pennmom36's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:3.7
- Helpful Votes:358,445
- Reviews Submitted:4712
- First Review:December 10, 2012
- Most Recent Review:April 24, 2025
- Featured reviews0
Status:
The legendary thief with a heart of gold is back!
Overall rating
4
/
5
52 of 63 found this review helpful
I'M NOT SURE I LIKE THE CHANGES?
PostedApril 24, 2021
pennmom36
fromUntil the 16th century, Robin was placed in many different periods from Richard I to Edward III. In the 16th century, the original outlaw band only consisted of: Little John, Will Scarlet & Much the Miller’s Son.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
I loved the first Robin Hood and the second one was good but it was crazy-difficult to earn all 3-stars. Robin Hood: Hail to the King has me teetering on the fence, there are so many bells and whistles that it kind of takes away from the Time Management aspect because there are so many Bonuses. It's kind of like how they are creating Match 3 games with mobile app type bonuses that practically plays the game for you because of the constantly exploding bombs on the board that you are forced to use, if that makes sense?
You can play in an Easy, or Normal Mode and each level has 3 Hidden Objects, that aren't so hidden. Well, some of them are partially hidden but they are so large that's they are hard to miss! Each level has different objects but you can click on the Ribbon Tab on the level map to see what objects are hidden on each level. There are 12 Bows, 12 Clubs, 12 Potion Bottles, 12 Hats, 12 Necklaces, 12 Tags (?) 12 Slingshots, 12 Swords, and 33 Gems in total.
There are the usual Time Management tasks of Clearing Paths of weeds, Wooden Logs, Boulders, etc. You will harvest Berry Bushes, Apple Trees, Walnut Trees, and gather random food caches, and go fishing, as well as repair Rope Buildings, Sawmills, Farms, Bridges, and Ladders. You can even sheer the sheep, and of course, Robin Hood and his merry men steal Gold from the Rich to Give to the Poor, and you will have to set traps to deter the King's Guards because they don't just hand over their booty.
Here's where it gets complicated. There is a Noble Cause Meter that rewards you with Permanent Bonuses for each tier whenever you help the Pheasants. They will increase the hero's speed, increase the worker's speed, increase production speed or increase the hero worker's speed. You can increase the percentages with the gold earned playing the levels. You can drag and drop 2 "team" characters with various abilities to the icon tab before the start of each level. The characters have different effects on the "team" such as making everyone work faster, summon their will, or increase Noble Cause points. These can be upgraded 5 times each. It was confusing, somewhat annoying, and made the game seem more like a mobile app than a hardcore strategy game.
This Collector's Edition has 6 Skins, 5 Music Soundtracks, 12 Bows, 12 Clubs, 12 Potion Bottles, 12 Hats, 12 Necklaces, 12 Tags (?) 12 Slingshots, 12 Swords, and 33 Gems (3 Hidden Objects per level) 32 Main Levels, 11 Bonus Levels, and 12 Heist Levels where you can play to earn Gold. I'd love for you to join us on my new forum at thewoodsforum.boards.net :)
I recommend this game!
Can you stop a dangerous order from abusing time for their nefarious plans?
Overall rating
3
/
5
54 of 64 found this review helpful
HMMM, WHO MADE THE DECISION TO DITCH DADDY RICHARD?
PostedApril 23, 2021
pennmom36
fromMaybe they could do a spin off game with Richard and Elf as a dynamic do since they are both out of a job?
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
Completed Game approximately 5.0 hours
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
18 Main Game Scene Locations +8 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner-Intermediate
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
18 Main Game Scene Locations +8 Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner-Intermediate
There were bound to be consequences for time-traveling, especially when you use your gift to alter the past to achieve a more favorable outcome. Now it's time for Anna to pay the piper, The Omen has finally caught up with this time-traveling, skull-no-skull lugging detective, and without daddy Richard around to help, this may be the end of Time for Anna...or did Richard foresee this coming a long, long time ago, who knows, perhaps daddy Richard loved Anna enough to make the ultimate sacrifice!
웃Helper/Gadget웃
In Heritage, Richard and his Skull were MIA and now we are learning more about Richard's dark past in Trace In Time. They have really turned Anna's sarcastic father into an unlikeable character which leads me to believe they needed to write the character off, probably due to a dispute with the voice actor? I don't see how Richard and his skull will be able to return as normal after this scenario, and that is a shame because even though it is a gimmicky feature we all made fun of (because Anna carries his skull around in her purse) If Richard was still popping in and out, I would probably have given this game 5-Stars because I happen to love this type of story, yes it's a bit dark, but the storyline was mysterious and it drew me in as I wanted to learn more about the background story because I have been playing this series from the very start!
In Heritage, Richard and his Skull were MIA and now we are learning more about Richard's dark past in Trace In Time. They have really turned Anna's sarcastic father into an unlikeable character which leads me to believe they needed to write the character off, probably due to a dispute with the voice actor? I don't see how Richard and his skull will be able to return as normal after this scenario, and that is a shame because even though it is a gimmicky feature we all made fun of (because Anna carries his skull around in her purse) If Richard was still popping in and out, I would probably have given this game 5-Stars because I happen to love this type of story, yes it's a bit dark, but the storyline was mysterious and it drew me in as I wanted to learn more about the background story because I have been playing this series from the very start!
☽☾Morphing Objects/Collectibles: (CE version only)☼
There are no Morphing Objects, this is another reason for my deduction of a star...Elephant Games have always had Morphing Objects and they have made a poor decision deleting this feature! There are 12 Collectible Time Pieces that were fairly well blended to match the decor, but not every scene has them and they need to add a Collectibles tab to alert the player if there is a collectible in that particular scene (as an option) There are also 25 Zoom-Zone Screensaver Puzzle Pieces that creates two Screensavers as well.
There are no Morphing Objects, this is another reason for my deduction of a star...Elephant Games have always had Morphing Objects and they have made a poor decision deleting this feature! There are 12 Collectible Time Pieces that were fairly well blended to match the decor, but not every scene has them and they need to add a Collectibles tab to alert the player if there is a collectible in that particular scene (as an option) There are also 25 Zoom-Zone Screensaver Puzzle Pieces that creates two Screensavers as well.
◔Hidden Object Scenes◕
There are 10 Hidden Object Scenes, 7 Zoom Zone HO's, +4 Main HO's, and 2 Zoom Zone HO's in the CE Bonus Chapter, The objects are fairly easily spotted which is something Elephant Games needs to work on. They include Interactive List Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Replacing Items into the Scene, Matching Pair Finds, and Keywords in Sentence Finds. There are no HO morphs or alternate games available.
There are 10 Hidden Object Scenes, 7 Zoom Zone HO's, +4 Main HO's, and 2 Zoom Zone HO's in the CE Bonus Chapter, The objects are fairly easily spotted which is something Elephant Games needs to work on. They include Interactive List Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Replacing Items into the Scene, Matching Pair Finds, and Keywords in Sentence Finds. There are no HO morphs or alternate games available.
♙Mini-Games♙
There are 15 Mini-Games +5 in the CE Bonus Chapter, some of which are multi-layered progressive puzzles. The games range from easy to medium difficulty, and some of them were ridiculously frustrating to solve such as swapping shaped clock faces along just 2 paths. Every time you swapped pieces the others would shift along the outer rim.
There are 15 Mini-Games +5 in the CE Bonus Chapter, some of which are multi-layered progressive puzzles. The games range from easy to medium difficulty, and some of them were ridiculously frustrating to solve such as swapping shaped clock faces along just 2 paths. Every time you swapped pieces the others would shift along the outer rim.
✯Bonus Chapter (Collector's Edition version only)✯
You will play Aubrey in the BC who tries to free Anna from the Looking Glass trap. There are 8 Scene Locations in this average-length chapter with 5 Mini-Games and 7 Hidden Object Scenes, plus 2 Zoom Zone HO's. You will continue to search for the remaining 3 Collectible Water Clocks, and 6 Screensaver Pieces to complete the second Screensaver.
You will play Aubrey in the BC who tries to free Anna from the Looking Glass trap. There are 8 Scene Locations in this average-length chapter with 5 Mini-Games and 7 Hidden Object Scenes, plus 2 Zoom Zone HO's. You will continue to search for the remaining 3 Collectible Water Clocks, and 6 Screensaver Pieces to complete the second Screensaver.
♕Collector's Edition Extra's♕
5 Wallpapers, 2 Screensavers, 5 Music Soundtracks, 22 Achievements, 14 Replayable Mini-Games, and 13 Hidden Object Scenes, 25 Screensaver Zoom Zone Pieces,12 Collectible Time Pieces, a Secret Room to search for 26 Morphing Objects (timed) Expedition to return to the scenes to search for missed Collectibles, 5 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a Built-In Strategy Guide. You can find my Series Lists and much more on my new forum at thewoodsforum.boards.net hope to see you there.
5 Wallpapers, 2 Screensavers, 5 Music Soundtracks, 22 Achievements, 14 Replayable Mini-Games, and 13 Hidden Object Scenes, 25 Screensaver Zoom Zone Pieces,12 Collectible Time Pieces, a Secret Room to search for 26 Morphing Objects (timed) Expedition to return to the scenes to search for missed Collectibles, 5 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a Built-In Strategy Guide. You can find my Series Lists and much more on my new forum at thewoodsforum.boards.net hope to see you there.
I recommend this game!
Can you rescue your children from a dangerous board game in time?
Overall rating
5
/
5
202 of 241 found this review helpful
THIS IS BY FAR THE BEST GAME THIS DEVELOPER EVER CREATED!
PostedApril 22, 2021
pennmom36
fromDid you know that Alice in Wonderland was originally titled Alice's Adventures Under Ground? Other titles were Alice's Hour in Elf Land, Alice Among the Fairies, and Alice Among the Goblins before being published.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Completed Game approximately 6.0 hours
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
17 Scene Locations +8 CE Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner-Intermediate
(including completion of all mini-games & CE Bonus Chapter)
17 Scene Locations +8 CE Bonus Chapter
Difficulty Range: Beginner-Intermediate
How many Alice's can one fantasy world have? In Shadowland, there seems to be a constant supply, but only one Alice who can save the day and release the beloved characters from the Queen of Hearts evil tyranny.
This game is by far the best game that Friendly Fox has developed! The graphics are phenomenal, the music is enchanting, and the Morphs & Collectibles are fairly challenging to find. I absolutely loved how they returned us to Alice's Shadowland (and a few more surprising blasts from the past) which I had previously thought was the best game in the series. This is arguably the only sequel that was better than the original, not to mention that it met and exceeded my expectations! I also loved the amazing interactive objects where you could make a teddy bear raise his arms, and turn on magical lights, and various other interactions throughout the game...better than any other developers' games! Bravo, my Friends, job well done! People should not overlook the fact that you have amazingly creative talent when it comes to fantasy-themed storytelling...just stop and look at the graphics in each scene and you will see that they have artistic talent as well :)
Collectibles/Morphing Objects: (CE version only)
Each scene has 2 Morphing Objects (for a total of 50) and there are 2 Collectible Figurines in each scene. The Morphing Objects will Unlock Posters when completed and the Characters unlock music boxes at intervals of 1-50 collected figurines. There is an available pull-out Tab that tells you how many Morphs & Figurines remain in each scene.
Collectibles/Morphing Objects: (CE version only)
Each scene has 2 Morphing Objects (for a total of 50) and there are 2 Collectible Figurines in each scene. The Morphing Objects will Unlock Posters when completed and the Characters unlock music boxes at intervals of 1-50 collected figurines. There is an available pull-out Tab that tells you how many Morphs & Figurines remain in each scene.
Gadget/Helper:
There's always a "Helper" in Friendly Fox Studios games and this time it's a talking Owl named Luna who is capable of traveling between the Worlds of Liliput, Oz, Wonderland, and the Real World. Unfortunately, Luna has lost her marbles...I mean Amulets and can't remember a thing about her travels until they are found and replaced. She tells you a story about her friend, and their encounters with the Queen of Hearts each time a new Amulet is placed, and there are only a handful of Amulets so she's not used excessively.
There's always a "Helper" in Friendly Fox Studios games and this time it's a talking Owl named Luna who is capable of traveling between the Worlds of Liliput, Oz, Wonderland, and the Real World. Unfortunately, Luna has lost her marbles...I mean Amulets and can't remember a thing about her travels until they are found and replaced. She tells you a story about her friend, and their encounters with the Queen of Hearts each time a new Amulet is placed, and there are only a handful of Amulets so she's not used excessively.
Hidden Object Scenes:
There are 13 Hidden Object Scenes +6 in the CE Bonus Chapter, not including the smaller Zoom Zone HO scenes where you are tasked with finding 6-7 objects or fragments. Most of the Hidden Object Scenes have several simplistic mini-games within them to solve such as clicking on objects in a specific order by trial and error. Almost every HO scene was different and includes Interactive List Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Keywords in Sentence Finds, Riddle Descriptions, Spot the Differences, Find & Replace Items into the scene, or placing shards of Stained Glass. There are no alternate games available.
There are 13 Hidden Object Scenes +6 in the CE Bonus Chapter, not including the smaller Zoom Zone HO scenes where you are tasked with finding 6-7 objects or fragments. Most of the Hidden Object Scenes have several simplistic mini-games within them to solve such as clicking on objects in a specific order by trial and error. Almost every HO scene was different and includes Interactive List Finds, Silhouetted Shape Finds, Keywords in Sentence Finds, Riddle Descriptions, Spot the Differences, Find & Replace Items into the scene, or placing shards of Stained Glass. There are no alternate games available.
Mini-Games:
There are 26 Mini-Games +9 in the CE Bonus Chapter. Most of the mini-games were available in a Casual or Difficult Mode which is super cool, in my opinion! There is a repetitive game each time you enter a new chapter where you are tasked with assigning tokens with a specified number of moves so your character doesn't land on a trap. Each game becomes progressively more difficult with more token moves. I didn't find any of the games to be particularly challenging but they were enjoyable to play. I actually enjoyed the Maze puzzles where you had to navigate through a maze of paths to find and use items to overcome obstacles.
There are 26 Mini-Games +9 in the CE Bonus Chapter. Most of the mini-games were available in a Casual or Difficult Mode which is super cool, in my opinion! There is a repetitive game each time you enter a new chapter where you are tasked with assigning tokens with a specified number of moves so your character doesn't land on a trap. Each game becomes progressively more difficult with more token moves. I didn't find any of the games to be particularly challenging but they were enjoyable to play. I actually enjoyed the Maze puzzles where you had to navigate through a maze of paths to find and use items to overcome obstacles.
Bonus Chapter: (CE version only)
This is an average-length bonus chapter playing as Jonathan who has to finish playing "the game" to prevent the boundaries between worlds from collapsing. You may even get a blast from Christmases past! There are 19 Mini-Games and 6 Hidden Object Scenes, where you will continue searching for the final Morphing Objects and Figurines.
This is an average-length bonus chapter playing as Jonathan who has to finish playing "the game" to prevent the boundaries between worlds from collapsing. You may even get a blast from Christmases past! There are 19 Mini-Games and 6 Hidden Object Scenes, where you will continue searching for the final Morphing Objects and Figurines.
Collector's Edition Version Extra's
6 Wallpapers, 14 Before/After Concept Art pictures, 5 Screensavers, 6 Music Soundtracks, 31 Movie Video Cutscenes, 26 Achievements (12 of which are available in 3 categories) 16 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 16 Replayable Mini-Games, 50 Morphing Objects, 50 Collectible Figurines that unlock a different music box, 5 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a Built-In Strategy Guide. Won't you join us on my new forum at thewoodsforum.boards.net...hope to see you there :)
6 Wallpapers, 14 Before/After Concept Art pictures, 5 Screensavers, 6 Music Soundtracks, 31 Movie Video Cutscenes, 26 Achievements (12 of which are available in 3 categories) 16 Replayable Hidden Object Scenes, 16 Replayable Mini-Games, 50 Morphing Objects, 50 Collectible Figurines that unlock a different music box, 5 Main Chapters +Bonus Chapter and a Built-In Strategy Guide. Won't you join us on my new forum at thewoodsforum.boards.net...hope to see you there :)
I recommend this game!
Pixel Art is back with a new set of colorful paint by number puzzles!
Overall rating
3
/
5
52 of 72 found this review helpful
STILL FLAWED AFTER 13 GAMES!
PostedApril 21, 2021
pennmom36
fromYou know, everyone knows what's going on here, right? :)
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Don't get me wrong, I love Pixel Art games, but the Mac versions are still not centered and this PC version was showing up so huge I couldn't even see the setting tab to select Windowed Mode. Since no one bothered to fix these issues, I won't bother to buy them or give them a higher star rating. I try to play the game but it's incredibly frustrating to have to play a game that is worse than windowed mode because it's not even centered! I've seen other mac users complaining about this issue in previous games, and I have personally been complaining about this issue in each of the games, hoping the developer would try to correct this but they don't seem to care?
Recently I played the newest game by this developer called Modern Art and I fell in love with that game, yes, even more than Pixel Art! The colors are textured like a true oil painting and the completed pictures are true works of art...I guess they are Modern works of Art (but again, same issue)
There's not a whole lot to have to figure out, it's about as uncomplicated and basic as it gets so as long as someone can recognize numbers, they should be able to play! Pixel Art is a computer version of Paint by Numbers, in a pixelated version! Each pixel has a number and you chose the corresponding color bubble from the palette (also numbered) on the right side, and you simply left click to fill in all the numbers with the correct color, you can hold the mouse button and swipe through large groupings as well.
There is a Slider Bar that allows you to zoom in & out (there's a "fit" tab as well) you can also move the entire page around by right-clicking and dragging. There is an auto-fill feature that will fill in large groups of pixels in a particular color by double-clicking, but that feature has to recharge after each use, besides, it's more satisfying to color them yourself. The last feature is a slider bar that allows you to change the color of the background, it really only allows you to change the colors in shades of grey to black.
When you get around to fixing these issues, I'll go back to giving the game 5-stars as well as purchasing them, till then, I'll pass on both, you can always join me at my new forum thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
Art By Numbers is back with a new world of wonderful paintings, elegant curves and bright colors.
Overall rating
4
/
5
6 of 6 found this review helpful
SOME OF THE PICTURES ARE AMAZING BUT SEVERAL ARE BORING IMAGES THIS TIME :(
PostedApril 20, 2021
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
This is still my favorite "painting" series and the quality is a hundred times better than the other pain by numbers series. I fell in love with the first Art By Numbers game because it was a classier version of the Paint by Numbers game with much better graphics and way better options that make painting more realistic.
I didn't think they could up the ante on such an amazing game because the first game had so many options already, but they proved me wrong when they added a Freeplay section that allows you to choose your own colors from a complete, full-scale color palette!
The cursor is an actual Paintbrush, which was an option available in the original version, but this time they have added an option to "paint" the sections normally, or as an actual brushstroke that fills sections in as if you were actually using a real paintbrush! This time, however, my paintbrush cursor was lagging a bit so I had to opt for the system cursor which was a real bummer :(
You can choose from 4 different Background Textures that will compliment your completed works of art (72 total) You can also choose the color shading of the numbered areas, and the type of painting style, either Flat or a textured Watercolored effect that looks more like a real paint by numbers painting effect.
The Current Number is much easier to see than in the "other" painting game and the black lines are much smaller so the pictures are much crisper, the difference between the two painting series is like day versus night, this game is quality through and through! They have a transparent background (unlike the other painting game which has an ugly gray background) because this picture will be displayed on the background you have chosen, and it will be embossed with a blue & gold frame when completed, sometimes it's the little touches that make or break a game!
The colors are beautiful with carefully chosen hues of yellows, purples, pinks, fuchsias, teals, oranges, etc. A butterfly might have 5 different variations or shades of pink on its wings which is something I have complained about several times on the other painting game. It's not very pretty when the same blue color is used on an entire butterfly that is just separated by really thick black lines. Every artist knows that you have to use shading variations to give a painting depth, and that is exactly what Awigor has done. This game was created by the same developer who brings us Rainbow Mosaics, one of my favorite Mosaics series, so they are masters of color! Join us on my new forum, thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Wonderland's magical atmosphere is fading, corrupted by factory smoke! It’s up to you and Cheshire Cat in the latest Time Management Adventure!
Overall rating
3
/
5
7 of 8 found this review helpful
IT'S PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AS ALICE's ADVENTURE
PostedApril 20, 2021
pennmom36
fromRemember: Spend Candy to Purchase Bark-Spend Bark to get Gold-Spend Gold to get Treats
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Cheshire's Wonderland is a whimsical Time Management game with bright colors, fun characters, and decent features but I was expecting this new series to have different features than Alice's Wonderland, but it was hard to tell them apart at times! Tweedles is in both games, and you still collect Candy & Bark, the only thing missing from their other series is the Imagination feature required to help Alice.
You still collect Morphing Art Palettes (CE version) as you do in Alice's Wonderland. They can be really challenging to find due to the fact that they morph very slowly. The Art Palette's that you to "paint" 3 Concept Art pictures. Each scene (CE Version) also has Collectible Stopwatches versus the Teacups in Alice's Wonderland that allows you to assemble The Mad Hatter's Mad Tea Party Jigsaw. TIP: look for the Palette & the Stopwatch before clicking to start the game, you can click on both of them without starting the timer! You can also return to the levels to pick up the collectibles and then exit the level afterward, without disrupting the original score. The CE Strategy Guide also shows the location of the Stopwatches and Palettes.
There are 40 Main Levels (+10 Collector's Edition version Bonus Levels) that can be played in a Relaxed, Normal, or Challenge difficulty mode, as well as Trophy Achievements to earn. The features are almost identical to Alice's Adventures, you will build Candy Factories for food supplies, repair cracks along the paths, removing stone and boulders, clear puddles, and gather renewable resources from various Altars. There are a lot of strategies involved and if you don't do things in the right order, you can and will get stuck and have no choice but to start over!
The Bonuses are Magic Spells that last for about 20 seconds each, and each level usually has 3-4 different Spells that become available once you fill the Magic Flask (sound familiar?):
♠-Collect More Resources
♠-Speed Boost
♠-Bargain Trade (resources traded at a better rate of 3-4)
♠-Get Candy Pile (generated on altars)
♠-Get Gold Coins (generated on altars)
♠-Get Bark
♠-Fill All Altars
♠-Speed Production
♠-Freeze Time
♠-Speed Up Production
Cheshire's Wonderland is a good time management game, but I was expecting a new series to be completely different. This game is exactly the same as Alice's Adventure in Wonderland without Alice, so for the lack of Imagination, I was disappointed! Come visit us at my new forum and have some fun thewoodsforum.boards.net
♠-Collect More Resources
♠-Speed Boost
♠-Bargain Trade (resources traded at a better rate of 3-4)
♠-Get Candy Pile (generated on altars)
♠-Get Gold Coins (generated on altars)
♠-Get Bark
♠-Fill All Altars
♠-Speed Production
♠-Freeze Time
♠-Speed Up Production
Cheshire's Wonderland is a good time management game, but I was expecting a new series to be completely different. This game is exactly the same as Alice's Adventure in Wonderland without Alice, so for the lack of Imagination, I was disappointed! Come visit us at my new forum and have some fun thewoodsforum.boards.net
I recommend this game!
Join Agent Blonde and Professor Fox on a match-3 mystery adventure to save the missing jungle animals!
Overall rating
3
/
5
18 of 21 found this review helpful
I LOVE THIS DEVELOPER BUT I"M NOT CRAZY ABOUT THE FEATURES
PostedApril 20, 2021
pennmom36
fromIt kind of defeats the purpose of a Timed Mode when you can't make fast, consecutive matches?!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This is definitely a Mobile App kind of Match 3 game and it had some good features, but it also had features that totally annoy me! My biggest gripe is that I can't make fast, consecutive matches because you have to wait for the previous move's tiles to finish doing their thing before you can swap another tile. I also wasn't crazy about the scoring scenario where it shows you losing a star, or even two, tempting me to restart a level, only to discover that at the end of the level the computer takes over to finish out the remaining bonuses/moves, and suddenly you are back to 3-stars??
You can play in a Timed or Relaxed Mode and each level has specific goals to achieve, such as collecting a specified number of specified animals, removing Gold Cells, or busting all of the frozen tiles. As I stated, the computer finishes up the game on auto-pilot at the end of each level but there is a tab that allows you to skip this step. I wish they had a fast-forward tab to speed through the story's texts as well because it goes super slow through the dialog!
There are some interesting Obstacles, such as Frozen Cells that require several adjacent matches, Jail Cells with trapped animals, and my favorite which was an Evil snowman that requires a specified number of adjacent matches to remove him, otherwise he throws frozen snowballs periodically to add frozen cells to the board.
Large matches will reward you with various Bonuses on the board that must then be included in an identically colored match to detonate, and power-ups can be combined for an even bigger effect.
*Match 4=Super Animal Line Buster. (Horizontal or Vertical depending on which direction the match was originally made)
*Match 5=Rainbow Gem (removes all matching animals that the gem is swapped with)
*Match in an L shape=Super Animal Bomb (explodes a 9 tile radius)
As you progress, you will get Power-ups that can be used at any time, such as a Hammer to remove a single tile or a Shuffle Bonus that allows you to shuffle all tiles on the board. All Bonuses and Power-ups can be purchased in the Shop with the coins you've earned. The Power-ups are purchased in 3-10-20 increments and the Bonuses are purchased in 1-5-10 increment packages.
*Match 5=Rainbow Gem (removes all matching animals that the gem is swapped with)
*Match in an L shape=Super Animal Bomb (explodes a 9 tile radius)
As you progress, you will get Power-ups that can be used at any time, such as a Hammer to remove a single tile or a Shuffle Bonus that allows you to shuffle all tiles on the board. All Bonuses and Power-ups can be purchased in the Shop with the coins you've earned. The Power-ups are purchased in 3-10-20 increments and the Bonuses are purchased in 1-5-10 increment packages.
You will rescue animals on the Level Map whenever a Camera Icon appears. Each animal discovered rewards you with 500 coins and their photo is added to the bulletin board. You will also discover Treasure Chests on the level map that contains several bonuses, power-ups, and coins so there's never a lack of coins to allow you to purchase bonuses and power-ups. Honestly, the game is more than generous of giving you opportunities to make large matches to earn them on the board. Come join us at my new forum, thewoodsforum.boards.net :)
Follow a professional spy couple, help them uncover clues and solve the mystery in this fun, spy-themed solitaire challenge!
Overall rating
1
/
5
72 of 87 found this review helpful
THEY COME UP WITH SOME COOL TITLES, TOO BAD IT'S THE SAME GAME EVERYTIME??!!
PostedApril 20, 2021
pennmom36
fromThank goodness the tutorial explains that 7 is less than 6 by one???
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
The developers live in a fairytale world if they think these are the features solitaire fans enjoy. Games by this developer are mass-produced with little thought or consideration to the quality of the game or its features. Reviewers state over and over that they want to be able to remove all cards, not just the special cards, but they never bother to offer Solitaire games that will please "we the people" because that would require changing something besides the title and background!
Once again, there are 9 Card Graphic Themes to choose from and 3 Font sizes (traditional, themed, and large font), but even the designs are the same as all their other solitaire games. The music isn't bad, but yes, it too is the same, not to mention that at times the music pauses and you're left with an awkward silence. Once again, nothing changed with these features?
As usual, the game begins with a tutorial in Newbie Mode which allows you to replay any level. After completing the tutorial or opting out by clicking on the tutorial X, you can choose the Professional Mode which only allows you to play the entire 10 level pack. Same Features, Nothing changed here either?!
This is a Higher/Lower style Solitaire game (of course it is) where the only goal is to remove all of the Gold Cards. Once the gold cards have been collected, you will earn the maximum amount of points and the game ends even if other regular cards remain. If you remove all gold cards you'll get a perfect score and the points of that level are added to the next level similar to bowling scores. You must earn the required amount of points to unlock the next location and there are 20 Locations with 10 levels per location. Yup, still the same feature?!
When you remove cards with a round blue swirl you will receive either +499 points, a Joker, a Shuffle, or Mulligan (undo) and you can buy Jokers, Shuffles, and Mulligans within the Shop with the points you have earned, at a ridiculous price point of 2500-8000-5000. Lucky us, they decided to add several more bonus cards per level which translates to an agonizing game interruption because the game freezes to show you what you have just won. Same ole-same ole feature?!
Once again, this game states that there are Achievements to earn, but I've yet to earn one, but then again, I never buy them, therefore, I never play further than the demo because I have no desire to waste money on a game that has nothing new to offer, and never gives me the option to continue playing after removing all Gold Cards. I refuse to even use a PCC.
When and if they decide to change something other than the title, I may consider buying them, but only if they make an option that allows me to remove all of the cards, not just the Gold Cards. Until they bother to change something, anything...I will continue giving them a single star, I'd give them ZERO stars if I could! Come join me on my new forum thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.
Complete Solitaire and Mahjong puzzles to find clues and solve the case!
Overall rating
3
/
5
47 of 64 found this review helpful
I LIKE THE HO SCENES, LOVE SOLVING THE CRIMES, BUT THE SOLITAIRE & MAHJONG LEVELS ARE BORING!
PostedApril 19, 2021
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
I've never been a Mahjong fan, but I did opt for the Mixed Mode originally, which gives you a mixture of 5 Solitaire Levels and 5 Mahjong Levels for each "Case". The Mahjong levels bored me out of my mind after just 2 levels so I switched to the Solitaire Only option. The solitaire levels weren't quite as boring as the Mahjong, but it is just a run-of-the-mill solitaire game that reminded me of a "F2P" or "Mobile App" game, and it became boring by the time I found all the Clues.
The Solitaire Levels are a Higher/Lower, or One Up-One Down variation. You only have to remove 90% of the cards per level to proceed onto the next level. I'd be okay with this feature IF I was given the option to replay the level when I wasn't able to remove all cards, but you can only replay these levels if you don't reach the 90% mark! This drives me crazy, I have to be able to replay solitaire levels until I'm able to remove all of the cards!
On the Solitaire Mode, you can choose between Traditional Cards or Themed Cards There is a Deck Counter and a Multiplier Progress Bar available, and you will earn Number-specific Jokers during the levels. (Click to save the card for later) You get 1 Undo per level, and Combo-chains will increase the Index, and each level has a Good/Bad Luck Card to either give you Points or Disable one of the Power-ups for that level. The Power-ups are Character-related, Granny Gertrude removes a Random Open Card, Grandson Owen removes a Random Closed Card. Uncovering the cliche Donuts Card will distract the Police and Remove the "Police Tape" Obstacle Cards. These are the same features as offered in the first Go Team Investigations!
The Mahjong Levels are super easy, I breezed through all of the Mahjong Levels on the first attempt. The same 90% removal rate applies to the Mahjong Mode as the Solitaire Mode. You can choose between Traditional or Themed Mahjong Tiles as well. Season Tiles can be matched with any Season and Flower Tiles can be matched with any other Flower Tiles, and there is a Hint feature to show possible matches. Granny Gertrude & Owen will each Hold a Mahjong Tile that can be used later which can also help to free up blocked tiles.
After playing the Solitaire/Mahjong Levels to receive Clues, you will play a simplistic Hidden Object Scene to tie the case together. Once you have all the Clues, you are tasked with nabbing the criminal via a Mosaic/Griddler. In my opinion, this is the only interesting aspect of the game!
To solve the Griddler, you must read the clues located on the right side and use those clues to decide which cells are filled in with a Green Dot, and which Cells are crossed-off with a Blue Dot. There is a Tab that tells you how many cells are correct and how many are wrong and you can skip this section once the skip button fills. Basically, the grid lists Suspects, Weapons, Employers, etc. listed on the columns and rows. Once you complete the gird correctly, you decide which one is guilty based upon your discovery.
I absolutely loved the Clue-Crime-solving portion of this game which is 5-star quality. The Mahjong portion I felt was too easy and definitely boring. If the Solitaire portion would have allowed me to replay the levels when I wasn't able to remove all of the cards yet met the 90% criteria, it would have been more enjoyable. Come to thewoodsforum.boards.net we'll leave the lantern on :)
I don't recommend this game.
Investigate a strange circus, uncover hidden mysteries, complete quests and challenge yourself to fun solitaire puzzles!
Overall rating
1
/
5
18 of 19 found this review helpful
THEY CHANGED THE BACKGROUND-SO WHAT?
PostedApril 19, 2021
pennmom36
fromThe instructions literally say "7 is more than 6 by 1" Thanks, I don't think I could have figured the game out without a math lesson!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
1
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
1
/
5
Level of Challenge
1
/
5
Storyline
1
/
5
The developers live in a fairytale world if they think these are the features solitaire fans enjoy. Games by this developer are mass-produced with little thought or consideration to the quality of the game or its features. Reviewers state over and over that they want to be able to remove all cards, not just the special cards, but they never bother to offer Solitaire games that will please "we the people" because that would require changing something besides the title and background!
Once again, there are 9 Card Graphic Themes to choose from and 3 Font sizes (traditional, themed, and large font), but even the designs are the same as all their other solitaire games. The music isn't bad, but yes, it too is the same, not to mention that at times the music pauses and you're left with an awkward silence. Nothing changed with these features?
As usual, the game begins with a tutorial in Newbie Mode which allows you to replay any level. After completing the tutorial or opting out by clicking on the tutorial X, you can choose the Professional Mode which only allows you to play the entire 10 level pack. Same Features, Nothing changed here either.
This is a Higher/Lower style Solitaire game (of course it is) where the only goal is to remove all of the Gold Cards. Once the gold cards have been collected, you will earn the maximum amount of points and the game ends even if other regular cards remain. If you remove all gold cards you'll get a perfect score and the points of that level are added to the next level similar to bowling scores. You must earn the required amount of points to unlock the next location and there are 20 Locations with 10 levels per location. Yup, still the same.
When you remove cards with a round blue swirl you will receive either +499 points, a Joker, a Shuffle, or Mulligan (undo) and you can buy Jokers, Shuffles, and Mulligans within the Shop with the points you have earned, at a ridiculous price point of 2500-8000-5000. Lucky us, they decided to add several more bonus cards per level which translates to an agonizing game interruption because the game freezes to show you what you have just won. Same ole-same ole.
Once again, this game states that there are Achievements to earn, but I've yet to earn one, but then again, I didn't play further than the demo because I have no desire to waste money on a game that has nothing new to offer, and never gives me the option to continue playing after removing all Gold Cards. I refuse to even use a PCC. When and if they decide to change something other than the title, I may consider it, but only if they make an option that allows me to remove all of the cards, not just the Gold Cards. Until they bother to change something...anything...I will continue giving them a single star, I'd give them ZERO stars if I could! Come join me on my new forum thewoodsforum.boards.net
I don't recommend this game.