Like
Not Another Teen Movie and the upcoming
Not Another Not Another Movie,
Match 3D feels like not another match-three puzzler. You might be prone to groan, yet there's something fun about its self-referential title and even entertaining about the novel spin it puts on the genre.
At its most basic,
Match 3D has you clearing coloured blocks in lines of three or more. This core match-three concept is quite literally given an extra dimension with the revelation that the blocks make up a larger 8x8x8 cube. Clearing blocks means removing them from the six sides of the cube.
Blocks can only be swapped with an adjacent block to make a match, though you're able to find matches on any of the cube's planes. Swiping a finger across the screen whirls the cube around, whereas multi-touch enables you to zoom in and out for a better view. Dealing with camera controls seems unusual for a puzzle game, but in this case it's a welcome quirk.
Classic mode tasks you with clearing a set number of blocks in order to advance to the next level. New blocks fall in from the top of the cube to replace those cleared. A multi-hued gauge counts down the seconds you have left to make the required number of matches. More time is added to the clock for each successful match, although the quotas grow steeper with each passing level.
Survival mode introduces a fascinating variation that forgoes replacing clearing blocks and simply lets the cube disintegrate with each match. Here is where
Match 3D shines because you're under the same pressure as in Classic mode to make the required number of matches to advance to the next level within time.
This inventive twist on the match-three formula is more than enough to justify pairing up with
Match 3D for a few minutes of casual fun. While its core gameplay toes the line, the game's nuanced new perspective on the genre makes it worthwhile.
Joined:
Jul 2007
Post count:
15
Great review. Here's some links to the game:
Paid version:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=324004403&mt=8
Free version:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=324009097&mt=8
Enjoy
Joined:
Feb 2009
Post count:
261
I really like this game. It's fresh and new, and also very cool.
Joined:
Aug 2009
Post count:
1
i like these games
Yaycha | 26 August 2009
Loved this game, but haven't been able to sign into the PAID version of it for the last 5 days! WTF!?!
Joined:
Jul 2007
Post count:
15
The best Match Three game ever created.
