ntexas99's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.1
- Helpful Votes:279
- Reviews Submitted:25
- First Review:January 20, 2013
- Most Recent Review:May 13, 2015
- Featured reviews0
Play as Jack, a plucky pirate with a penchant for gold. Unravel the secrets of the Cursed Ghost by finding Hidden Objects.
Overall rating
3
/
5
3 of 4 found this review helpful
Poor Graphics, but Easy Game
PostedMay 13, 2015
ntexas99
fromSan Antonio, TX
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Adventure, Match 3, Word
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Based on one-hour trial. This is a straight HO game, with no complicated story lines or shifting from room to room. Graphics are fair to poor and color is muted and a bit fuzzy. Really puts a strain on tired or older eyes. HO scenes are mostly the jumbled storeroom type scenarios.
PROS: Straight forward HO, with a decent variety of HO scenes, with most objects fairly easy to find. If you like HO games that offer both word-identified or shape-identified items to find, then you will get some variety with this game. Also, some of the mini-games between HO scenes are colorful and a good mix of find-the-difference, reassemble the puzzle, match the objects, or similar type tasks.
CONS: Very poor graphics. Cannot SKIP mini-games, so if you can't complete the task, you end up having to wait until ten minute timer winds down before you can proceed. Hint recharge takes a while, so use Hints sparingly.
This is not a game I would add to my collection, but it was a pleasant way to engage in something distracting for an hour while waiting for a program to download on my laptop. If the graphics were better, it is likely I would add this to my collection, as I did enjoy the mix and variety of mini-games between HO scenes, but poor graphics and dull colors makes this one a do-not-buy for me.
I don't recommend this game.
Plumeboom the Peacock has found an ancient map of treasures! Help him match orbs and bring down the magnetic locks.
Overall rating
5
/
5
6 of 6 found this review helpful
Has Become One of My Favorites
PostedJanuary 22, 2015
ntexas99
fromSan Antonio, TX
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Marble Popper
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
I've seen many negative reviews on this one, but from my viewpoint, it offers excellent and relaxing play, and becomes more challenging as you move through each level. Top notch. Very colorful and sparkly, with falling jewels that you can catch with your pointer on multi-match plays. Can't comment on the music, as I had it turned down, but sound effects are energetic and fun.
The premise is a magnetized central hub, with lots of colorful bouncy orbs clustered around the middle hub. Your job is to shoot various colorful bouncy balls towards the mass of colorful bouncy balls in the center, matching three or more to make them disappear. Hit groups of four or more, and falling jewels will appear, shooting upward, which you then catch for more points.
To keep things interesting, the central magnetized hub changes shape from level to level. Sometimes circular, or triangular, or fork shaped, or shaped like a fish hook or trident, or any number of a variety of shapes. The only way to advance is to use shots that you bounce off the edges of the screen - think in terms of billiards, where bank shots are frequently used. You can also earn special power-up shots by hitting diamond-colored crystals, which provide various versions of power-ups, such as demagnitizing the central hub, or exploding a large area of bouncy balls all at once, or turning adjacent bouncy balls all to the same color.
I agree with the reviewers that say it is repetitive, but I would call it mesmerizing and captivating, versus just plain repetitive. Very relaxing and addictive, and I disagree that it is geared towards children, although children would likely find it interesting and fun. I'm a great-granny, and this game has a permanent place on my desktop, for many reasons. The colorful shapes, the fun sound effects, the short-term commitment because you can play for a few minutes or a few hours, depending on your mood, and most especially, because it offers just enough challenge to keep it interesting, without it becoming impossible to play.
There is no story line at all, and I'm okay with that. I rarely pay attention to story lines anyway. Also, the points you accumulate have no real value, other than to allow you to advance to the next level, and then the next, or to allow you to try to beat your own score at the end of the game. It is also timed, but you'll likely find that you don't even know there is a time limit at all, because the game play allows plenty of time to complete each level. I did run out of time on some of the later levels - there are 99 levels in all - but after a bit of adjusting, I eventually managed to complete all the levels fairly easily. I've been through the entire game multiple times, and still find it addicting and fun.
I recommend you test it out on the free trial, and decide for yourself. For me, it's a surefire winner, and one that has earned one of my top recommendations. Other games sometimes require too much of a time commitment, but this game allows for as little or as much time as you prefer. Totally up to you, and still fun.
If you like this game, you would probably also like Fishdom Frosty Splash, Bejeweled Deluxe, Butterfly Escape, Deep Blue Sea 2, Dynomite Deluxe, or Peggle Nights. Enjoy!
I recommend this game!
Win over Jasmine, the frog princess of your dreams, by competing in a variety of minigames and earning coins.
Overall rating
3
/
5
3 of 4 found this review helpful
Cute and Colorful, but Repetitious
PostedDecember 27, 2014
ntexas99
fromSan Antonio, TX
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
Review based on trial only. Did not purchase.
Cute graphics and colorful, but game play got repetitious very quickly. I could be missing something, but this one was not my type of game. Seems best suited for young children who enjoy rhythmic game play, repeating same tasks over and over again, although it could be challenging for them because speed and accuracy are required to advance in the game.
Premise is that you are a young frog prince, trying to win the affections of the princess frog. To do this, you earn coins by completing various tasks, such as catching yellow bugs while avoiding the bees, quickly circling the pond by jumping from lily pad to lily pad in a race against the ducks, jumping up the river from lily pad to lily pad without allowing the current to take you backwards, or by repeating a sequence of numbers and jumping on the colorful flowers in the proper order with no mistakes.
I didn't play the game long enough to advance, but each completed task earns you coins, and apparently accumulated coins allow you to advance to other areas of the pond, where there may be a differing variety of tasks. I didn't explore or advance to other areas, so I'm unsure about what might be included in other areas. I became too bored with the game play to even stick with the demo long enough to find out.
I only made it about fifteen minutes into the demo before I had to call it quits. One, I generally don't enjoy games that require lots of precise quick play movements - such at catching bugs that are flying all around you in every direction, requiring precise mouse clicks in order to catch the bugs. Two, even after exploring the pond in several different directions, it seemed there were only four types of tasks available, and game play quickly started feeling tedious and repetitive, without much variety.
Like I mentioned, I may have missed something completely, especially since I only gave the game fifteen minutes. Within that first fifteen minutes, I had repeated all four game tasks that I could locate in that area of the pond, at least several times each, and could not find any new tasks to add to the variety. For me, it quickly became boring.
Even though the artwork is colorful and cute, the game play was not challenging enough or varied enough to keep me interested. I would recommend you play through the trial before purchasing, to see if this game is suited to your game preferences.
I don't recommend this game.
Take the role of Miss Black, a whip-smart policewoman who's out to make a name for herself, in Profiler: The Hopscotch Killer.
Overall rating
3
/
5
Way Too Short, but Somewhat Enjoyable
PostedDecember 24, 2014
ntexas99
fromSan Antonio, TX
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Puzzle
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
2
/
5
Level of Challenge
2
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
Review based on one hour trial. Did not purchase.
It's a shame that the developers didn't take this premise and use it to develop a longer version with a more challenging story line and make the puzzles and HO scenes a bit more difficult. This had the potential to be a fantastic game, but ends up being disappointing because the game is way too short. Do not recommend purchase.
The overall premise is great. You are a new detective assigned to partner with a retiring detective. You move through a series of crime scenes to try to determine the cause of death for various victims, and try to solve the crimes. Graphics are a bit dark and depict crime scenes, but the blood and gore factor is minimal. Would not be appropriate for kids, though, since subject matter is murder and suicide and death and bombs.
What was really great about the game is that there is a wide variety of mini-games between each crime scene, including match three in a row, slide the blocks to release a vehicle, find the matching pairs, assemble the jigsaw puzzle or mug shot by swapping out pieces and rotating them to fit, etc.
The variety keeps it interesting and fast-moving, but I could tell that by the time I got to the end of the one hour free trial, that I was probably already near the end of the game. After reading some of the reviews, it confirmed my suspicions that even though this is a good hidden object game with a lot of variety and a good premise to the game, the game is way too short, and therefore not worth the price, even when purchasing at half-off or at a discount. I prefer games to be at least four hours, if not more.
Really a shame. They have the right idea, but then cheat you on the game length. The hidden object scenes are relatively easy, the graphics are okay but not spectacular, the music is not the worst and can get annoying after a while, but the mini games are interesting and include a wide variety. Storyline doesn't matter to me, but it's also okay.
If the game was at least twice as long, and had better music, I would be giving this game four stars, and would definitely purchase the game. However, based on the short game time and rather annoying music, I give this one only three stars. Could have been so much better, if only they had taken what was good about the game and expanded it, and worked a bit harder at providing decent background music. It was entertaining enough to keep me busy for an hour, but not worth purchasing.
I don't recommend this game.
Spruce up your Christmas with this charming, seasonal Match 3 game. Help a little pine tree become the perfect Christmas tree!
Overall rating
5
/
5
7 of 9 found this review helpful
Unexpectedly Addicting
PostedDecember 23, 2014
ntexas99
fromSan Antonio, TX
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Marble Popper, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Review based on trial, and then purchase.
Purchased the game after fifteen minutes of the demo. It is a typical Match 3 game, in that you make chains of three or more to clear the board. You can earn a wide variety of power-ups, such as Clear a Whole Row, Randomly Scramble Tiles, or Blast Everything in the Area Around the Bomb, and others.
What makes this game unique from other Match 3 games is that the holiday-themed graphics are quite bright and very cute, with absolutely no dark or horror-driven themes, so it is very child friendly. You can choose to play the Relaxed Mode or Timed version, and even though it initially seems almost too easy and simple, you'll find that the levels get more and more challenging as you move through the game.
As you clear out tiles and move through each level, you earn Stars. You then use your Stars to purchase various decorations such as ornaments or tinsel and lights to decorate your Christmas Tree. Every time you complete a level, the game takes you back to your Christmas Tree, where you can continue decorating. Even though I initially thought it was a bit silly and simple, I was surprised at how involved I became in placing the ornaments and putting gifts under the tree.
Then, after moving through dozens of levels, I began exchanging some of my ornaments or tinsel for higher quality ones, as I had accumulated plenty of Stars as currency by that point in the game. Again, I ended up being surprised at how engaged I became in decorating my Christmas Tree, and it made moving through the increasingly challenging levels much more fun, especially as I worked towards earning Stars to purchase a specific ornament or sparkly decoration. Very clever twist on the game.
Two other things that are particularly favorable about this game: one, the music is very pleasant and holiday themed, and two, the developers added a really special touch when they added the feature of the entire board melting away as you complete each level. It really adds an enjoyable fun factor to the game as you watch the tiles fade away at the end of every level. Very well done, developers. Truly magical. The bright colors and soft music are also perfect, and add to the overall experience.
I rarely give five out of five stars, but this game hits on every note. Great colorful graphics, pleasant music, lots of cute surprises, challenging enough to keep you motivated, yet relaxing enough to keeps the kids or grandparents satisfied, and the added bonus of decorating the Christmas Tree between every level of the game.
One of the best Match 3 games available.
If you like this game, you would probably also like Fishdom - Frosty Splash, Rainbow Web 3, Dynomite Deluxe, Bejewled Twist, Arcanika, or Chuzzle Deluxe. Have fun!
I recommend this game!
Travel the world and track down a mysterious virus, which is a great threat to the whole animal kingdom.
Overall rating
5
/
5
15 of 16 found this review helpful
A New Twist on the Match Three genre
PostedNovember 7, 2014
ntexas99
fromSan Antonio, TX
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Card & Board, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Basically an M3 game, but with a new twist, in that you can make a very long chain of matches while going in three directions - vertically, diagonally, or horizontally.
Sometimes you are matching types of animals - monkeys to monkeys, or hedgehogs to hedgehogs - or sometimes, you are matching animals to their food chain, such as mountain lion to deer to grass, or fox to bunny to insects. In the food chain matching games, you always begin with highest animal on the food chain, and work your way down. In the animal matching games, you make the longest chains possible.
In the animal matching games, match three or more to make a chain, and get big bonuses for making a chain that captures every animal of that kind, say, for instance, all the monkeys on the board. You can also earn bonuses by positioning two of the same kind of animal in random gold pop-up boxes that appear.
Various hazards will appear randomly, but the remedy for each hazard becomes available by dropping the appropriate icon to the bottom of the board where it will automatically be added to your backpack for future use. Within the one hour trial period, I ended up with a generous stack of remedies accumulated in my backpack, although there were a few times it appeared that my game play might get blocked by one of the hazards. Eventually, I had way more remedies than there were hazards, and I learned to be sure I was paying attention to accumulating remedies.
Another interesting twist to this match three game is that there are some interesting mini games interspersed throughout the matching games. Within the one hour trial period, there were two mini game variations - although there may be more if I had gone further in the game. The first one was a bunch a cute spiders hanging from a tree, and you shoot them down with a little cannon before they can reach the ground. The second version was that you quickly click on every animal on the board and try to cover every single square before time runs out. The mini games award extra points, and seem to be there more as a break from regular game play.
I wasn't expecting to like this game much, as it initially seemed rather simplistic, but it surprised me. The hour demo seemed to fly by, and now I've marked it to DEFINITELY buy it the next time I make an online purchase.
One other note - I almost didn't even play the game at all after loading it, because when it opened up on my desktop, it was in a minimized - not full screen - size. I tried adjusting my screen resolution, but that didn't fix it. I have poor eyesight, so playing a game that takes up less than half the screen doesn't usually work out for me, but since it was already loaded to my games, I decided to give it a try. The match three boards on the screen are graphically precise and colorful, and the size of the game on my desktop did not impede my ability to play the game at all. In fact, within just a few minutes of beginning to play, I forgot all about the fact that it was not at full screen mode.
Easy game play, appropriate for all ages. Challenging enough to keep you interested, and enough variety thrown in to mix things up a bit and keep it fun. If you like this game, you would probably also like Clutter, Route 66, Jewel Quest Sleepless Star, or Arcanika.
I recommend this game!
Open up small jars and find a new Hidden Object scene, Puzzle, or another surprise! Explore these magical tiny worlds!
Overall rating
5
/
5
3 of 3 found this review helpful
Strictly HO but really good variety mixed in
PostedOctober 15, 2014
ntexas99
fromSan Antonio, TX
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Adventure, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Marble Popper, Puzzle
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
If you like Hidden Object games without the adventure or story, then you will definitely like this game. It has an easy zen-like quality with decent music and sound effects. You can choose to play relaxed or timed versions. Hints are available, and the hint feature recharges fairly quickly.
You earn icons at each puzzle that allow you to move to the next level, and after playing the hour trail, I immediately bought the game. It is one I know I'll be able to play over and over again. Most objects are fairly easy to locate, but be warned that a few are extremely difficult, such as the Spades and Jacks puzzle - but you can use the hints to find all those impossible objects.
It has a good mix of Hidden Object, find-the-difference, find 25 buttons or 35 butterflies, black and white versus color puzzles, plus psychedelic scenes versus very cluttered or very laid back scenes. Also some quirky and fun mini-games sprinkled throughout. I got about one fifth of the way through the game on the free one hour trial, so even after only playing the free trail, it would appear I still have plenty of game left to discover.
Again, no adventure story or hidden doorways, but if you like the relaxing pace of strictly Hidden Object games, then this will definitely be a game you would want in your collection. This game is challenging for all ages, although it could be too difficult for young children. Fun for all ages, and playable for those of us that have older eyesight. Overall, it is one of the best in the strictly Hidden Object category.
If you like this game, you would probably also like any of the Clutter series, any of The Vacation Adventure series, or any of the Big City Adventure Series.
I recommend this game!
Join in the race as teams battle to be the first to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Explore the mysteries of the world and find clues to support your journey.
Overall rating
5
/
5
35 of 40 found this review helpful
One of the Best HO games out there
PostedSeptember 3, 2014
ntexas99
fromSan Antonio, TX
Skill Level:Intermediate
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
If you like strictly HO games without all the adventure and clue-finding nonsense, then you will LOVE this game. Offers straightforward HO scenes, where you find the hidden objects within various Mt. Everest adventure scenes. Earn five HINTS in each scene by finding the hidden gems, and earn extra TIME by finding the hidden hourglass in each scene. Mini-games between scenes are fun and challenging, and the music is perfect for lazy extended play. Overall, an excellent HO game.
pros: pretty good graphics and color, decent music and sound effects, items are fairly easy to locate, no penalty for clicking on the wrong object, no penalty for quick-clicking so you can race through each scene if that is your preference, and although it is timed, there is so much time that you won't even need to find the hidden hourglass in each scene to give you the extra bonus time. Nothing offensive or suggestive, so it is definitely family friendly, and level of difficulty is varied enough for a wide range of ages. Easy and relaxed play, and there are a few hidden bonus items that add to the fun.
cons: would be nice to have a little more variety in the mini-games, and also would be nice if you didn't replay several scenes over and over again, although doing so does make it easier to find previously-found objects. Color could be brighter, and graphics could be a little sharper, but overall, it is one of the better strictly HO games out there.
final word: I give this one a solid 9 out 10 for the strictly HO genre
if you like this game, and prefer strictly HO versus adventure, you will also like all the games in the Big City Adventure series, and may also want to try Route 66 for a very relaxed version of an HO game with nostalgic music.
I recommend this game!
It’s time to put your detective skills to the test! Play I Spy with fascinating mysteries that need your super-sleuth skills.
Overall rating
4
/
5
HO for children - slow to respond - but clever and cute
PostedAugust 29, 2014
ntexas99
fromSan Antonio, TX
Skill Level:Beginner
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Mahjong
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
4
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
This is a simplified version of an HO game, in which you SPY different items within various scenes. Each scene begins with a rhyming riddle that gives you a list of items to search for within the scene. After finding all the items within the scenes, then more riddles are presented that require you to move back and forth through the previous scenes in order to find specific items that answer the riddle. Once you answer all the riddles for that set of scenes, then the mystery is solved, and you move on to the next set of scenes and next set of riddles to solve another mystery.
pros - most items are fairly easy to find, there is a good mix of items versus numbers versus letters versus outline of items, some clues are really quite clever, the voice narration is easy on the ears, the various sound effects and moving visual effects keep it interesting for kids, and some of the scenes are colorful and graphically interesting.
cons - game is VERY slow to respond, so some kids will get impatient, as there is no way to hurry it up to move through the scenes more quickly, and you are forced to allow the narrator to complete the story. Also, some of the graphics are mediocre, with dull colors and blurred items, making it hard on the eyes. The HINT feature takes entirely too long to recharge, so some kids might find it impossible to even use the hint feature.
I've given another version of this game a poor rating - I Spy Fantasy - but this release is much improved over the Fantasy version. Mystery has better color and graphics, more challenging interaction, it's easier to move from scene to scene, and the whole layout of the game is much easier for kids to follow, so they can very likely play it independently. The added mystery feature that follows each set of scenes adds another layer of interest, and gives them more riddles to solve, making it more fun to play.
notes - if your target audience is kids in the 5-12 age range, then this game will definitely be a big hit, and it should keep them occupied for a good while. If you are an adult who likes HO games that are not rushed or timed, and that don't require all the usual strategy maneuvers, but prefer simple and fairly easy, then you might enjoy this game. Even though the graphics are not the best, most items are relatively easy to locate, and there is little chance you will get stuck in this game. Not the best, but certainly not the worst. A solid and straightforward HO game for all ages.
final word - I give this one a 7 out of 10.
I recommend this game!
Explore three fantastical worlds filled with fun games and challenging I Spy riddles. Encounter challenges and wonderful surprises!
Overall rating
3
/
5
10 of 10 found this review helpful
okay for children - action is slow to respond
PostedAugust 29, 2014
ntexas99
fromSan Antonio, TX
Skill Level:Beginner
Favorite Genre(s):Word, Hidden Object, Match 3, Time Management, Mahjong
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
3
/
5
This is a very simplified version of an HO game. Move through various scenes, and SPY the hidden objects within the scene. After completing each scene, find a key, then use six keys to release the princess from the dungeon.
pros - items are fairly easy to find, the riddles are cute, the graphics are okay, the story is pleasant enough, the voice reading the instructions is easy on the ears, and kids can play this game independently
cons - it takes the game a long time to respond, so kids might get impatient, some of the colors are muted or blurry, and it can be a challenge for young kids to find some of the pathways to the hidden object puzzles, especially since the HELP function doesn't point them to hidden puzzle locations
final word - great for kids or grandchildren, but be prepared for them to maybe get stuck moving from scene to scene, or that they might get bored waiting for the game to respond. Recommend trying the full sixty minute trial before purchasing.
Overall, I give it a mid score of 5 out of 10.
I don't recommend this game.