February2015
Review Jewel Quest: The Sapphire Dragon (3DS)
Mountainside match-making
The simplicity of the Match-3 genre is both its blessing and its curse. Its easy learning curve and ability to pick up and play can open it up to a wide fanbase, but only a certain few clever or lucky titles are able to stand out amongst a sea of copies. Jewel Quest: The Sapphire Dragon is the sixth installment in the...
July2014
Review Hidden Expedition: Titanic (3DS eShop / 3DS)
An exposition on the commodification of human tragedy
On April 15, 1912, a passenger liner carrying no less than 2,000 travelers struck an iceberg and sank to the bottom of the North Atlantic Ocean. Not properly equipped with the necessary amount of lifeboats and other safety equipment, when the ship sank the vast majority of passengers did not...
March2014
Review Hidden Expedition Titanic (DSiWare)
The fun is also hidden
Thanks to the blockbuster movie of the '90s, the sinking of the Titanic seems to be less a tragic historical event and more a part of story-telling culture. Whether that bothers you is up to you, but Hidden Expedition Titanic merely pretends to include a story around the ill-fated ship, throwing some nonsense around a fairly...
August2013
Review Jewel Quest 4 Heritage (3DS eShop)
Attack of the clones
The Jewel Quest series is fast becoming something of a recurring negative on Nintendo's handheld systems. Ignoring the fact that each entry has been generically dull, the alarming rate at which each new instalment is being released is certainly a cause for concern. Forget Call of Duty and Assassin's Creed with their yearly...
July2013
Review Fashion Tycoon (DSiWare)
Fashion disaster
If there's one thing that Fashion Tycoon truly achieves, it's the way in which it makes you appreciate just how hard retail workers have it at times. Much like in real life, demanding customers, stock shortages and a lack of staff are just some of the problems you find yourself up against in this game — it's a nightmarish...
Review Lost Treasures of Alexandria (DSiWare)
The perfect match?
Lost Treasures Of Alexandria's release on the DSi Shop comes as something of a surprise. That's because it's the first game in a short while to break the trend of poor Match-3 games to which the service has been cruelly subjected. In fact, this latest game rectifies many of the issues that plagued publisher MSL's other recent...
June2013
Review Jewel Quest 5 - The Sleepless Star (DSiWare)
Jewel Identity
We often complain about the lack of innovation in today's games industry. Publishers and developers tend to take the safe and easy route, making games that stick closely to a tried-and-tested template with the odd tweak here and there. While there's nothing wrong with making a sequel to a popular game, it's not unreasonable for us...
Review Jewel Quest 4 Heritage (DSiWare)
Losing its shine
It seems like the Match-3 genre never stops growing, with some new form of the popular puzzle games appearing what feels like every other week. It's a genre that has seen hundreds upon hundreds of releases, and there's little sign of it slowing down. If anything, it's baffling that so many of these games are still being made. Very...
November2011
Review The Aquarium of Luck (DSiWare)
Not so lucky
One genre that has seen plenty of releases on the DS family of consoles is that of pet simulation: all the fun of owning an animal without the expense, smells and responsibility. Next in line via DSiWare is The Aquarium of Luck, bringing the job of fish ownership to two screens. The title itself is strange, and we’d advise young...
