Too busy to devote 12+ hours a day to your gaming habit? Here's a review that's sensitive to your needs: Short and focused on just the things that a busy gamer like you really needs to know.
Reviewed On: iPad. Also available for PC, PS2, PSP and Nintendo DS.
In a Nutshell: Fantastic match-3 game for finger gamers who enjoy a bit of eye candy with their competition. Your mission is to build the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World, including the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and the Great Pyramid of Giza. You won't be slinging bricks, though. Instead, you match gems (at least 3, up to 5) to make room for bricks to fall down to your minions.
Each "Wonder" is built through a series of levels. You begin with a written educational debrief about the Wonder and then proceed to a set of puzzle levels. There are two basic goals: One, match every space at least once to clear it (additional layers are added as the game progresses), and two, drop the bricks down to your minions. This is achieved by matching gems in any vertical row below it. At the end of each level, an antiquated schematic shows your progress to date, with completed work on the "Wonder" filled in and remaining work displayed in outline. It's a kick to see the buildings and statues grow each level, and the artwork is simple but beautiful.
There are 49 levels total in the game. Finishing the game unlocks a free play mode, or you can go for a second (or third!) go-round building the Wonders. Subsequent games begin at a higher difficulty and do get extremely challenging: I found myself timing out much earlier, and more often, my second time through. It was not frustrating, however. It simply demonstrated that I needed to rethink my strategy. If anything, the game became more fun!
Learning Curve: Very easy to pick up. The early levels are generous with time and matches. My 7-year-old picked up on what to do just by hovering over my shoulder, and started pointing out moves that I missed. The second half of the game does require strategy and a quick hand, but by that time players have mastered the basics and are ready to take on the multi-layered pieces.
The Save Game: Very busy gamer friendly - you can save your exact place in a level at any time by exiting to the menu.
Family Factor: Completely family friendly, and your kids might even learn something! Pikachu Fan was amused by the little minions running back and forth across the screen, although he was disturbed when one appeared to be "crushed" by a falling piece. (The minion emerged unscathed. We decided it actually fell in front of him.) Seeing the monuments also sparked some discussions about the actual 7 Wonders of the World, a bonus in my book.
Buy, Rent or Skip? Buy – this is a must for match-3 fans or anyone who is looking to give the genre a try. It's a deep, rich game that will keep you entertained for a long time to come, and the increased difficulty for repeat playthroughs lends the game even greater value.
On a Personal Note: I was a fan of 7 Wonders of the World on PC and always wished they would put out a phone version I could take with me. The downside: The large boards realistically wouldn't represent well on a little screen. The iPad is the perfect solution, offering a screen large enough to make the colors and textures pop, plus plenty of room to maneuver pieces into place without the frustration of mismatches that often happens with these types of games on small touchscreens. Before this game came back into my life, I barely touched Gamewatcher's iPad - now he has to fight me for it!
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