Puzzle games seem to be dominating handheld gaming consoles in modern times due to allowing short and sharp gameplay sessions and generally providing fun and addictive gameplay. Match-3 games in particular, where you have to move pieces around screen and match 3 in a row in order to progress, have been extremely popular on the iPhone with fantastic games such as Bejewelled 2, Tetris and Trism having already been released for the iPhone and iPod Touch. It’s now Paradise Quest’s turn to step up to the plate. How does the latest Match-3 game from developer I-play compete in an already crowded market?
The goal in Paradise Quest is to restore an exotic island called Isabella to its former beauty by reviving the eco-system and attracting back the wildlife the island once had. You do this by collecting vital resources such as water, wood and food via swapping and sliding 3 identical tiles to form a line with each other. Sounds the same as any other Match-3 game except pictures instead of generic shapes you might be thinking? The main ingredient which sets Paradise Quest and other Match-3 games apart is the exploring aspect of the game. Everytime you successfully collect some vital resource and make a match, the board glides in the direction of the match you made and reveals another part of the map. This feature makes you think about your next move to ensure you don’t get stuck in certain parts of the map and explore everything the island has to offer.
Collecting certain amounts of objects and creating large matches awards you with special powers such as tornadoes and earthquakes, which when unleashed, remove a significant amount of tiles from board. These “power-ups” add a nice twist to the gameplay. Speaking of nice twists, night time levels provide a welcomed change and make exploring the map a challenge.
Paradise Quest contains 40 levels for you to play through and fully revitalise the island Isabella. As you complete these levels and revive the island, you’ll attract back wildlife to Isabella. You can view pictures of the animals you’ve attracted by opening a journal find near the main menu of the game; a pointless feature, but a nice one at that. Also in this journal you can view your highscores and any artifacts and achievements you have unlocked through playing the game.
My main concern with Paradise Quest and one which potentially puts me off playing the game is the lack of a clear objective to complete each level. I must have spent at least 30 minutes on a particular level making matches and collecting tons of resources without progressing to the next level or a new area. There isn’t an objective screen in the game and this left me thinking what to do next? Boredom and frustration eventually set in which led me to switching the game off. This is a huge shame because Paradise Quest provides some addictive gameplay, but if there is no progression in the game, it might put a few people off.
If I-play’s Paradise Quest does draw you in and leave you wanting more after you’ve completed all 40 levels on offer and restored the island to it’s former beauty, you can make an in-game micro-transaction purchase of £0.59 which adds a further 20 levels to the game; 11 of these levels set in the daytime and 9 at night. Multiplayer co-op mode via Wifi and Bluetooth has also been promised via a free update and is likely to arrive later this month (February). I can imagine playing Paradise Quest with a friend will be great fun and this supposed update will definitely bring me back to the game.
If Match-3 puzzle games are your passion, Paradise Quest is worth checking out at its current price of £1.19. Some addictive gameplay is coupled with a new navigation system which works well. 40 levels should provide a decent amount of gameplay, and a free multiplayer update is due out soon. Recommended if you’re a keen puzzle game fan.
3.8/5 stars
