So much fun and filled with Holiday Cheer. This version has many updates to the original classic but kept the beautiful, easy to see graphics. In this newest version you've got:
* 3 game play modes: Up/Down, Match 2 or Make 14 (Match 2 cards to equal sum of 14) * 3 Game Difficulty levels * Power Ups to buy with Coins * Storyline involving a Santa Adversary named Krampus * RPG Snowball Fight in between sections between Santa & Krampus which you can disable entirely. There's also Power UPs in the Store specifically to empower your Santa if you decide to stick with this aspect * Fast paced Minigames sprinkled in between hands which you can disable entirely * Many customizable options including Cursor, Card Front & Backs * More upbeat Holiday Music in the background
The Board must be cleared to get all Snowflakes/Stars per Level and you'll need X amount to open the next Section.
There's so many upgrades, customizations in this newest version. Immediate buy for me. Highly recommended.
The only ding I give this version are the quick mini games that crop up in between hands. They go much too quickly and there's no way to purchase Power Ups to slow them down. I disabled the pop-up mini games because they were annoying. I -did- keep the Santa vs Krampus Snowball Fight though.
This Solitaire v.2 puts those done by other developers in quite a bad light. If more Devs decided to actually improve their Solitaires and add features, rather than just switching out graphics, we'd buy more of them.
Favorite Genre(s):Card & Board, Marble Popper, Match 3, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
5/ 5
Level of Challenge
5/ 5
Storyline
5/ 5
The graphics, animations and music/sounds are fantastic, as all the Cursed House games have been. Each game has been more beautiful than the next. Love the Gothic feel. There's a richness to the experience. A depth that only comes from Devs who are talented and love what they're doing.
What sets all Cursed House games apart from other Match 3's is the amount of strategy required to get through the game. The Devs really put a lot of time into creating the Gameplay in the latest Cursed House edition.
Even towards the beginning of this game on Relaxed Mode, I had to read and re-read the Rule Book (top left of screen) and think about moves. Not only do you have learn what part of the game does what, you eventually must learn to pay attention to the order you address Obstacles.
When playing Cursed House 1 for the first time, I remember the feeling of joy when I finally figured out the strategy for winning the Final Level. This game is like that on almost every level PLUS after going through the game on Relaxed there'll be the challenge replaying it on Timed and then Limited Moves.
If you like Match 3's that require strategy and involve learning and practice, Cursed House 7 is definitely rewarding and totally worth the purchase price.
This is your classic up/down solitaire. Each level has a certain amount of special Gold Cards to clear and when you get them the board is complete regardless if any plain cards are left. So if you're really into getting -all- the cards off the board or OCD, this may bother you.
There are only 3 power ups (Mulligan, Shuffle, Joker) and you have to purchase them as you go. Plenty of opportunity to earn coins and power ups as you play though, so that's fine.
Two levels of difficulty and multiple card fronts and backs.
I especially like the music. It adds so much when the developers include good music. The graphics are appropriate and well done but definitely not fancy.
Although this is a basic solitaire game without the flair or bells/whistles of others like 'Jewel Match', it's still worth buying and adding into the mix for a couple of hands here and there. Especially during Summer when I go for Pirate-themed games.
So if you want a solid but no-frills solitaire for Summer, give this a try. There's no real map, storyline, city-building. Just solitaire.
I do like the photo selection and there are many of them. Easy to use. Graphics quality very good.
Like all other puzzle games from this Developer- there are limited options in changing puzzle piece shapes. The music is utterly forgettable. And this is one prime reason I took away a star. It's called WORLD TOUR 3! Why didn't they find and use ethnically appropriate background music for each location to help evoke the mood of each site? It wouldn't have been that hard to do and would have added so much.
Also like all the other puzzles from this Dev there is a background shadow when you "lift" a piece, sparkles and also a little "bleep" when you set a piece into place. I know this annoys some players. It doesn't bother me at all.
I also don't care you can't import your own photos. Having access to the photos contained here is convenient.However, while I'll definitely buy this game to keep doing the gorgeous puzzles, I will be using a game token or Free Game. Recommend on strength of beautiful, varied and large photo selection and ease of use.
Favorite Genre(s):Match 3, Time Management, Marble Popper
Fun Factor
5/ 5
Visual/Sound Quality
5/ 5
Level of Challenge
5/ 5
Storyline
5/ 5
Loved this game and am so glad I tried it out.
Gameplay is very well designed and involves much more than the description implies. Artwork is well done. Sound effects are perfect and fun. Music suits too.
A lot of imagination went into this game.
I knew this was a "must buy" when the fish got big enough to eat sea gulls and kayakers. LOL!
Different environments some of which involve exploring. Different sorts of tasks. You can keep going through the game or work out strategies to earn three stars on each level.
Great replay value due to it's high level of entertainment.
Your librarian friend wants your help as a journalist – he’s found an ancient book that is still unfinished. Can you save the world in the book before their story ends?
Artwork is gorgeous, animation/cut scenes are terrific quality, sound effects/music perfection.
Great storytelling & fun adventure.
I love the puzzle that you get as option instead of H.O. scene although the HO's are beautiful too.
Lots of options for customizing your experience.
The creative team who put this together can be very proud. Immediate buy for me… and I"m kind of peeved with Big Fish right now. But I have to have this game and keep going.
This game has it all.Beautifully done graphics, strong storytelling, attractive interactive HO scenes, stylish puzzles. Even moody music that enhances but doesn't distract.
You get pages to assemble throughout the game and a helping baby dragon which stays on the palatable side of cute.
All the elements of this game are integrated really well. The creative team should be really proud of this game.
Modern, transporting map comes to the rescue now and again as it shows areas needing action.
No strategy guide but on casual with a bit of time and care, it's doable. Neither the scenes nor the inventory are so cluttered that you can't eventually figure out what needs to be done.
Such a cheerful game for Spring. Love the colorful graphics, the music, the sound effects.
One of my favorite parts of this game are the Power Ups. They are also themed to Spring. Example, a Nest of Birds (chirping!) clears a horizontal row, a Thundercloud & Lightning clears a vertical row. Really clever.
There is a map you progress around from game board to game board but that's about it. So this is a simple game and could have used a "build a barn" or "paint some eggs" feature.
I started playing this the first day of Spring in between other games. As long as you aren't expecting tons of excitement and lots of features, you'll probably be happy with this game.
All in all, I recommend this game as something to put in the mix for Spring. Today it's a Daily Deal and well worth the $2.99
This is a well crafted solitaire game. The artwork is very good. The music is also good. The voiceover telling the story sounds a bit like Morgan Freeman :-)
There's a book that tells the story (you can skip), a map that shows your progress. Usual blocks on cards, weapons/wild cards/power ups that you purchase and some that appear in game free.
Lots of options- difficulty, card fronts, card backs.
Other versions of solitaire offered- Tri-peaks & Free Play
The only drawbacks to this game are:
***Lack of drama/excitement. It seems a bit tame in the story telling dept.
***Lack of clarity in choosing weapons to buy for your arsenal. You can buy a Sword in the Store, but you get one free (via card in deck) while playing. It isn't clear if the Sword card that goes into your arsenal for free is permanent or if it is only good for a few whacks… and you have to purchase the permanent Sword in the Store.
I am enjoying this game enough that I'm willing to keep exploring it and learning how to choose, purchase and use the weapons. If there's ever a version 2 of this game, the Devs need to make this clearer.
This is an immediate purchase for me and I'll be playing straight through to the end and using this for a long time. Great value.
Storyline is similar to first this but they've gone a bit farther in trying to develop the storytelling and fish characters. Their development falls flat for me personally.
Like first game, you are not only clearing tiles on the board, but popping bubbles on fish/coral swimming in the background. It's unique and a good feature.
The game gives you three modes of play- Swap, Chain, Group. You have the icons for all three at bottom of the screen and you can change modes within the game. You will most likely have no choice but to use the three modes in each game because, like it or not, this is a timed game. To beat the clock, I had to switch modes.
There are Fragmented Object interludes which are very basic. Once you get the object assembled we get one screen where the fish characters say like "Yeah, we assembled the broken key so now we can open the gate" but we don't get any other graphic showing us the key doing it's job…. so the FO scenes just end up seeming extraneous and dull. By adding one more screen showing us what the key does, the game would have been improved dramatically.
You progress along a map but the story relies too much on dialog between the fish characters & skimps on artwork depicting action.
Pearls drop to the bottom of the board for get power-ups associated with our fish friends.
Matching large number of tiles yields a "Charged Tile" but that tile is very hard to see. A major flaw. They just put a tiny white thunderbolt to the charged tile. Next to impossible to see… so they skimped there too.
The music is quite varied and better than average.
Overall, this game doesn't improve that much over the first, IMO. I recommend this with reservations.