on preset snap points, such as grouping a set of plants together.
Each scene also has 3 Shapeshifting, Morphing Objects that are incredibly well blended. They morph at a slow pace and can be quite challenging to spot! (morphs can appear in Zoom Zones too) Each Morph found converts to a flower you can plant in the wild in the Nature Album. I agree that the Morphs are difficult to spot. The developer needs to add a Strategy Guide with their location or add a Morphing Object Hint button.
The Mini-games are nature-related as well. I love the Spot The Difference games and the swap-type puzzles that have multiple shapes to swap.
COLLECTOR'S EDITION EXTRAS:
18 Scene Locations, +6 Bonus Locations, 12 Bonus Mini-games, 24 Wallpapers, 10 Dev Plants, +5 CE Bonus Plants, 13 Music Soundtracks, 3 Shapeshifting Morphs per scene (converts to puzzle pieces to plant flowers in the Nature Album Section), 1 Hidden Photo per scene (converts to coins to purchase flowers in the My Garden Section), 20 Flowers & Plants to purchase & place (multiples of plants can be selected), and Flower Fun Facts.
Come join us at my new Nature-themed forum at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Complete wonderful works of art, and let your creativity shine!
Overall rating
2
/
5
15 of 45 found this review helpful
COLOR MY WORLD...PLEASE
PostedMay 3, 2023
Fun Factor
2
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Modern Art Description: The term is usually associated with art in which the traditions of the past have been thrown aside in a spirit of experimentation.
After reading the definition of "Modern Art," I can see that these pictures match most of this definition. Art, past, traditions thrown aside, experimentation... are keywords that actually do describe the pictures in this game! Whod've thunk!?
One of the pictures in the demo section was a scene with some sort of bridge at the top. Even the small sample picture shown on the level section looked weird because the bridge section at the top looked like the color was missing. This was one screwed-up picture because several sections in the image matched whichever background color I chose, but none of those sections had numbers associated with the color chart. To make matters worse, the background color kept randomly changing color, even when I was filling in sections on the left side of the page! At first, I thought my mouse cursor had accidentally swiped over the tab to choose a color somehow, but after it changed randomly 6-7 times, I was confident it was just a glitch! I finished the entire picture, and those sections were never filled in with any color; they remained the same color as whatever background color I chose, which made the image look strange and...well, unfinished!
Why are the colors used in these games always so ugly? Why are the sections to fill in either huge or so tiny you can't find them? Why can't they offer pictures that are more intricate, using several color hues so that the pictures are more appealing without being microscopic? Other painting games pull this off quite well!
One of the pictures in the demo section was a scene with some sort of bridge at the top. Even the small sample picture shown on the level section looked weird because the bridge section at the top looked like the color was missing. This was one screwed-up picture because several sections in the image matched whichever background color I chose, but none of those sections had numbers associated with the color chart. To make matters worse, the background color kept randomly changing color, even when I was filling in sections on the left side of the page! At first, I thought my mouse cursor had accidentally swiped over the tab to choose a color somehow, but after it changed randomly 6-7 times, I was confident it was just a glitch! I finished the entire picture, and those sections were never filled in with any color; they remained the same color as whatever background color I chose, which made the image look strange and...well, unfinished!
Why are the colors used in these games always so ugly? Why are the sections to fill in either huge or so tiny you can't find them? Why can't they offer pictures that are more intricate, using several color hues so that the pictures are more appealing without being microscopic? Other painting games pull this off quite well!
Why does the completed image disappear the second you fill in the last section...are they hoping you won't notice how unappealing the finished product is if you can't inspect the completed picture?
Why is the custom cursor the size of a quarter, yet you still have to swipe over an area repeatedly to get the color to fill in? How difficult would it be to offer a couple more cursor options?
Why is the custom cursor the size of a quarter, yet you still have to swipe over an area repeatedly to get the color to fill in? How difficult would it be to offer a couple more cursor options?
It's always colorful in The Woods at my new forum; come check it out! thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
Never underestimate an angry elf!
Overall rating
4
/
5
51 of 92 found this review helpful
I LOVE THE HIDDEN TOTEM ANIMALS!
PostedMay 2, 2023
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I wasn't able to play the first Elven Rivers game because it wasn't compatible with my 38" Curved monitor. I love Big City Lab games so I asked the developer to add my resolution and they immediately gathered their resources to activate the Magic Elven Tower... and poof! What a fantastic developer, eh?
You can play in a Normal, Hard, or Chill Out difficulty mode. Although some strategy is involved, it's not a super stressful game and the timer seems fair.
My favorite feature is finding the Animal Totems (bear, owl, deer, raccoon, fish) some of which are hidden pretty well. You will receive one Jigsaw Puzzle Piece for each Totem completed per level. To save time, I search for the totems and then hit the replay button because once you find the totem animals you won't be required to find them when you replay the level. There are also Morphing Art Palettes that allow you to paint three different pictures.
You can play in a Normal, Hard, or Chill Out difficulty mode. Although some strategy is involved, it's not a super stressful game and the timer seems fair.
My favorite feature is finding the Animal Totems (bear, owl, deer, raccoon, fish) some of which are hidden pretty well. You will receive one Jigsaw Puzzle Piece for each Totem completed per level. To save time, I search for the totems and then hit the replay button because once you find the totem animals you won't be required to find them when you replay the level. There are also Morphing Art Palettes that allow you to paint three different pictures.
This Collector's Edition version has 6 Wallpapers, Music Soundtracks, 12 Bonus Levels, and Achievement Trophies. Each Level has 5 hidden Totem Animals and a Morphing Art Palette to paint 3 different pictures.
Have a gaming tip you'd like to share? Join us on my new forum thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Help Amanda save a lost civilization in an exhilarating match-3 adventure!
Overall rating
3
/
5
31 of 55 found this review helpful
AMANDA'S MAGIC BOOK AMANDA'S MAGIC BOOK AMANDA'S MAGIC BOOK AMANDA'S...
PostedMay 1, 2023
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Nobody likes a repeat of the same thing, over and over.
This is a fantastic Match 3 game, but surely, everyone has played at least one E-FunSoft game at this point. If you have played any other Match 3 game by this developer, you are 100% familiar with the level layouts. Sure, the icons, music, and storyline have changed, but the game mechanics have not. Why would anyone want to buy a new game if they are getting old, repetitive gameplay?
The only goal really is to make matches over all of the Gold Cells and make the required number of matches of each specified element tile. Some levels have Treasure Chests that can be collected by dropping them off the board when you make matches under them. Some icons are trapped under Spiderwebs or Ropes that require making matches of whatever tile is blocked within them.
This is a fantastic Match 3 game, but surely, everyone has played at least one E-FunSoft game at this point. If you have played any other Match 3 game by this developer, you are 100% familiar with the level layouts. Sure, the icons, music, and storyline have changed, but the game mechanics have not. Why would anyone want to buy a new game if they are getting old, repetitive gameplay?
The only goal really is to make matches over all of the Gold Cells and make the required number of matches of each specified element tile. Some levels have Treasure Chests that can be collected by dropping them off the board when you make matches under them. Some icons are trapped under Spiderwebs or Ropes that require making matches of whatever tile is blocked within them.
Powerups with various abilities are added at the start of each level, two at a time. The powerups are always the same; they just change the name, such as a Belaii Axe to clear a single tile, or a Belaii Hunting Knife to clear a 5-tile radius horizontally.
Bonus Bombs are added to the board as well; a Match 5 awards you a Medium Bomb on the board to clear an 8-tile radius, a Match 6 awards you a Large Bomb to clear a 12-tile radius, and a Match 7 awards a Massive Bomb to clear a 20-tile radius.
Once again, you will earn a single star per level. The stars are used to purchase 4 World Upgrades to progress to the next Chapter. There are no options for choosing or placing the upgrades. This scenario takes forever just to get to the "skip" feature. There's a lot of meaningless dialogue between characters which makes it feel more like a chore. It would be more interesting if we could actually "choose" options, such as which building to construct, or where to place them...it would be even more interesting if we could choose between 3 different options of varying styles, but these beloved options may be a coding feature that this developer isn't familiar with??
Have you been to The Woods Forum yet? We all love games and you'll never find a more friendly group of people! Stop by and see for yourself at thewoodsforum.boards.net
Have you been to The Woods Forum yet? We all love games and you'll never find a more friendly group of people! Stop by and see for yourself at thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
Sometimes there is far more than meets the eye.
Overall rating
3
/
5
40 of 68 found this review helpful
ABC ••• EASY AS 123
PostedApril 30, 2023
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Completed Game in about 7.0 hours
22 Main Game Scene Locations +9 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner
22 Main Game Scene Locations +9 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner
"Solving this case is as easy as ABC" couldn't be a more accurate statement! Put yourself on auto-pilot and start clicking to figure out why someone is murdering people in alphabetical order. You know what to do, Fix that leaky steam pipe, fix that wheelbarrow blocking your path so you can expose that freshly dug pile of dirt, look for a coin screwdriver, use that cork as a handle, find something to clean up the pile of glass shards, find matching motifs to open drawers, prop up that sofa that is missing a leg, (why would a sofa be missing one leg in the 1st place?) use something to rip out stitches because someone decided to sew something into the lining of a brand new coat. Of course, you will need that hairpin spoke the detective endowed you with! The murderer will be pretty easy to spot in a crowd; just look for someone wearing a cloaked hoodie! When you get finished with all these tasks....don't worry; chapter two will give you another chance to complete the same tasks, lather, rinse, repeat!?!
DIALOGUE CHOICES:
If the game isn't boring you out of your mind, you can opt for extended gameplay via Conversation Choices. The story itself will not be affected if you opt out, but if you opt in, you will get an extra quest with additional puzzles and HO scenes. This option would be fantastic if the tasks weren't so cliché and repetitive. Can you imagine this feature in a game like Lost Lands?!
If the game isn't boring you out of your mind, you can opt for extended gameplay via Conversation Choices. The story itself will not be affected if you opt out, but if you opt in, you will get an extra quest with additional puzzles and HO scenes. This option would be fantastic if the tasks weren't so cliché and repetitive. Can you imagine this feature in a game like Lost Lands?!
COLLECTIBLES/MORPHING OBJECTS (CE version only)
Can't they come up with anything different to add or change? Okay, in all fairness, they did change one of the collectibles in the last game to 14 versus the usual 15 per game! Does that count as a change? There are 15 Miniature Invention items, 15 Morphing Evidence items, and 70 Zoom Zone Broaches that are used to purchase 15 uninteresting Boudoir items. I'm sorry, but purchasing 15 Boudoir items such as a hat or a dollhouse just screams, "we don't really care about this CE extra, but BF makes us add them" Is it because you don't care what the player thinks, or you just don't want to have to recode a game to make the collectibles more appealing?
Can't they come up with anything different to add or change? Okay, in all fairness, they did change one of the collectibles in the last game to 14 versus the usual 15 per game! Does that count as a change? There are 15 Miniature Invention items, 15 Morphing Evidence items, and 70 Zoom Zone Broaches that are used to purchase 15 uninteresting Boudoir items. I'm sorry, but purchasing 15 Boudoir items such as a hat or a dollhouse just screams, "we don't really care about this CE extra, but BF makes us add them" Is it because you don't care what the player thinks, or you just don't want to have to recode a game to make the collectibles more appealing?
HIDDEN OBJECT SCENES:
WOW! They have really lowered the standards on a lot of these HO scenes! Several of the HO scenes are identical to the scenes offered in their simple HOGs (Connected Worlds & The Intersection of Worlds) This is where they list 3 words at a time, some of which are x3 (multiple's of the same object) and as the player finds an item, another listed word takes its place. If you have played the HOGs mentioned above, you will realize that the objects aren't hidden, and the HO scene is over within seconds! There are also Interactive Listed Items, Silhouetted Shapes, Spot the Differences, Find & Replace, and Keywords in Sentence Finds. Many of the scenes are dark, which makes it difficult to recognize objects...I don't consider this to be "challenging" just because they have poor graphics! The HO scenes are located in uninteresting and very typical locations. They were so boring that I opted to play the Alternate Match 3 game which was slightly less boring.
WOW! They have really lowered the standards on a lot of these HO scenes! Several of the HO scenes are identical to the scenes offered in their simple HOGs (Connected Worlds & The Intersection of Worlds) This is where they list 3 words at a time, some of which are x3 (multiple's of the same object) and as the player finds an item, another listed word takes its place. If you have played the HOGs mentioned above, you will realize that the objects aren't hidden, and the HO scene is over within seconds! There are also Interactive Listed Items, Silhouetted Shapes, Spot the Differences, Find & Replace, and Keywords in Sentence Finds. Many of the scenes are dark, which makes it difficult to recognize objects...I don't consider this to be "challenging" just because they have poor graphics! The HO scenes are located in uninteresting and very typical locations. They were so boring that I opted to play the Alternate Match 3 game which was slightly less boring.
ALTERNATE MATCH 3 GAME:
There is an alternate Match 3 Game available if you don't want to play a Hidden Object Scene. NOTHING has changed in this Match 3 game for decades! Not only are the icons & features exactly the same in every match 3 game, but you cannot make consecutive matches quickly because you have to wait for all tiles to stop falling before you can make the next match.
There is an alternate Match 3 Game available if you don't want to play a Hidden Object Scene. NOTHING has changed in this Match 3 game for decades! Not only are the icons & features exactly the same in every match 3 game, but you cannot make consecutive matches quickly because you have to wait for all tiles to stop falling before you can make the next match.
MINI-GAMES:
They did try to add a few new games, one of which I just couldn't figure out why my solution wasn't correct when sliding icons to the correct spot according to the clue shown. I finally referred to the SG where they were showing the placement of one of the icons, which was nowhere near the location of the clue shown. All the other icons were correct and did match the clue shown, so the only thing I can figure out is that it was a glitch of some sort. I really enjoyed the Key puzzle; although there have been several variations of this game in the past, it was still fun to swap key sections on the left & right to align 2 sections because the sections that matched were hidden behind a panel.
They did try to add a few new games, one of which I just couldn't figure out why my solution wasn't correct when sliding icons to the correct spot according to the clue shown. I finally referred to the SG where they were showing the placement of one of the icons, which was nowhere near the location of the clue shown. All the other icons were correct and did match the clue shown, so the only thing I can figure out is that it was a glitch of some sort. I really enjoyed the Key puzzle; although there have been several variations of this game in the past, it was still fun to swap key sections on the left & right to align 2 sections because the sections that matched were hidden behind a panel.
BONUS CHAPTER (CE Version Only)
In the Bonus Chapter, you play as Fred Jones, a character from the main chapter who is being sued by a famous actress who claims Mr. Jones used inferior materials that caused an allergic reaction. There are 10 additional Mini-Games and 6 Hidden Object Scenes taking place over 9 additional scene locations. You will continue searching for the final 5 Morphing Evidence items, 4 Miniature Inventions, and 9 Zoom Zone Broaches that are used to purchase the final items in the Boudoir.
In the Bonus Chapter, you play as Fred Jones, a character from the main chapter who is being sued by a famous actress who claims Mr. Jones used inferior materials that caused an allergic reaction. There are 10 additional Mini-Games and 6 Hidden Object Scenes taking place over 9 additional scene locations. You will continue searching for the final 5 Morphing Evidence items, 4 Miniature Inventions, and 9 Zoom Zone Broaches that are used to purchase the final items in the Boudoir.
COLLECTOR'S EDITION EXTRAS: (CE version only)
15 Wallpapers, 15 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 21 Movie Video Cutscenes, 38 Achievements, 21 Replayable Mini-Games, 23 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 15 Miniature Invention items, 15 Morphing Evidence items, and 70 Zoom Zone Broaches that are used to purchase 15 uninteresting Boudoir items, 4 Main Chapters, +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
15 Wallpapers, 15 Concept Art Pictures, 5 Music Soundtracks, 21 Movie Video Cutscenes, 38 Achievements, 21 Replayable Mini-Games, 23 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 15 Miniature Invention items, 15 Morphing Evidence items, and 70 Zoom Zone Broaches that are used to purchase 15 uninteresting Boudoir items, 4 Main Chapters, +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
Hot Potato, you're it... come join the fun! thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
Your ship has come in!
Overall rating
5
/
5
298 of 419 found this review helpful
⚥ IT'S AN ANNIVERSARY CRUISE! ⚥
PostedApril 27, 2023
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
There's just something about a new Vacation Adventures game that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Yes, they are cheesy HOG's. yes, they are basically all the same...But, that's part of the charm. The familiarity of the game is comforting, relaxing, and enjoyable.
You can play in a Casual Mode (untimed-faster hint recharge), a Challenge Mode (timed-normal hint recharge), or Extreme Mode, which is only available in the CE version (timed-no available hints-all wildlife & recyclables must be found, and you will earn all achievements as well) There are 19 Achievements to earn for completing various tasks such as buying Souvenirs, earning an Eagle Eye award or completing the game. You can purchase 16 Cruise Souvenirs, which are stored in a cabin room.
Each scene has several Lost & Found Items that are shown as silhouettes in a Portal to the left of the word search bar, and when all items have been spotted, the portal will close. Each Scene has 3 Golden Anchor's to find, and a checkmark will appear when all have been found. There are 16 Photo-op scenes that have a Camera Icon, which allows you to take a photo for the photo album.
You will earn an Eagle Eye achievement if you don't use either the Hint or Mega Hint feature. The Magnifying Glass will show you a hint of one item, and the Mega hint will show you the location of every item left to find.
You'll earn a Bronze Star for completing the Search, a Silver Star if you find all Lost & Found items OR Anchors, and a Gold Star if you find all Lost & Found items AND Gold Anchors. Words listed in Blue require an interaction of some type, and words in Red are hidden inside or behind things.
Most of the scenes have two Zoom Zones (indicated by sparkling stars) that have hidden items and sometimes include Anchors or Lost & Found items. After each Hidden Object Scene, you'll play a variety of Mini Games, such as Word Search, Jigsaws, or Label Placement.
Collector's Edition Extras:
3 Bonus Cruises (Romantic River Cruise) 18 Wallpapers, 20 Music Soundtracks w/player, 19 Achievements, 16 Souvenirs to purchase & display, 16 Photo Op Scenes, 48 Replayable Mini-Games
EXTRA MINI-GAMES:
8 Jigsaw Puzzles
8 Rotate Puzzles
8 Flipsaw Puzzles
6 Spot The Difference
3 Concentration
7 Word Search
4 Puzzle Placement
1 Fruit Sundae (shaped pizzle)
1 Fruit Cocktail (rotate rings)
1 Constellation (rotate rings & swap strips)
1 Europe Map (find listed cities on a map)
Come join the fun at my new Forum: thewoodsforum.boards.net
You can play in a Casual Mode (untimed-faster hint recharge), a Challenge Mode (timed-normal hint recharge), or Extreme Mode, which is only available in the CE version (timed-no available hints-all wildlife & recyclables must be found, and you will earn all achievements as well) There are 19 Achievements to earn for completing various tasks such as buying Souvenirs, earning an Eagle Eye award or completing the game. You can purchase 16 Cruise Souvenirs, which are stored in a cabin room.
Each scene has several Lost & Found Items that are shown as silhouettes in a Portal to the left of the word search bar, and when all items have been spotted, the portal will close. Each Scene has 3 Golden Anchor's to find, and a checkmark will appear when all have been found. There are 16 Photo-op scenes that have a Camera Icon, which allows you to take a photo for the photo album.
You will earn an Eagle Eye achievement if you don't use either the Hint or Mega Hint feature. The Magnifying Glass will show you a hint of one item, and the Mega hint will show you the location of every item left to find.
You'll earn a Bronze Star for completing the Search, a Silver Star if you find all Lost & Found items OR Anchors, and a Gold Star if you find all Lost & Found items AND Gold Anchors. Words listed in Blue require an interaction of some type, and words in Red are hidden inside or behind things.
Most of the scenes have two Zoom Zones (indicated by sparkling stars) that have hidden items and sometimes include Anchors or Lost & Found items. After each Hidden Object Scene, you'll play a variety of Mini Games, such as Word Search, Jigsaws, or Label Placement.
Collector's Edition Extras:
3 Bonus Cruises (Romantic River Cruise) 18 Wallpapers, 20 Music Soundtracks w/player, 19 Achievements, 16 Souvenirs to purchase & display, 16 Photo Op Scenes, 48 Replayable Mini-Games
EXTRA MINI-GAMES:
8 Jigsaw Puzzles
8 Rotate Puzzles
8 Flipsaw Puzzles
6 Spot The Difference
3 Concentration
7 Word Search
4 Puzzle Placement
1 Fruit Sundae (shaped pizzle)
1 Fruit Cocktail (rotate rings)
1 Constellation (rotate rings & swap strips)
1 Europe Map (find listed cities on a map)
Come join the fun at my new Forum: thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Overall rating
3
/
5
22 of 29 found this review helpful
JUST FIND IT, MATCH IT, SWAP IT, & SPOT IT
PostedApril 26, 2023
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Tiny Little Lion still rocks, but I just wasn't into this game. I thought maybe I was just having an off day yesterday, so I gave it another whirl today, but it still wasn't knocking my socks off. I will give them credit for choosing very unique themes, from Donuts to Día de los Muertos!
There are four variants available:
•Differences ≠ Spot the Difference between 2-4 different scenes, side by side. There are also hidden objects to find, such as 5 Cars or 5 Snails. This was my favorite variant, and some of the differences were challenging to spot!
•Swap ⇄ This is a square Tile Swap variant. Some of the levels have multiple pictures to give it a bit of a challenge. I've never been a huge fan of swap-type puzzles, but there are several unique pictures available.
•Match ＝ The goal is to find matching pairs, but in my opinion, there should have been way more objects to match. I loved the saltwater fish level, but it would have been more challenging if there was a bunch of fish...even better would be several layers to have to sift through.
•Detail ▤ This is where you are tasked with finding specific areas, shown as swatches or small pictures. Most of these levels were very challenging, at times, frustrating because of the variable designs in the pictures.
I don't see the value in this CE version, there are no morphs or collectibles, which is something I've always enjoyed in Tiny Little Lion games. The synopsis states there are 22 Bonus Levels that must be just mixed in with the 90 levels shown?? There is a tab for CE content, but it only shows 15 Wallpapers, and 13 Music Soundtracks; it doesn't say anything about bonus levels which is even more confusing. Personally, I have no need for wallpapers or stock music soundtracks.
There are four variants available:
•Differences ≠ Spot the Difference between 2-4 different scenes, side by side. There are also hidden objects to find, such as 5 Cars or 5 Snails. This was my favorite variant, and some of the differences were challenging to spot!
•Swap ⇄ This is a square Tile Swap variant. Some of the levels have multiple pictures to give it a bit of a challenge. I've never been a huge fan of swap-type puzzles, but there are several unique pictures available.
•Match ＝ The goal is to find matching pairs, but in my opinion, there should have been way more objects to match. I loved the saltwater fish level, but it would have been more challenging if there was a bunch of fish...even better would be several layers to have to sift through.
•Detail ▤ This is where you are tasked with finding specific areas, shown as swatches or small pictures. Most of these levels were very challenging, at times, frustrating because of the variable designs in the pictures.
I don't see the value in this CE version, there are no morphs or collectibles, which is something I've always enjoyed in Tiny Little Lion games. The synopsis states there are 22 Bonus Levels that must be just mixed in with the 90 levels shown?? There is a tab for CE content, but it only shows 15 Wallpapers, and 13 Music Soundtracks; it doesn't say anything about bonus levels which is even more confusing. Personally, I have no need for wallpapers or stock music soundtracks.
Come join the fun and become an official Woodsy at my new forum, thewoodsforum.boards.net
A unique solitaire experience like nothing else!
Overall rating
3
/
5
52 of 82 found this review helpful
I'LL BE THE FIRST TO GIVE THIS GAME FIVE STARS WHEN & IF...
PostedApril 26, 2023
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I'd like to point out that Melon Games has developed the last few games in this series, and I have noticed a few subtle changes. The graphics have improved, but more importantly, the level layouts are more user-friendly, allowing players to remove more cards before being forced to end the level by collecting the last remaining Gold Card. It may not be a miracle...but maybe it's a sign that this developer is open to change!?
The problem is "close" only counts in a game of Horseshoes. The levels are purposely designed to prevent the player from removing all cards from the board. At the very least, can't they design the levels to allow players the possibility of removing all cards? It's so frustrating when you can't remove the final four or five cards because the last remaining Gold Card(s) are on top. Once you remove those Gold Cards, the level ends even if several cards remain on the board!
I get that some people enjoy playing a game that doesn't require them to remove all of the cards, but the majority of solitaire fans do! Solitaire Games are one of my favorite genres, and I would gladly give them a 5-Star rating if Melon Games would just tweak the levels to allow solitaire fans like myself the ability to remove all cards. I'd even be willing to purchase every game if they added an option to continue playing after the Gold Cards are removed!
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The problem is "close" only counts in a game of Horseshoes. The levels are purposely designed to prevent the player from removing all cards from the board. At the very least, can't they design the levels to allow players the possibility of removing all cards? It's so frustrating when you can't remove the final four or five cards because the last remaining Gold Card(s) are on top. Once you remove those Gold Cards, the level ends even if several cards remain on the board!
I get that some people enjoy playing a game that doesn't require them to remove all of the cards, but the majority of solitaire fans do! Solitaire Games are one of my favorite genres, and I would gladly give them a 5-Star rating if Melon Games would just tweak the levels to allow solitaire fans like myself the ability to remove all cards. I'd even be willing to purchase every game if they added an option to continue playing after the Gold Cards are removed!
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A unique color-by-numbers game for the treasure hunter in you!
Overall rating
3
/
5
24 of 40 found this review helpful
THE PICTURES ARE TRULY BREATHTAKING...BUT
PostedApril 24, 2023
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
I want to thank Seven Sails for bringing us a wide range of games, I know how hard they work, and I do appreciate them! The images are really beautiful, and they allow you to see and work on any of the 64 images, which is awesome.
The only issue I have is that it doesn't take very long to complete an image because there are only 9 colored stones to "break." To be clear, each colored stone may have varying amounts of stones to break, but the stones are pretty big. It wasn't as gratifying to simply click on the stones to remove them in the blink of an eye as it is to chisel away cells, as offered in the pixel painting game last week.
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The only issue I have is that it doesn't take very long to complete an image because there are only 9 colored stones to "break." To be clear, each colored stone may have varying amounts of stones to break, but the stones are pretty big. It wasn't as gratifying to simply click on the stones to remove them in the blink of an eye as it is to chisel away cells, as offered in the pixel painting game last week.
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Can you stop your lookalike from destroying the flow of magic?
Overall rating
3
/
5
84 of 111 found this review helpful
DECISIONS....DECISIONS...WHOSE MAKING THESE?
PostedApril 21, 2023
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Completed Game in approximately 4.0 hours
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
18 Main Game Scene Locations +6 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner-Intermediate
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
18 Main Game Scene Locations +6 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner-Intermediate
I would have given this game 5-stars if Anna Gray was lugging daddy Richard's skull around in her purse! What is going on at Elephant Games lately? Not only is Richard still MIA, but the Morphing Objects are no longer available in any Elephant Game, and now the replayable Mini-games & HO scenes are MIA?!
First, they ditched Elf in the Mystery Trackers series, which was clearly the worse decision a person could make in a long-running, successful series. The ratings fell, and they haven't added a new MT game in two years.
Then they ditched Rick Rogers from the beloved Paranormal Files series. This series WAS Rick Rogers; after helping a ghost in the first game, he opened his own Paranormal Files agency. Fans are upset because they want Rick Rogers to return, but game after game, Rick is MIA, and fans are no longer fans.
Grim Tales is suffering the same fate. First, they surprised us with a long-lost daughter that Anna knew nothing about. That didn't seem to go over well, so they ditched the daughter. As a reward, Elephant decided to surprise us by ditching daddy Richard and replacing him with Mommy Dearest, Anastasia. What a disaster! Richard was sarcastic, funny, delightful...and clearly dead, but we loved him!
All three of these series have taken drastic turns, and all three have one major thing in common...Fans don't like the change and are begging Elephant Games to make it right...but they don't. How exactly did Elephant Games come to the conclusion that it was a great idea to ditch beloved characters, and who is making the decision to ignore the fans?
웃 Gadgets/Helper: 웃
Anastasia is a gadget and a helper. Whenever her Cameo glows, she has something on her mind...followed by a random inventory item she just happened to stumble upon. This scenario happens 6 different times in the main chapter, and neither adds to the story's charm nor takes away from it other than replacing a beloved Richard.
Anastasia is a gadget and a helper. Whenever her Cameo glows, she has something on her mind...followed by a random inventory item she just happened to stumble upon. This scenario happens 6 different times in the main chapter, and neither adds to the story's charm nor takes away from it other than replacing a beloved Richard.
♪Audio/Visuals:♪
I've always loved the graphics in Elephant Games. Even though they took a drastic turn a few years ago, you can certainly see a shift lately with graphics that look more realistic and more up-to-date.
I've always loved the graphics in Elephant Games. Even though they took a drastic turn a few years ago, you can certainly see a shift lately with graphics that look more realistic and more up-to-date.
☽☾ Collectibles & Morphing Objects (CE Version Only): ☼
Unfortunately, there are no Morphing Objects...a huge disappointment :(
Unfortunately, there are no Morphing Objects...a huge disappointment :(
There are 12 Collectible Mismatched critters, such as a Catbird or a Chimeras. There are 24 Zoom Zone jigsaw puzzle pieces that allow you to assemble a Jigsaw Puzzle in the Secret Room, which can be accessed anytime. After completing the Bonus Chapter, you can search for missed collectibles in the Expedition Room.
◔ Hidden Object Scenes: ◕
The Hidden Object Scenes are better than they have been in the past, the objects are identifiable, and the scenes are clear and bright. They have the usual Listed Items, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Keywords in Sentence Finds, Swatches of specific areas in the scene, Descriptive Find, and Matching Pairs in a very colorful mushroom patch. There are a handful of small Zoom Zone HO scenes as well.
The Hidden Object Scenes are better than they have been in the past, the objects are identifiable, and the scenes are clear and bright. They have the usual Listed Items, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Keywords in Sentence Finds, Swatches of specific areas in the scene, Descriptive Find, and Matching Pairs in a very colorful mushroom patch. There are a handful of small Zoom Zone HO scenes as well.
♙ Mini-Games: ♙
They tried to stick to a detective theme when it came to the Mini-games, such as reconstructing and matching fingerprints or moving Anna via a map. But they also included match 3 against opponents, selecting buttons to connect 2 circuits, pattern recreations, and catching flowers by anticipating the pattern of movement. I felt that the games were rather simplistic, such as rotating rings to recreate pictures. This is unusual because Elephant usually has more complex puzzles that require several steps to follow, which is one of the features I love in their games.
They tried to stick to a detective theme when it came to the Mini-games, such as reconstructing and matching fingerprints or moving Anna via a map. But they also included match 3 against opponents, selecting buttons to connect 2 circuits, pattern recreations, and catching flowers by anticipating the pattern of movement. I felt that the games were rather simplistic, such as rotating rings to recreate pictures. This is unusual because Elephant usually has more complex puzzles that require several steps to follow, which is one of the features I love in their games.
✯ Bonus Chapter (CE Version Only) ✯
It seems Lady A still has a few tricks up her sleeve, and it's up to you to stop her once and for all as The Keeper of the Portals! There are 6 additional Mini-Games and 6 Hidden Object Scenes, and you will continue your search for the final 3 Collectible Animals and 6 Jigsaw Puzzle pieces over 6 additional scene locations.
It seems Lady A still has a few tricks up her sleeve, and it's up to you to stop her once and for all as The Keeper of the Portals! There are 6 additional Mini-Games and 6 Hidden Object Scenes, and you will continue your search for the final 3 Collectible Animals and 6 Jigsaw Puzzle pieces over 6 additional scene locations.
♕ Collector's Edition Extra's: (CE version only) ♕
5 Wallpapers, 1 Screensaver, 5 Music Soundtracks, 21 Achievements, Zero Replayable Mini-Games, Zero Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 12 Collectible Mismatched Animals, 24 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzles (in the Secret Room) Expedition Room (search for missed collectibles), 3 Main Chapters, +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
5 Wallpapers, 1 Screensaver, 5 Music Soundtracks, 21 Achievements, Zero Replayable Mini-Games, Zero Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 12 Collectible Mismatched Animals, 24 Zoom Zone Jigsaw Puzzles (in the Secret Room) Expedition Room (search for missed collectibles), 3 Main Chapters, +Bonus Chapter, and a Built-In Strategy Guide.
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I recommend this game!