March2021
Review Renzo Racer (Switch) - An Abysmal Mario Kart Clone That Should Be Avoided At All Costs
With Renzo like this, who needs enemies
When you first see Renzo Racers’ main menu, it’s clear that it makes no bones about the fact it’s taking on Mario Kart. The game’s logo is a shameless imitation of Mario Kart 8's, right down to the light blue ‘RR’ design that looks suspiciously like the 8. The problem is, by the time you’ve...
January2018
Review Tales Of The Tiny Planet (Switch)
Can we adopt one?
Tales Of The Tiny Planet is one of a number of games that have arrived on Switch from the mobile gaming world; by taking games that have found success on those devices, and then adding some new elements or generally sprucing things up a little, we’ve been treated to some very welcome ports indeed. While not every one of these...
August2016
Review Dragon Skills (Wii U eShop)
A brick break game like no other?
Brick break games aren't all that common nowadays. One of the modern standouts with a fantastic twist is PopCap Games' long-running Peggle series, which is exceptionally addictive and sets a considerably high standard for the classic genre. Like Peggle, Dragon Skills draws on arcade gameplay inspired by well-known...
July2016
Review Dracula's Legacy (Wii U eShop)
This one' s got bite
Dracula's Legacy doesn't waste any time in getting on with proceedings - thrusting the player straight into a spooky hidden object adventure. The story focuses on a young woman named Isabella who is haunted by frightening dreams about her forgotten past. With an eagerness to find a solution to her problems, she travels to an old...
May2016
Review Sweetest Thing (Wii U eShop)
My love throws me like a rubber ball, oh oh oh
JoinDots' Sweetest Thing is a puzzle game in which you strive to rebuild the sugary realm after it has been destroyed by ants. Another mobile game which has made its way to the Wii U shop, this describes itself as a time management game, but fails to be a challenge for any fan of this genre. When you...
Review Queen's Garden (Wii U eShop)
Candy Crush with trowel blades
Queen's Garden takes a leaf from games like Candy Crush and Bejewelled, which is no surprise considering it was initially released for smart devices. It's a good addition to your Wii U if you enjoy match-3 puzzles but lacks in the whole 'garden' side of things, with more customization and depth needed. The difficulty...
March2016
Review Joe's Diner (Wii U eShop)
Scary bad
Joe's Diner sounds compelling on paper: you're a new employee at a lonely diner on an abandoned stretch of highway. The diner is set atop an Indian burial ground and is rife with other-worldly activity; your goal is to survive through the night and by keeping the spirits at rest. Unfortunately, ideas don't always come out the way one might...
January2016
Review Island Flight Simulator (Wii U eShop)
Plane boring
Occasionally you can get a feel for how good (or bad) a game is going to be from the very moment you begin. This is one of those games. After selecting a profile (which you can't rename) Island Flight Simulator begins with a wonderfully impersonal piece of text: 'Welcome Profile 01!' If at this point you've also decided to utilise...
December2015
Review Jones on Fire (Wii U eShop)
Through the Fire and the Flames We Rescue Cats
If you have a cat anywhere nearby when you play Jones on Fire, it's going to start snooping around at what you're doing. As this is an endless runner about saving kitties from a raging inferno you're going to be hearing a lot of appreciative meows, and your cat's going to want to know what's up...
November2015
Review The Mysterious Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (DSiWare)
"Cor blimey, gu'vnor"
The Mysterious Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde takes us right back to a London morning in 1886. A body is discovered – a wealthy man who was highly regarded by everyone. Why was he murdered? How? What is going to happen next? Your job is to step into the shoes of an inspector, looking for clues and talking to important...
May2015
Review Titanic Mystery (3DS eShop)
My heart can't go on
If you aren't some form of malicious AI bent on revenge against humanity, then the idea of mixing puzzle gameplay together with tragic events might not make very much sense. It's a strange combination that has "honoured" the RMS Titanic in particular with several different examples, and we've pondered both the implications and...
April2015
Review Suspension Railroad Simulator (Wii U eShop)
Suspended Disbelief Simulator
When Coffee Stain Studios originally released Goat Simulator back in 2014, public reaction went from trying to grasp why a game based around simulating a goat could ever be fun, to countless YouTube videos of sadistic users abusing and creating unparalleled carnage with one of life's most unassuming and innocent...
Not pants-uru
Nintendo handhelds have been graced with many great puzzle games over the years, from the wonderful Tetris on the original Game Boy through to the present day; the Picross series, Pullblox and the Professor Layton titles all being notable recent examples. In fact, a quick filtered search of the 3DS eShop by 'Puzzle' genre reveals no...
December2014
Review Around the World in 80 Days (DSiWare)
Have money, will travel
When pondering the subject of exploration, match-three puzzle titles might not be the first thing that springs to mind. Jules Verne's classic story of an 80 day adventure around the world is a difficult concept to adapt through gem-switching and colour combinations, but Joindots GmbH has gone and done exactly that. Around the...
All very fin-miliar
Let's face it; you can't simply release a match-three puzzle game on Nintendo's range of handhelds today and expect to come across as unique. Developers are entering into an eShop saturated by shiny things just waiting to be lined up, so there needs to be some kind of hook to get players interested. Fishdom wears an intriguing...
May2014
A traditional match-three lacking in splendour
Anyone familiar with the world of match-three games will know almost exactly what to expect from a title such as Jewel Match. Released, oddly enough, after Jewel Match 3 on the 3DS, this DSiWare version strips out the story, hidden object finding, and other extra mini-games of the past sequel and...
November2013
Review Jewel Match 3 (3DS eShop)
Not particularly valuable
When it comes to puzzlers, a certain generation of gamers will remember when Tetris was the title that was endlessly cloned, reinterpreted and reinvented, with countless studios and developers trying desperately to recapture the cultural magic of what had to be the simplest idea in gaming yet: slotting shapes together...
Not a perfect storm
Engine Software's 4 Elements is a fun match-3 puzzler weighed down by unnecessary seek-and-find sequences and occasionally frustrating level design. Originally a PC game, 4 Elements' generic fantasy presentation hides an addictive game that will appeal to fans of Bejeweled and other "casual" puzzle titles. There's nothing wrong...
Review Secret Agent Files: Miami (3DS eShop)
Cold case
Hidden object games are a relatively new genre descended from “point and click” classics like King’s Quest, Broken Sword and others. Secret Agent Files: Miami strives to combine hidden object gameplay with more traditional point/click puzzle solving and attempts to make good use of the 3DS’ features along the way; yet the end...
August2013
Review Funfair Party Games (3DS eShop)
No Fair
Taking classic arcade and carnival redemption games as its inspiration, Funfair Party Games combines two things 3DS owners are quite familiar with by now: a collection of mini-games and well-meaning but flawed motion controls. With eleven games of varying quality and some surprisingly solid multiplayer features, the result is a mixed bag -...
December2012
Review 3D Game Collection (3DS eShop)
Win, lose, or draw?
Casual appeal and touch-screen controls have made Nintendo's recent handheld systems a perfect fit for digital collections of traditional games and puzzles, and that's the niche in which the rather generically named 3D Game Collection sits comfortably. With 25 games from Backgammon to Battleship, Solitaire to slide puzzles,...
Review Gardenscapes (3DS eShop)
Hidden Horticulture
Who hasn't dreamed of leaving it all behind, of quitting the city and hopping a train to the glorious green of the countryside? Gardenscapes plays off of this desire, casting you as the young inheritor of your grandfather's country home and garden, now both sadly in disrepair. Restoring the once-beautiful garden will require some...
Review Murder on the Titanic (3DS eShop)
Lost at Sea
Imagine, if you will, a tale of two young lovers aboard the infamous ship known as Titanic. The woman, young and from an affluent family, in love with a poor man working as a stoker deep within the bowels of the ship. Sound vaguely like a blockbuster film you’ve seen at least a dozen times? Now add a murder into the mix and a whole lot...
November2012
Review 3D MahJongg (3DS eShop)
The ancient art of matchmaking
MahJongg is one of the most classic games on the planet, dating back — by some estimations — to around 500 BC. The fact that it's still popular today says a lot about its addictiveness, and its myriad variants range from social group games — think poker — to solitary, puzzle-like experiences. It's the latter...
