June2012

  • Review 7 Wonders II (DSiWare)

    A small wonder

    When it comes to clones, very few genres are more prime candidates than puzzlers. When Tetris hit back in the 80's it was quickly cloned and in fact, is still being cloned to this very day. 7 Wonders of the Ancient World took the match-three idea and attempted to inject a few new twists into the mix but somehow failed to take the...

August2011

  • Review Build-a-lot (DSiWare)

    A bit of a fixer-upper

    The year was 2008. Mario and Sonic were on their way to the Olympic Games, the 3DS was but a twinkle in Satoru Iwata's eye and the housing bubble was on its way to bursting. You wouldn't know that last fact, however, from MumboJumbo's 2008 real estate celebration Build-a-lot, a retail DS adaptation of HipSoft's 2007 PC game of...

May2011

  • Review Nanda's Island (DS)

    The rain in this game falls mainly on the lame

    The water-based puzzler is an interesting breed – the replication of aquatic physics necessitates a more innovative approach than your average thinking game, the majority of which build on or clone an accepted model like Tetris or Bejeweled. The recent Fluidity is proof that this subgenre can spawn...

  • Review TINcan! Escape (DS)

    Rockin' robot or CPUke?

    Innovative puzzle games are few and far between, and TINcan! Escape is up there with some of the more interesting concepts we've seen. While it rests on a quality foundation, however, some uneven spots and lacklustre presentation make this rolling robot wobble on its wheels. Two rival scientists compete to have their design...

April2011

  • Review Slingo Quest (DSiWare)

    Some folks call it a Slingo

    Remember Slingo, the popular, fun and highly addictive internet game that had you wasting most of your work hours trying to get the high score? Well, thanks to MumboJumbo, this incredible browser game is now available on DSiWare in the form of Slingo Quest, a reincarnation of the classic with a few extra surprises...

March2011

  • Review 7 Wonders II (DS)

    Not much of a sequel

    A few years ago, MumboJumbo published the Hot Lava-developed 7 Wonders of the Ancient World, a very average Bejeweled clone. Since then, our standards for DS puzzle fare have gotten a little bit higher, and MumboJumbo has updated its previous release to hopefully meet these standards. Enter 7 Wonders II. The formula remains the...

  • Review 7 Wonders of the Ancient World (DS)

    Don't be fooled

    There are many ways to play Bejeweled on the go, though when it comes to the DS catalogue, you're mostly looking at clones rather than the real deal. 7 Wonders of the Ancient World is one of those clones. It does more than just imitate the gold standard, however – it attempts to innovate as well. But what it adds to the mix takes...

January2011

  • Review Puzzle Expedition (DS)

    Worth the climb

    Few would argue that the DS lacks a robust library of puzzlers, and fewer still would suggest that in separating the wheat from the chaff, a PC port that retails for under 20 dollars and carried the label "Premium Casual Games" in its original incarnation would belong to the former. The unassuming Puzzle Expedition,...

  • Review Midnight Mysteries: The Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy (DS)

    Hint: The heart is beneath the floorboards

    What we know about the death of Edgar Allan Poe is as cryptic and tragic as some of his written tales. After a more than imperfect romantic life, he was reunited with his love of long before, Elmira Royster Shelton, and the two were engaged to be married. On a trip that took place soon thereafter, Poe fell...