sunnyglow's Profile
Stat Summary
- Average Rating:4.3
- Helpful Votes:80,068
- Reviews Submitted:758
- First Review:November 27, 2011
- Most Recent Review:September 12, 2024
- Featured reviews0
Status:
Can you uncover a murder victim's past and find her killer?
Overall rating
4
/
5
148 of 260 found this review helpful
USHER IN THE NEW YEAR WITH A BRAND-NEW MURDER MYSTERY SERIES!
PostedJanuary 9, 2021
sunnyglow
fromNorth Atlantic! The victim in this game made a “titanic” discovery in the quest for ageless beauty, not aging a day for over 100 years. If you are in a shipwreck or just jump overboard - by spending days in icy waters, you too will never age!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
4
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
**4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 50 pages (My time: 6.5 hours)
**4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 50 pages (My time: 6.5 hours)
STORY: Start the new year with a new murder mystery series from Domini Games. Play Randall and Eleanor Jones, a brother/sister duo of paranormal detectives who possess “twin magic.” Randall is the logical one in the duo and sister Eleanor possesses paranormal abilities. Be prepared for some paranormal sleuthing with this first entry as you play both characters in a tag-team approach.
Some actors remain immortal in the eyes of their fans, but Adaline Salfield is literally immortal, a stunning beauty who has not aged a day for over 100 years. However, when she dies from cardiac arrest while performing on stage, there is some evidence it was foul play. Was her death the result of old age or murder? Investigate the circumstances of her demise. There are a few suspects who may be involved. Was it her jealous boyfriend Andreas, her jealous understudy Ingrid, a crazed fan, or someone else? Get out your Ouija Board, crystal ball, and hone in on your sixth sense for this game!
OPINION: Domini is my favorite developer and always provides more game for the money. This one is no exception. I loved the storyline behind the game. It is a fantastic whodunit with a surprise ending. The motive for the crime was not what I expected. The game has a good pace with plenty of activities. This game, as others from this developer, can be played in either a casual mode by choosing to play the mini-games in the “easy” mode or by choosing to play the puzzles in a "hard" mode for a more challenging experience. This puzzle option can be set in the menu; however, it can be changed while playing the game. However, I do believe this game was rushed through and not proofed before it was published. I found a few minor errors.
GAME ERRORS: The collectibles are coins, morphing pieces of evidence, and inkblots. I enjoyed reading the analysis of the inkblots and what they signify. However, the strategy guide has some errors as does the game as far as the collectibles are concerned. The pictures in the strategy guide for the collectibles are reversed with the scenes in “B” coming before those in “A” and then those in “D” coming before “C.” The letter sequence is out of sync. Also, some of the collectibles are not within the scenes. I went to the strategy guide and where collectibles were indicated, they were not in those scenes. However, these minor errors did not diminish my enjoyment of the game as I am not an avid fan of collectibles.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 40 achievements.
• Collect 15 morphing pieces of evidence and 15 inkblots
• Collect 70 coins to purchase items for a forensic lab
• 15 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay of 18 HOP scenes and 17 mini-games
• 40 achievements.
• Collect 15 morphing pieces of evidence and 15 inkblots
• Collect 70 coins to purchase items for a forensic lab
• 15 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay of 18 HOP scenes and 17 mini-games
BONUS CHAPTER: It is another story. As Eleanor, go it alone by solving a case involving a serial killer. As a blonde, you will be safe in your investigation as the killer is targeting brunette, blue-eyed women. What is the story behind this crazed stalker and who is he? Be prepared for a surprise ending to this case! I found it a nice addition to the game and worthy of a collector’s edition. I found the story behind the game well-written, somewhat unsettling, and creepy. The only collectible in this chapter are coins. There was one scene which I believe was missing a coin. There are six (6) mini-games and (5) HOP scenes along with a mini-HOP scene with a search for six (6) items.
HOP SCENES: There are eighteen (18) HOP scenes, all of which can be replayed at the end of the game. For a developer who is best known for their puzzles, Domini does a fantastic job with HOP scenes. They are varied and highly interactive. I am not a great lover of playing HOP scenes, but I do enjoy the ones from this developer. They are always very creatively designed. They include the usual lists of items and silhouette items. One of the silhouette scenes is a search-and-replace one in which items are found and returned to the scene where they are placed in the proper location. There is also a list of items with shapeshifting morphing objects! I found it humorous to see all the items popping and bopping from one shape to another. And in one, poof! - a cocoon changes into a butterfly when clicking on it. Other scenes include placing given items into the scene, storybook scenes, rebus clues, and spot-the-differences.
MINI-GAMES: Our “puzzlemeister” amazes us again with more fantastic puzzles. There are twenty-four (24) mini-games, seventeen (17) of which can be replayed at the end of the game. With the exception of two in the demo, the other mini-games can be played in either an “easy” or “hard” mode.
MINI-GAMES: Our “puzzlemeister” amazes us again with more fantastic puzzles. There are twenty-four (24) mini-games, seventeen (17) of which can be replayed at the end of the game. With the exception of two in the demo, the other mini-games can be played in either an “easy” or “hard” mode.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO: (E = Easy; H = Hard)
A. E/H. Lock puzzle. Enter numbers to open a lock with a given code which translates symbols into numbers. In the hard version, changing one number changes the other numbers on the lock.
B. E/H. Assembly puzzle. Slide lines of cars into positions which match those within a book. The easy version has 3 lines of cars and the hard version has 5.
C. E/H. Assembly puzzle. Place magical spheres upon a map to create routes which lead away from an intersection and do no cross other landmarks in the process. The easy version only has 5 spheres to place. The hard version has 8.
D. E/H. Ye Olde Tower of Hanoi Stacking Puzzle. In this case, stack suitcases so the largest is at the bottom and the smallest at the top. Move the suitcases between 3 locations, but no suitcase can be placed on top of a smaller one. The harder version has 5 suitcases; the easy version has only 4 suitcases.
E. E/H. Matching puzzle. Match up tiles within stacks to remove them. The hard version has 8 stacks and the easy has only 6.
F. E/H. Physics puzzle. Angle ping pong paddles so that a ball ends up at a designated pocket on the court. The hard version has more paddles to angle into position.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. E/H. Picture puzzle. Place mirror shards into position to restore it. In the hard version the pieces must be rotated to fit into the scene.
H. E/H. Block puzzle. Slide blocks to create a path for a yellow tile to move from one end to the other. The hard version has one more block to move.
B. E/H. Assembly puzzle. Slide lines of cars into positions which match those within a book. The easy version has 3 lines of cars and the hard version has 5.
C. E/H. Assembly puzzle. Place magical spheres upon a map to create routes which lead away from an intersection and do no cross other landmarks in the process. The easy version only has 5 spheres to place. The hard version has 8.
D. E/H. Ye Olde Tower of Hanoi Stacking Puzzle. In this case, stack suitcases so the largest is at the bottom and the smallest at the top. Move the suitcases between 3 locations, but no suitcase can be placed on top of a smaller one. The harder version has 5 suitcases; the easy version has only 4 suitcases.
E. E/H. Matching puzzle. Match up tiles within stacks to remove them. The hard version has 8 stacks and the easy has only 6.
F. E/H. Physics puzzle. Angle ping pong paddles so that a ball ends up at a designated pocket on the court. The hard version has more paddles to angle into position.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. E/H. Picture puzzle. Place mirror shards into position to restore it. In the hard version the pieces must be rotated to fit into the scene.
H. E/H. Block puzzle. Slide blocks to create a path for a yellow tile to move from one end to the other. The hard version has one more block to move.
** I removed one star from the rating due to the minor errors in the game. This is fantastic game otherwise.
I recommend this game!
A sinister revenge plot is tearing a kingdom apart!
Overall rating
5
/
5
184 of 308 found this review helpful
A GAME WHICH CAPTURES THE SPIRITS OF NATURE
PostedJanuary 7, 2021
sunnyglow
fromCapture the spirit of nature by hugging a tree! Just remember to hug gently and then release that spirit (the Dryad) out into the world
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
8 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 47 pages (My time: 7 Hours)
8 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 47 pages (My time: 7 Hours)
STORY: Get ready to tromp through the dense foliage and murky swamps of the Dryad Forest, battling monsters and evildoers along the way. As a new member of the Guardians of Harmony, you have been asked by King Lydius to investigate strange happenings within this magical forest. The residents of the kingdom are being attacked and spirits are being kidnapped. A cauldron of witchy trouble is brewing in this kingdom, fomented by the spirit of revenge, and only you can stop it.
OPINION: This is another example of gaming excellence from this developer. Domini is my favorite developer, providing a quality game with extras most developers do not provide within their games. It is a long game with excellent graphics, an active pace, and oodles of activities to keep a player entertained. The story behind the game is superb and got me into the spirit to go into the forest and hug a tree.
There are three (3) collectibles - coins, morphing artifacts, and spirited items. I found most easy to locate. At the end of the game the player can use the coins to purchase items for a laboratory. Personally, I dislike collecting coins or any other item to exchange for items to decorate or supply some location. I would rather see another collectible or morphing object offered instead. There are three indicators on the inventory bar which alert the player when there is a collectible within the scene. This is a feature I wish was available on other developers’ games. I prefer this method to the sidebars which other developers use in their games. To me, they are harder to navigate. There is also a gimmicky Bestiary book which is used to destroy monsters lurking in the forest.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 23 achievements.
• Collect 15 morphing artifacts and 15 spirited items
• Collect 70 coins used to purchase items for a laboratory
• 38 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• A gimmicky Bestiary book to zap and destroy creatures encountered on your walk through the woods.
• Replay 18 HOP scenes and 18 mini-games
• 23 achievements.
• Collect 15 morphing artifacts and 15 spirited items
• Collect 70 coins used to purchase items for a laboratory
• 38 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• A gimmicky Bestiary book to zap and destroy creatures encountered on your walk through the woods.
• Replay 18 HOP scenes and 18 mini-games
BONUS CHAPTER. Play Illian, a character from the main game. Queen Magret, the latest wife of King Lydius, is on a royal rampage, trying to expel all the spirits and nyads from the Dryad Woods. You, as the heir to the throne, are a threat to this queen, and now you must battle her and her partner in crime, the Spirit of Revenge. Can you save the Dryad Forest from her jealous rage? The survival of the forest beings depends on you. I found this a nice addition to the game. There are nine (9) mini-games and five (5) HOP scenes. There is also one mini-HOP scene with a list of six items. I found it a decent chapter with an engaging story and well worth the price of a collector’s edition.
HOP SCENES: There are eighteen (18) HOP scenes, all of which can be replayed at the end of the game. One of the reasons I love this developer’s games is the wide array of creatively designed HOP scenes. Although Domini is best known as a “puzzlemeister,” they have some amazing HOP scenes. There are highly interactive lists of items, silhouette, storybook scenes which advance the storyline, and matching scenes. There is also a scene with rebus clues, a spot-the-differences scene, matching pairs, and pattern scenes in which an item is located based on a small sample of it. As in their other games, Domini provides a Match-3 game to play instead of the scenes.
MINI-GAMES: There are thirty (30) mini-games, eighteen (18) of which can be replayed at the end of the game. I am again begging for this developer to provide more puzzles to be replayed at the end of the game. There are some I would like to play again; however, I am not replaying the entire game to do so. Most of the puzzles can be played in an easy mode to provide a more laid-back, casual game or in the hard mode for those who want a little more challenge. The level of difficulty can be set in the menu but can be changed while playing the game.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO: (E = Easy; H = Hard)
A. E/H. Logic puzzle. On a 5 x 5 grid located on a harp, move musical notes so that each row and column have the same number of notes as written at the top of each column and sides of each row. Easy version has a 4 x 5 grid with less notes to place.
B. Assembly puzzle. Create acid by following a 3-step process as per a given set of instructions. Place items in the proper bins, grind them and then place in the proper order to get 3 bowls of the right color powder.
C. E/H. Lock puzzle. Switch inner plates in the center of a lock so they mesh with those on the outside. Easier version has less plates which need to be switched.
D. E/H. Maze puzzle. Move two amulets, following a path to red slots at the top of the grid. In the easy version, move one amulet at a time – in the hard version – move both at the same time.
E. E/H. Bullseye puzzle. Get some target practice by using a slingshot to hurt rocks to the center of targets. The hard version has 5 targets and the easy 3 targets. Use 3 levers to center the stones toward the bullseyes and press to release.
F. E/H. Picture puzzle. Rotate and place pieces into position to create a map. The easy version has less pieces.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. E/H. Rotate 4 arms and hands attached to a skull so each hinged hand is on a matching slot.
H. E/H. Connection puzzle. On a cube connect two like -colored squares. Lines cannot cross.
I. E/H. Map puzzle. Lead a balloon up a mountain avoiding obstacles within its path.
J. E/H. Trap an evil spirit within a grid by blocking his escape. Fence him in by moving from space-to space within the grid creating a wall to block his escape.
B. Assembly puzzle. Create acid by following a 3-step process as per a given set of instructions. Place items in the proper bins, grind them and then place in the proper order to get 3 bowls of the right color powder.
C. E/H. Lock puzzle. Switch inner plates in the center of a lock so they mesh with those on the outside. Easier version has less plates which need to be switched.
D. E/H. Maze puzzle. Move two amulets, following a path to red slots at the top of the grid. In the easy version, move one amulet at a time – in the hard version – move both at the same time.
E. E/H. Bullseye puzzle. Get some target practice by using a slingshot to hurt rocks to the center of targets. The hard version has 5 targets and the easy 3 targets. Use 3 levers to center the stones toward the bullseyes and press to release.
F. E/H. Picture puzzle. Rotate and place pieces into position to create a map. The easy version has less pieces.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. E/H. Rotate 4 arms and hands attached to a skull so each hinged hand is on a matching slot.
H. E/H. Connection puzzle. On a cube connect two like -colored squares. Lines cannot cross.
I. E/H. Map puzzle. Lead a balloon up a mountain avoiding obstacles within its path.
J. E/H. Trap an evil spirit within a grid by blocking his escape. Fence him in by moving from space-to space within the grid creating a wall to block his escape.
I recommend this game!
The most perfect town in the world hides a terrible secret!
Overall rating
3
/
5
103 of 228 found this review helpful
LOOKING AT THE WORLD THROUGH BLUE ROSE COLORED GLASSES
PostedDecember 31, 2020
sunnyglow
fromHappy New Year! I wonder if Restville has a yearly Blue Rose Bowl parade with floats covered with pollen-heavy blue roses? Each rose spewing out sprays of rose dust should povide for a truly mind-altering “happy” new year.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
4
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 34 pages (My time: 4.5 Hours)
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 34 pages (My time: 4.5 Hours)
STORY: More family drama erupts for our detective trio in this game; however, this time it is not Anna Gray with family problems, it is Agent Dorian Brown. After returning to his childhood home in Restville, Agent Brown has disappeared. His disappearance may be linked to his twin brother, Mortimer, who is engaged in misguided nefarious activities. Now, his detective cohorts, Anna Gray and James Blackthorne, are off to Restville, a town where everyone sees the world through rose-colored glasses. What is happening in Dorian’s childhood home where his brother is mayor and his brother’s flower child girlfriend keeps blue roses in bloom all year long?
OPINION: Hope you are wearing those rose-colored glasses while playing this game. Meandering around the blue roses in this game did not alter my perception of it. I found this game short and lacking the creativity and activities of many of this developer's other games. It has an engaging storyline, however, to me it has the feel of an assembly-line game. I found the pace dragged in spots throughout this game. Although this is one of my favorite series from this developer, to me, this game is not of the same caliber. However, I feel that the quality of most of Elephant’s recent games have decreased in size and quality as well. One thing the blue roses did accomplish for me within this game – it has made it forgettable.
OPINION: Hope you are wearing those rose-colored glasses while playing this game. Meandering around the blue roses in this game did not alter my perception of it. I found this game short and lacking the creativity and activities of many of this developer's other games. It has an engaging storyline, however, to me it has the feel of an assembly-line game. I found the pace dragged in spots throughout this game. Although this is one of my favorite series from this developer, to me, this game is not of the same caliber. However, I feel that the quality of most of Elephant’s recent games have decreased in size and quality as well. One thing the blue roses did accomplish for me within this game – it has made it forgettable.
There are only two collectibles in the game, morphing hats and pictures fragments with which to create four screensavers. There are only thirty-three (33) to locate within the game. Most scenes have only one collectible, and there are scenes without any collectibles. They are easy to locate. The secret room at the end of the game has forty (40) additional items to locate within the game’s scenes. I thought this activity was one of the better activities within the game.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 22 achievements.
• Collect 20 puzzles pieces which create 4 screensavers.
• Collect 13 morphing objects (hats)
• 5 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 14 HOP scenes and 13 mini-games
• Secret Room opened at the end of the game to collect 40 more objects within the scenes
• Expedition room (allows you to return to the rooms to get collectibles)
• Tag Team between the 3 detectives playing each one within the game.
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 22 achievements.
• Collect 20 puzzles pieces which create 4 screensavers.
• Collect 13 morphing objects (hats)
• 5 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 14 HOP scenes and 13 mini-games
• Secret Room opened at the end of the game to collect 40 more objects within the scenes
• Expedition room (allows you to return to the rooms to get collectibles)
• Tag Team between the 3 detectives playing each one within the game.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel. After the damage caused by the previous mayor, a new mayor, Andrew Stevens, has been elected. Play both the mayor and the flower girl from the main game as they investigate reports of a new type of rose whose pollen could be deadly to the town. This is a short chapter with six (6) mini-games and four (4) HOP scenes plus two (2) mini-HOP scenes with a small number of items to locate. It is consistent in quality to the main game. Two of the mini-games are picture puzzles (one appearing right after the other) which I feel were dumped into the game to provide filler to the game. To me, this chapter is not worthy of the extra price of the collector’s edition designation.
HOP SCENES: There are only fourteen (14) HOP scenes within the entire game and all of them can be replayed. There are also mini-HOP scenes in a small number items (six to eight) are to be located. Most of the mini-HOP scenes are silhouette with items located sequentially. There are only three styles of scenes – lists of items, silhouette items, and matching. They can all be replayed at the end of the game.
MINI-GAMES: There are only twenty-one (21) mini-games, thirteen (13) of which can be played at the end of the game. The ones within the game are decent, there are just not enough of them to keep an active pace within the game.
SPOILERS: THERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Sequence puzzle. Pull on 4 cords so all are of equal length in a straight line
B. Maze puzzle. Lead James Blackthorne throughout Restville, while avoiding pop-up sheriff tokens 2X
C. Switch puzzle. Switch jagged lock pieces so they mesh with matching jagged pieces on a center bar.
D. Question/Answer. Something new. As Dorian Brown, answer questions Anna Gray asks you. Choose between two answers for 4 questions
E. Battle scene puzzle. Choose 3 symbols within the scene to match those shown at the bottom of the screen. More of a HOP scene 3X
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Switch puzzle. Switch 4 books on a bookcase so their spines match in sequence to those on a given diagram.
G. Strategy puzzle Fill in a grid with different colored flowers by clicking on different colors, changing the first rose and others surrounding it to that color. Continue until all roses in the grid are the same color. You have 25 moves
H. Rotating rings puzzle. Rotate 3 rings with symbols along the edge so that each of the 4 symbols on each ring matches those along the sides.
B. Maze puzzle. Lead James Blackthorne throughout Restville, while avoiding pop-up sheriff tokens 2X
C. Switch puzzle. Switch jagged lock pieces so they mesh with matching jagged pieces on a center bar.
D. Question/Answer. Something new. As Dorian Brown, answer questions Anna Gray asks you. Choose between two answers for 4 questions
E. Battle scene puzzle. Choose 3 symbols within the scene to match those shown at the bottom of the screen. More of a HOP scene 3X
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. Switch puzzle. Switch 4 books on a bookcase so their spines match in sequence to those on a given diagram.
G. Strategy puzzle Fill in a grid with different colored flowers by clicking on different colors, changing the first rose and others surrounding it to that color. Continue until all roses in the grid are the same color. You have 25 moves
H. Rotating rings puzzle. Rotate 3 rings with symbols along the edge so that each of the 4 symbols on each ring matches those along the sides.
**I recommend this game with reservations. It has an excellent story but lacks the usual creativity usually seen in most of this developer's games.
I recommend this game!
Can you save him and the Secret City from destruction in time?
Overall rating
3
/
5
110 of 185 found this review helpful
ARTIFACTS, ARTIFACTS, AND EVEN MORE ARTIFACTS IN THE BONUS CHAPTER WILL PUT YOU TO SLEEP
PostedDecember 26, 2020
sunnyglow
fromGlad I did not play this game on Christmas Eve! I might have fallen asleep and missed Santa!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
4
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
2
/
5
5 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 42 pages (My Time: 6 Hours? Not certain. I fell asleep while playing it)
STORY: Detective! Return to the Secret City to investigate mysterious artifacts which are causing havoc within the city. Since arriving at the local museum, these strange items are affecting the local citizens, causing them to lose their willpower, entering a zombie-like trance. A vengeful social misfit may be behind the chaos affecting the city and it will be up to you to stop him before he can use these artifacts to charge a powerful device to suppress the will of the people.
OPINION: Domini Games is my favorite developer; however, this series is not. This creature feature is another game in which some evildoer tries to destroy the inhabitants of this city hidden away from human folk. I found the game monotonous. There is a great deal of back-and-forth motion within the game. There is not much of story behind the game – just running to-and-fro from one scene to another searching for the culprit behind the chaos while collecting inventory items. The graphics are decent with the Domini’s signature neon green and purple splattered throughout the scenes.
There are three (3) collectibles. Collect morphing objects and photos. The photos practically jump out at you within the scenes. The morphing objects are better hidden, but still obvious within the scenes. Collect coins to purchase items for a private jet. The coins are easily seen as well. I hate collecting coins to purchase items for some room or other locale. This is one collectible I wish this developer would eliminate from their games.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 40 achievements.
• Collect 15 morphing artifacts and 15 photos.
• Collect 70 coins to purchase items for your private jet
• 15 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 18 HOP scenes and 18 mini-games
• 40 achievements.
• Collect 15 morphing artifacts and 15 photos.
• Collect 70 coins to purchase items for your private jet
• 15 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 18 HOP scenes and 18 mini-games
BONUS CHAPTER: It is another game. You have been asked to investigate another case involving - you guessed it - even more artifacts. A well-known criminal within the city has been sending artifacts to the city’s residents with disastrous consequences. Upon receipt, the residents are falling into a deep sleep and not waking up (like me playing this game). This human evildoer has plans to capitalize on selling these magical artifacts to humans causing untold havoc between the two kingdoms. Now you must try to stop him.
I found this bonus chapter a rehash of the story from the main game. It is the same story with another villain. Ho Hum! To me this is just more of the same from the main game. There are eight (8) mini-games and five (5) HOP scenes. There are also two mini-HOP scenes in which the player locates 6 items. I did not think the mini-games were as creatively designed as those from the main game. The chapter seemed as if it were rushed through without any creative thought or design. To me this chapter is not worth the price of a collector’s edition.
HOP SCENES: There are eighteen (18) HOP scenes; all can be replayed at the end of the game. I do like the variety of the HOP scenes with Domini Games; however, these scenes are not as creatively designed as in many of their other games. They include the standard lists of items and silhouette. However, there are some spot-the-difference scenes, rebus clue scenes, and some pattern scenes in which an item is chosen based upon a small piece of it or its pattern. My favorite is a search-and-replace scene in which items are located then used within the scene to find the next item.
MINI-GAMES: There are twenty-eight (28) puzzles within the game; eighteen (18) of which can be replayed at the end of the game. Most of them can be played in either an “easy” mode for an easy/breezy game or in a “hard” mode which provides a more challenging game. There are some “puzzles” within this game which I would hardly call “puzzles.” Entering a code written on a piece of paper is NOT a puzzle.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO: (E = Easy; H = Hard)
A. E/H. Maze puzzle. Move a ball through a maze using arrows to direct its motion. Move it until it reaches a hole within the maze. The ball will keep moving until it hits a blocker in its path. The harder version has a more complex route to follow to the hole. 3X
B. Switch puzzle. Switch icons on a computer screen to match that on a given code
C. Gear puzzle. Switch gears so that all mesh with each other.
D. E/H. Switch puzzle. Switch a pair of tokens at a time so that each token is in its proper location. The harder version has a space between the pair of tokens to be switched
E. Lock puzzle. Enter a given code into a vending machine to get a ticket. (This is NOT a puzzle)
F. E/H. Map puzzle. Choose between 3 paths at the right time to move through a scene without being caught by the patrolling police. The harder version has one more policeman 3X
G. E/H. Switch/Connection puzzle. Switch tokens with lights emanating from them so the lights from the tokens connect with each other and create a design.
BONUS CHAPTER:
H. Assembly puzzle. Move 4 pieces of a medallion into position by rotating the pieces and pushing them into the center. 2X
I. Lock puzzle. Enter 4 numbers to open a lock.
J. E/H. Map puzzle. Place arrows on a grid to lead a token to a shop. Avoid soap traps. Test your results after placing the arrows. The harder version has more arrows to place.
B. Switch puzzle. Switch icons on a computer screen to match that on a given code
C. Gear puzzle. Switch gears so that all mesh with each other.
D. E/H. Switch puzzle. Switch a pair of tokens at a time so that each token is in its proper location. The harder version has a space between the pair of tokens to be switched
E. Lock puzzle. Enter a given code into a vending machine to get a ticket. (This is NOT a puzzle)
F. E/H. Map puzzle. Choose between 3 paths at the right time to move through a scene without being caught by the patrolling police. The harder version has one more policeman 3X
G. E/H. Switch/Connection puzzle. Switch tokens with lights emanating from them so the lights from the tokens connect with each other and create a design.
BONUS CHAPTER:
H. Assembly puzzle. Move 4 pieces of a medallion into position by rotating the pieces and pushing them into the center. 2X
I. Lock puzzle. Enter 4 numbers to open a lock.
J. E/H. Map puzzle. Place arrows on a grid to lead a token to a shop. Avoid soap traps. Test your results after placing the arrows. The harder version has more arrows to place.
I don't recommend this game.
Help Santa prepare for the most wonderful time of the year!
Overall rating
5
/
5
74 of 205 found this review helpful
MANY HOURS OF HOLIDAY CHEER TO HOPEFULLY USHER IN A HAPPIER NEW YEAR
PostedDecember 19, 2020
sunnyglow
fromMerry Christmas and may your search for the numerous items within this game help you find the hidden joy of this holiday season!
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
Merry Christmas! Get ready to immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of Christmas. With the pandemic keeping most of us from our usual holiday plans, this game helps brighten the darkness of the times in which we are living. This is a festive game chock full of Christmas goodies. If this game does not get you into the holiday spirit, nothing will!
I never play retro-HOP games and have never reviewed this type of game before! However, after being homebound for months, this game with its glistening graphics beckoned to me. I enjoyed this game. It is a long game jam-packed with all the beauty and merriment of the holiday season. One thing I like about this game are the Christmas songs playing in the background. I enjoyed singing (in my horrible voice – so bad my cat covers his ears in torment) “Jolly Good Old St Nicholas” and other Christmas melodies. The menu allows you to choose between twenty (20) Christmas songs. Do you want to add Christmas wallpaper to spruce up your computer? There are 18 beautiful wallpapers to choose from.
The game consists of a series of HOP scenes in which you search for items within a festive Christmas environment within the town of Springfield or the North Pole. I think Springfield may be in Texas with all the references to the Tex-Mex culture and maps of Texas and state flags, but, at the same time, I saw many California license plates on the cars. However, it is not unusual nowadays in Texas to see California plates as many Californians are moving here in droves.
Alternating between the HOP scenes is a puzzle. The puzzles vary with a variety of different styles. There are picture puzzles - jigsaw puzzles, flipsaw puzzles, and rotating tiles puzzles. There are also others such as word searches, concentration puzzles, and spot-the-difference puzzles. I found the jigsaw puzzles challenging as there many pieces, and they must be rotated as well. As an added present - you can play forty-eight (48) additional puzzles at the end of the game.
Within the HOP scenes there are gold Christmas trees to be found, a bunch of lost objects, a photo to be taken of the scene, and interactive activities to be performed. The scenes are jam packed with items and I found some difficult to locate. You can earn three (3) stars for each scene played - one for finding all the trees, one of finding all the lost items and one for finding all the items listed.
This game provides a lot of gaming pleasure for the price. I have not even begun to play the additional puzzles; however, I have already spent more time on this game than most of the HOP games I usually play. Kudos Casual Arts for a fantastic game! I am now an aficionada of your games!
MECHANICS:
• Three levels of play – Casual, Challenge, and Extreme
• Play 48 additional puzzles
• Collect golden Christmas trees and lost items
• 18 wallpapers
• 20 Christmas songs to choose from as background music
• Play 48 additional puzzles
• Collect golden Christmas trees and lost items
• 18 wallpapers
• 20 Christmas songs to choose from as background music
I recommend this game!
Something is terribly wrong in the toy world, and only you can help!
Overall rating
5
/
5
182 of 342 found this review helpful
CRACK OPEN THE DOORS TO A BATTLE IN A MAGICAL KINGDOM
PostedDecember 17, 2020
sunnyglow
fromMerry Christmas to all and to all a good fight! (against the evildoers in this game)
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
6 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 45 pages (My time: 7 Hours - a long game)
6 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 45 pages (My time: 7 Hours - a long game)
STORY: After many years, you, Marie, are off to see your godfather, Drosselmeyer, and childhood friend, Fritz, for the Christmas holiday. Your godfather is a famous toymaker and your friend, Fritz was his apprentice and is now a toymaker as well. You have many fond memories of you and Fritz playing with a toy castle which, through its doors, whisked you away to the enchanted kingdom of Speilland. Upon arrival, you learn Fritz has disappeared into this kingdom. Help your old friend who is engaged in a battle to save the kingdom from an evildoer out to destroy both the kingdom and your godfather.
OPINION: Loosely based on characters from the “Nutcracker,” the story behind this game is not related to the Christmas classic. I enjoyed this game; however, it does not have the Christmas flavor of the two previous Christmas games. You will not be singing Christmas carols in this game. Instead, you will be decked out in battle gear and shouting a war cry. It is decked out with toy soldiers, battling mice headed by the Mouse King, and an evildoer out for revenge. It is a fast-paced game in which you spend most of your time battling one evildoer after another. It is a long game with oodles of activities. It is decked out in Christmas attire; however, there is little peace and good will in this game.
The collectibles are snow globe symbols and morphing items. There are two(2) of each within each scene. I found them easy to locate. The snow globe symbols are traded in for seven (7) ornate snow globes at the end of the game. The morphing objects can be traded for mechanical toys. The graphics are superb and there are some creatively designed HOP scenes and mini-games. A lot of work went in to designing this game. It is a fantastic game – but be prepared for more of a fantasy game rather than a soft, quiet Christmas delight.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 27 achievements.
• Collect 54 collectible snow globes symbols to exchange for 7 snow globes
• Collect 54 morphing items which you exchange for mechanical toys
• 7 wallpapers along with 5 screensavers, concept art, music, and video sequences
• Claus, a mouse who will give you background information about the story behind the game if you give him sweets
• Extra puzzle played after collecting all collectibles. It is a maze puzzle in which a mouse collects presents and ornaments
• Replay 25 HOP scenes and 14 mini-games
• 27 achievements.
• Collect 54 collectible snow globes symbols to exchange for 7 snow globes
• Collect 54 morphing items which you exchange for mechanical toys
• 7 wallpapers along with 5 screensavers, concept art, music, and video sequences
• Claus, a mouse who will give you background information about the story behind the game if you give him sweets
• Extra puzzle played after collecting all collectibles. It is a maze puzzle in which a mouse collects presents and ornaments
• Replay 25 HOP scenes and 14 mini-games
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel. You, as Marie, have been invited to a Christmas party at the bequest of the Mouse King in Speilland. Gepetto’s assistant, Pinnochio, has a strange artifact which is causing more havoc for the kingdom. This misguided puppet wants to become human; however, he is being deceived in his quest and is destroying the kingdom in the process. Now you must stop him. I found this chapter a nice addition to the game. There are fourteen (14) mini-games and seven (7) HOP scenes.
HOP SCENES: There are twenty-five (25) HOP scenes in the game; all of which can be replayed at the end of the game. There is a chubby, adorable mouse, Claus, who will provide background information on the story if you feed him some sweets. Up pops a storybook scene in which you must place given items back within the scene. He pops up five (5) times within the game. There are also the usual lists of items, matching, and silhouette scenes. Some of the scenes have puzzles within them. My favorite scene was a creatively designed one in the bonus chapter in which you flip the room upside down and back again to search for items and interact with them within the room. However, turning the room upside down did cause me to become dizzy!
MINI-GAMES: There are forty-three (43) mini games in this game! They are creatively designed. However, you can only replay fourteen (14) of them. I wish this developer, along with others as well, would offer more mini-games to replay. There are many I want to replay but I am not going to replay the entire game to do so. There are also a few puzzles which can be played in either a casual or hard mode. At the end of the game there is an extra mini-game provided in which the player must run a mouse through a maze to collect presents and ornaments.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Queens 8 puzzle. In this case – Queens 4. Move 4 queens on a modified chessboard to that no two queens are in the same column, row or diagonal.
B. Switch puzzle. Switch tokens on a 3 x3 grid to restore an image
C. Casual/Hard. Rotate and place puzzle pieces into position to restore an image. The harder version has more pieces to place within the grid.
D. Maze puzzle. Go through a circular maze while avoiding tin soldiers. If a soldier sees you, you return to the beginning
E. Assembly puzzle. Click on stars from a constellation map to create a constellation which matches that on the map.
F. Connection puzzle. Fill in hexagons by connecting them based on given numbers on the grid. All spaces will be used within each grid and all spaces for each number must connect with each other. 2X
G. Rotating rings puzzle. Rotate 3 rings to restore an image
H. Rope puzzle. Untangle lines so they do not cross each other.
I. Domino puzzle. Rotate gears with images on them so that adjacent gears have the same image.
BONUS CHAPTER:
J. Assembly puzzle. Find the symbols which comprise a more complex symbol. If correct, the symbol will light up if all parts are located 3X
K. Switch puzzle. Switch triangular pieces with similar oriented ones to restore an image
L. Connection puzzle. Switch mice in a grid so that the pieces of rope they are holding connect with each other.
M. Connection puzzle. Connect like-colored wires with each other by creating paths. Rotate squares to create a connection with the squares surrounding it.
B. Switch puzzle. Switch tokens on a 3 x3 grid to restore an image
C. Casual/Hard. Rotate and place puzzle pieces into position to restore an image. The harder version has more pieces to place within the grid.
D. Maze puzzle. Go through a circular maze while avoiding tin soldiers. If a soldier sees you, you return to the beginning
E. Assembly puzzle. Click on stars from a constellation map to create a constellation which matches that on the map.
F. Connection puzzle. Fill in hexagons by connecting them based on given numbers on the grid. All spaces will be used within each grid and all spaces for each number must connect with each other. 2X
G. Rotating rings puzzle. Rotate 3 rings to restore an image
H. Rope puzzle. Untangle lines so they do not cross each other.
I. Domino puzzle. Rotate gears with images on them so that adjacent gears have the same image.
BONUS CHAPTER:
J. Assembly puzzle. Find the symbols which comprise a more complex symbol. If correct, the symbol will light up if all parts are located 3X
K. Switch puzzle. Switch triangular pieces with similar oriented ones to restore an image
L. Connection puzzle. Switch mice in a grid so that the pieces of rope they are holding connect with each other.
M. Connection puzzle. Connect like-colored wires with each other by creating paths. Rotate squares to create a connection with the squares surrounding it.
I recommend this game!
A mysterious abduction and a strange hospital lead to a terrible secret!
Overall rating
3
/
5
81 of 197 found this review helpful
WELCOME TO THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
PostedDecember 12, 2020
sunnyglow
from'Twas the nightmare before Christmas and all through the house, mutated creatures were stirring, even a chimera mouse.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
3
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
3
/
5
Level of Challenge
3
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 33 pages (My time: 4 Hours)
3 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 33 pages (My time: 4 Hours)
STORY: Welcome to a monstrous nightmare world! Play Rosalee Franco. After being stalked and kidnapped, you awaken to find yourself handcuffed to a bed in a hospital. Your memory is waning and soon discover you are part of an experiment being conducted by a beastly, mad scientist. Now, after escaping, you, along with a friend and a misguided doctor, must locate this fiend and stop his research. If not, your inner beast will break free and you may find yourself in a beastly mood!
OPINION: Take a break from the sugary sweet Christmas games and get prepared for a dark, psychological thriller. Santa will not be making his rounds in this research hospital! Leaving Santa’s reindeer in front of this hospital could see them morph into psycho killer deer out to bring holiday mayhem! This game is dark with a story delving into the dark side of genetic research. I did like the story behind the game; however, I found the game itself a monstrous bore.
After last week’s creatively designed Christmas game from this developer, I found this one just the opposite. The game is short and mediocre, lacking the creativity and quality of that game. I found it snail-paced. There is a lot of back-and-forth movement throughout the game with few activities to keep up the pace. There are only two collectibles – puzzles pieces for four (4) puzzles to be completed at the end of the game and cards about medical disorders. I found most easy to locate but some I found somewhat challenging to find. At the end of the game, there is a secret room which allows the player to locate more items within the scenes of the game. This activity is timed.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 22 achievements.
• Collect 48 puzzle pieces for 4 jigsaw puzzles (12 each)
• Collect 12 cards with information about medical conditions
• 5 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Secret room in which you locate additional items within the scenes. Return to the scenes from the game and search for new items. You are timed.
• Replay 14 HOP scenes and 12 mini-games
• 22 achievements.
• Collect 48 puzzle pieces for 4 jigsaw puzzles (12 each)
• Collect 12 cards with information about medical conditions
• 5 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Secret room in which you locate additional items within the scenes. Return to the scenes from the game and search for new items. You are timed.
• Replay 14 HOP scenes and 12 mini-games
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel. Play Rosalee’s friend, Adalina. When a chimera breaks into your home, you are off to find the doctor from the main game, Brian. You all believed that the mutation gene which created the chimeras had been destroyed, but obviously not. Now, by poring over research notes, you must find out why this happened and see if you can destroy the genetic link between you and the chimera. I found this chapter to be equal to the main game. It is a short chapter with five (5) mini-games and five (5) HOP scenes. To me, this chapter is not worth the extra cost of a collector’s edition.
HOP SCENES: There are nineteen (19) HOP scenes, fourteen (14) of which can be replayed at the end of the game. There are several mini-HOP scenes with six or less items to be located as well. Most of the scenes consist of lists of items and silhouette items. Although they are interactive, I found most boring, lacking variety and creativity. I found the ones in the demo better designed than those within the main game.
MINI-GAMES: There are sixteen (16) mini-games, twelve (12) of which can be replayed at the end of the game. I found the mini games more creatively designed than the HOP scenes. However, like the HOP scenes, there are just not enough of them within the game to keep up the pace.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. Maze puzzle. Rotate 4 pieces of a maze to create a pathway to lead a square to the exit point. All the pieces must be position and the square must pass over 4 dots (one in each segment of the maze) before exiting.
B. Switch/connection/sequence puzzle. Switch squares with parts of wire on them so that a continuous flow of electricity flows between numbered lightbulbs in sequential ascending order.
C. Jigsaw puzzle. Rotate and place pieces into position to restore an image
D. Match -3 Game. Fill your 3 power bars before your opponent does. You gain power by matching 3 or more of your colored tokens assigned to you. If you cannot match your tokens, you are forced to match those of your opponent.
BONUS CHAPTER:
E. Maze puzzle. In a smoky maze, plot a path to reach the abandoned factory.
F. Logic Problem. Turn all lights green on a grid. Clicking on one, lights it and all lights surrounding it, or if lit, turns them off. Plot your moves in the proper sequence to get all to light up and stay lit.
G. Two part. (1) Moving tiles puzzle. Slide 4 tokens along paths so each token representing earth, wind, fire, and air are next to an associated figure (2) Matching. Uncover and match tokens
B. Switch/connection/sequence puzzle. Switch squares with parts of wire on them so that a continuous flow of electricity flows between numbered lightbulbs in sequential ascending order.
C. Jigsaw puzzle. Rotate and place pieces into position to restore an image
D. Match -3 Game. Fill your 3 power bars before your opponent does. You gain power by matching 3 or more of your colored tokens assigned to you. If you cannot match your tokens, you are forced to match those of your opponent.
BONUS CHAPTER:
E. Maze puzzle. In a smoky maze, plot a path to reach the abandoned factory.
F. Logic Problem. Turn all lights green on a grid. Clicking on one, lights it and all lights surrounding it, or if lit, turns them off. Plot your moves in the proper sequence to get all to light up and stay lit.
G. Two part. (1) Moving tiles puzzle. Slide 4 tokens along paths so each token representing earth, wind, fire, and air are next to an associated figure (2) Matching. Uncover and match tokens
**I recommend this game with reservations. It is a short, mediocre game with few HOP scenes and mini-games. Nevertheless, the story behind the game is excellent
I recommend this game!
Can you reach your new family in time for Christmas?
Overall rating
5
/
5
179 of 275 found this review helpful
ALL “DOLLED UP” FOR CHRISTMAS
PostedDecember 10, 2020
sunnyglow
fromDolls are precious reflections of joyous light, whose only hope is to delight " quote by Gayle Wray, famous dollmaker.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 49 pages
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 49 pages
STORY: Play Bell Doll, an adorable, big-eyed doll attired in a flared dress who is the cherished Christmas present desired by a girl named Frances. However, Frances may not get her prized gift. As Bell, you fell out of Santa’s bag of toys and now are off on a journey to find your way to Frances’ home to greet her Christmas morning. However, a misguided elf named Terrence is determined to keep you from reaching Frances. The journey will be fraught with danger with Terrence in hot pursuit, but you will get some help from some broken toys. Enjoy a wondrous, beautiful Christmas adventure in this game!
OPINION: Grab some eggnog and some of Santa’s cookies and get ready to enjoy another fantastic holiday game! What a bright, festive game! This is another Christmas game decked out in holiday attire with ornament laden Christmas trees, bright lights, elves, and toys galore! For me, this is one of the best games from Domini this year. I loved listening to the Christmas background music and singing along. This is a great game for the entire family. The story, the joyful music, the beautiful Christmas graphics, and the creatively designed HOP scenes and mini-games make this game a classic.
The stories are well-written in both the main game and in the bonus chapter. Both stories emphasize the hope and joy of the holidays. The game has a good pace with plenty of activities to keep a player occupied – all set in a beautiful Christmas environment. Collect presents, Christmas treats from around the world, and coins to purchase items to deck out the town square. I found most easy to locate.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 40 achievements.
• Collect 15 presents and 15 Christmas treats from around the world
• Collect 88 coins to purchase items for the town square.
• 10 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 18 HOP scenes and 18 mini-games
• 40 achievements.
• Collect 15 presents and 15 Christmas treats from around the world
• Collect 88 coins to purchase items for the town square.
• 10 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 18 HOP scenes and 18 mini-games
BONUS CHAPTER: It is another story. Help two toymakers, Carlos and Mrs. Tolevare, patch up their differences and renew their friendship. Envious of Carlos, Mrs. Tolevare has put an enchantment on Carlos. Now you must try to release this enchantment while repairing the relationship between the two. This is a nice addition to the game. The chapter has six (6) mini-games and five (5) HOP scenes. The HOP scenes and mini-games are creatively designed. One of the HOP scenes involves locating items on a pop-up Christmas card and another requires searching for items and then placing them back into the proper location. This chapter is well-worth the price of the Collector’s Edition.
HOP SCENES. There are eighteen (18) HOP scenes, all of which can be replayed at the end of the game. Domini is better known for their puzzles; however, hands down, these HOP scenes are some of the best I have played this year. They are thematic and include a wide array of styles. They include lists of items, including one scene in which you make some yummy Christmas cookies. There are silhouette scenes, rebus clues, spot-the-differences, items listed on letters to Santa and scenes in which items are located based on their pattern or from small piece of the object.
MINI-GAMES. There are twenty-six (26) mini-games, eighteen (18) of which can be replayed at the end of the game. Most of the puzzles have the option to be played in an easy mode for those who want an easy breezy game or in a hard mode for those who want a little more challenge in their games. Most are thematic reflecting the Christmas theme.
GETTING ALL DOLLED UP FOR CHRISTMAS WITH SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO: (E = Easy; H = Hard)
A. E/H Singing Elsa Doll. Switch puzzle. Switch piano keys so that all are placed correctly on a sheet of music. In the hard version keys can only be switched with those next to them
B. E/H. Barbie Rainbow Lights Doll. Connection puzzle. Connect like-colored lights on a grid without crossing over other connections. The hard version has one more set of lights to connect
C. E/H. China Doll. Mathematical puzzle. Place tokens on an abacus so each row and column contain the number of tokens as indicated on the sides and bottom of the grid.
D. E/H. Cabbage Patch doll. Tangram puzzle. Place pieces onto a birdhouse grid so that all pieces fit without any gaps. The easy version has less pieces to fit into the grid.
E. E/H. Raggedy Ann Doll. Maze puzzle. Move on a floor avoiding broken floorboards. If you land on a broken floorboard you must restart. The easy version has less options on which floorboards to walk on.
F. E/H. Bobble Head Doll. Assembly puzzle Copy a given 3-D image by adding and removing blocks on the grid until it matches the given image. The easy version has a less complex design to copy
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. E/H. Santa Claus Doll. Map puzzle. In the hard version – plot a path for a sleigh by plotting a course placing arrows into position. Press start to reach a house while avoiding hidden obstacles in your path. In the easy version just move a sleigh one square at a time.
H. E/H. Paper Doll. Move arrows up and down to change a doll’s appearance to match that of a given diagram.
I. E/H. Matryoshka Dolls. Assembly puzzle. Using gemstones, create an image matching that on a given diagram. The easy version has a more simplistic design to copy
B. E/H. Barbie Rainbow Lights Doll. Connection puzzle. Connect like-colored lights on a grid without crossing over other connections. The hard version has one more set of lights to connect
C. E/H. China Doll. Mathematical puzzle. Place tokens on an abacus so each row and column contain the number of tokens as indicated on the sides and bottom of the grid.
D. E/H. Cabbage Patch doll. Tangram puzzle. Place pieces onto a birdhouse grid so that all pieces fit without any gaps. The easy version has less pieces to fit into the grid.
E. E/H. Raggedy Ann Doll. Maze puzzle. Move on a floor avoiding broken floorboards. If you land on a broken floorboard you must restart. The easy version has less options on which floorboards to walk on.
F. E/H. Bobble Head Doll. Assembly puzzle Copy a given 3-D image by adding and removing blocks on the grid until it matches the given image. The easy version has a less complex design to copy
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. E/H. Santa Claus Doll. Map puzzle. In the hard version – plot a path for a sleigh by plotting a course placing arrows into position. Press start to reach a house while avoiding hidden obstacles in your path. In the easy version just move a sleigh one square at a time.
H. E/H. Paper Doll. Move arrows up and down to change a doll’s appearance to match that of a given diagram.
I. E/H. Matryoshka Dolls. Assembly puzzle. Using gemstones, create an image matching that on a given diagram. The easy version has a more simplistic design to copy
I recommend this game!
Can you bring back magic and rescue your mom in time for Christmas?
Overall rating
5
/
5
183 of 273 found this review helpful
SINGING THE PRAISES OF ANOTHER FANTASTIC HOLIDAY GAME IN THIS SERIES
PostedDecember 3, 2020
sunnyglow
from“Deck the Halls!” “Christmas Time is Here Again!”and…. “Here Comes Santa Claus” (let us all beware!) Last year “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” (Santa please take care!)
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 35 pages (My Time: 7 Hours plus one hour singing Christmas carols)
4 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 35 pages (My Time: 7 Hours plus one hour singing Christmas carols)
STORY: Enjoy a festive, fun-filled adventure into the Christmas forest as you play Inga, a young girl in search of her mother who has disappeared. A misguided, evil sorceress is behind her disappearance. A magical snow globe will allow your mother to communicate with you and lead you to her location. In your journey you will face trials and difficulties. However, you will get some help from Winter and Grandfather Christmas as you try to not only find your mother but save Christmas and this misguided sorceress as well.
OPINION: Grab a hot cup of cocoa, some Christmas cookies, and enjoy another fantastic seasonal game from Elephant Games. This year’s offering is decked out for Christmas with glistening lights, Christmas trees chock full of glitter and ornaments, garland, and sweets of all kind. I love the Christmas games from this developer and this one is no exception. Playing it got me into the Christmas spirit. I enjoyed the musical background, which is Christmas-like. However, I wish the developer had used traditional Christmas carols as they did in the past. I loved to sing along with those background songs. Nevertheless, it is a fun game full of Christmas spirit with a message of redemption. The grinchy, green goblins which pop up periodically, provide a sprinkling of comic relief throughout the game. The graphics are incredibly beautiful. Baked into this game are some incredibly beautiful scenes.
There are three collectibles - morphing presents, puzzle pieces, and characters from the game. I found some of the puzzle pieces difficult to locate. I also found some of the morphing presents difficult to locate as well. Many are cleverly hidden within a pile of other presents in some of the scenes. However, I found the characters easy as mincemeat pie to locate. I always enjoy the secret rooms at the end of the games. Searching the scenes for additional items is fun but can be vexing. Some are well-hidden.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 22 achievements.
• Collect 26 morphing presents, 48 puzzle pieces for 4 jigsaw puzzles, and 12 mascots
• 12 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 13 mini-games and 13 HOP scenes
• Secret Room. At the end of the game enter the secret room to revisit scenes from the game to search for more items.
• 22 achievements.
• Collect 26 morphing presents, 48 puzzle pieces for 4 jigsaw puzzles, and 12 mascots
• 12 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 13 mini-games and 13 HOP scenes
• Secret Room. At the end of the game enter the secret room to revisit scenes from the game to search for more items.
BONUS CHAPTER: It is a sequel. Welcome to a Catstown Christmas! Poor little kittens are receiving fake presents instead of real ones. You, as a white cat in shining armor, are to the rescue! There is a misguided creature behind the hidden presents. Can you locate him and help recover his Christmas spirit? I loved this chapter. The big-eyed cats in the chapter are beyond adorable. The graphics are in keeping with the Christmas theme. The chapter is a nice length and is another story of redemption of a misguided spirit. There are seven (7) HOP scenes and six (6) mini-games. To me, it was well-worth the price of a collector’s edition.
HOP SCENES: Most are creatively designed with a Christmas motif. There are nineteen (19) HOP scenes, thirteen (13) of which can be replayed at the end of the game. There is a variety of types of scenes including silhouette, matching, storybook, and lists of items. There are also some mini-HOP scenes which involve searching for six or seven items. My favorite scene was a scene using sliders to move glass shards into position on a window.
MINI-GAMES: There are twenty-one (21) mini-games, thirteen (13) of which can be replayed at the end of the game. They vary in difficulty from extremely easy to some which I found moderately difficult. However, for the most part, the puzzles are on the easier side making this game a great one for the whole family.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE CHRISTMAS MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO:
A. “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” Maze puzzle. Move through a forest of Christmas trees by using yarn. Locate the symbols in the scene and click on them. Then, rotate the ball of yarn until it shows you the direction in which to move. 3X
B. “I’m Gonna Lasso Santa Claus” Rope puzzle. Untangle a rope so that parts of the rope do not cross each other.
C. “It’ Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” Picture puzzle. Rotate and place glass shards within a stained-glass window to create a picture
D. “Nutcracker Waltz of the Snowflakes” Matching puzzle. Match up snowflakes to remove them. The snowflakes are only partial flakes. Click on them to see the complete snowflake.
E. “Unlock the Holiday Magic” Logic puzzle. Set parts on a key by moving them up and down until they fit a lock. If the segment is correctly placed, it will turn green.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. “Shake Hands with Santa Claus” Connection puzzle. Switch 6 figurines so their hands interconnect.
G. “Christmas Memories” Switch puzzle. The story of a bear’s life. Place tokens in the proper order around a circular grid to tell the life story of a bear.
H. “Blue Christmas” Switch puzzle. Switch blue, green, red, and yellow tokens with connectors on their ends so that all tokens of the same color connect in a smooth line.
B. “I’m Gonna Lasso Santa Claus” Rope puzzle. Untangle a rope so that parts of the rope do not cross each other.
C. “It’ Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” Picture puzzle. Rotate and place glass shards within a stained-glass window to create a picture
D. “Nutcracker Waltz of the Snowflakes” Matching puzzle. Match up snowflakes to remove them. The snowflakes are only partial flakes. Click on them to see the complete snowflake.
E. “Unlock the Holiday Magic” Logic puzzle. Set parts on a key by moving them up and down until they fit a lock. If the segment is correctly placed, it will turn green.
BONUS CHAPTER:
F. “Shake Hands with Santa Claus” Connection puzzle. Switch 6 figurines so their hands interconnect.
G. “Christmas Memories” Switch puzzle. The story of a bear’s life. Place tokens in the proper order around a circular grid to tell the life story of a bear.
H. “Blue Christmas” Switch puzzle. Switch blue, green, red, and yellow tokens with connectors on their ends so that all tokens of the same color connect in a smooth line.
I recommend this game!
When volcanic eruptions uncover hidden caves in Samoa, you can’t wait to decipher the ancient texts inside! But this educational expedition quickly takes a dangerous turn when someone steals your research! Legend says the Maori hid a powerful artifact, and there’s no telling what damage it could do in the wrong hands! Can you find the artifact and save the world in time?
Overall rating
5
/
5
113 of 228 found this review helpful
ENJOY AN ISLAND ADVENTURE IN ONE OF THE BEST GAMES OF THE YEAR
PostedNovember 19, 2020
sunnyglow
fromFrom the fact cards I discovered why people are “flocking” to New Zealand. There are 9 sheep for every person in that country. That could be “baaad” news if you try to drive the country roads. That could be a wild and “woolly” situation.
Skill Level:Expert
Fun Factor
5
/
5
Visual/Sound Quality
5
/
5
Level of Challenge
5
/
5
Storyline
5
/
5
REVIEW BASED UPON THE ENTIRE GAME
8 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 54 pages (My Time: 7 Hours)
8 Chapters Plus a Bonus Chapter – Strategy Guide: 54 pages (My Time: 7 Hours)
STORY: Agent! At the invitation of your friend, Macana, you are off on a Polynesian vacation on the island of Forgotten Cloud, off the coast of New Zealand. However, your vacation plans will be dashed when you meet an unscrupulous agent of the Black Market who dupes you into helping her in her quest to locate a valuable relic, the Sun Drop. This artifact brings power and wealth to whoever owns it; however, it comes with a price – death and destruction to the world. Now you and your friend must race against time to locate this artifact before she does.
OPINION: What a fantastic game – a classic! I found this game to be one of the best ones I have played this year. With the pandemic thwarting any vacation plans I had this year, at least for a few hours, I felt I was on vacation on this island paradise. The graphics are incredibly beautiful. For once, Domini left the vivid purple and neon green in their crayon box and brought out soft pastels and bright blues to reflect an island paradise. I found the background music relaxing and soothing. I was completely immersed in this game. In my opinion, Domini is the one to beat in producing this genre of games. They even outdid themselves with this game. Kudos to the “gamemeister!”
This is a long game! However, the time just sped by playing it. The pace of the game is excellent. Once I started, I just wanted to finish it! There are plenty of activities and a change of scenery to keep a player engaged. Collect fact cards, tattoos, and souvenirs of your trip. The fact cards provide trivia about New Zealand. It was nice to see that there were no collectible coins, seashells or any other currency used to exchange for some trinkets to put in a beach bungalow, aquarium, or any other location. I, for one, really liked just collecting the three provided. I found most easy to locate but some were somewhat difficult.
MECHANICS:
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 41 achievements.
• Collect 15 fact disks which give facts about New Zealand, 15 tattoos and 15 souvenirs
• 13 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 18 HOP scenes and 18 mini-games
• Four (4) levels of play including a customized version.
• 41 achievements.
• Collect 15 fact disks which give facts about New Zealand, 15 tattoos and 15 souvenirs
• 13 wallpapers along with concept art, music, and video sequences
• Replay 18 HOP scenes and 18 mini-games
BONUS CHAPTER: As an agent of H.E.L.P. you are off on another case, this time to another tropical paradise, Hawaii. The Black Market is planning a heist to steal a Maori tablet which is being transported to the Hawaiian Museum. When you arrive, you see the perpetrator escaping with the tablet. Now you are off to recover it. I found this chapter to be a nice addition to the game. There are five (5) HOP scenes and seven (7) mini-games. I found the quality of activities the same as in the main chapter. Continue to collect all the collectibles in this chapter.
HOP SCENES: Feast your eyes on some incredible eye candy with these scenes! There are eighteen (18) HOP scenes; all can be replayed at the end of the game. They are creatively designed and there are many different styles. The underwater scenes are breathtaking! There are two scenes which I found outstanding. In one, the player locates shells underwater in three different scenes. These three scenes are just incredibly beautiful. In another scene, the player locates symbols with some glistening Maori works of art. Domini is best known for their puzzles; however, the scenes in this game are some of the best I have ever played.
MINI-GAMES: As always, Domini provides more game for the money. This is evident in the mini-games. There are twenty-four (24) mini-games, eighteen (18) of which can be replayed at the end of the game. Most of the mini-games can be played in either a “hard” or “easy” mode. This option can be set in the menu but can be changed as well while playing the game. I love this feature. It allows the player to tailor the game to his taste – an easy breezy game for some to a challenging one for others. There is a wide range of puzzles as well.
SPOILERS: HERE ARE SOME OF THE MINI-GAMES AFTER THE DEMO (E = Easy; H= Hard)
A. E/H Tangram puzzle. Place pieces to fill in gaps in a bridge so that a full bridge is created with no gaps. The hard version has more pieces to place.
B. E/H. Connection puzzle. Use fuses to connect matching numbers to create an electrical current between them. The easy version has 4 numbers. The hard version has 6
C. E/H Sequence puzzle. Somewhat like a HOP scene. Search for a specific number of items on a computer screen. In the hard version you must do them in sequence. In the easy version, just locate the number of items requested.
D. Map puzzle. Swim in an ocean grid to reach an exit avoiding dangerous jellyfish in your path. Choose between 3 paths and click on the path at the right moment. 3X
E. Connection puzzle. Connect jellyfish with the number of lines emanating from them which matches the number written on them
F. E/H. Moving tiles puzzle. Move cylinders to display numbers and press on them in sequential order from 1 to 7 in the easy version and 1 to 10 in the hard version.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. E/H Alignment puzzle. Align bars with symbols on them with those at the bottom of the grid so all symbols are lit up at the bottom of the grid. The harder version has more symbols and more bars to align.
H. E/H Switch puzzle. Switch books so that the hands of the images on the spine have a sphere between them. Hard version has more books to switch
A. E/H Tangram puzzle. Place pieces to fill in gaps in a bridge so that a full bridge is created with no gaps. The hard version has more pieces to place.
B. E/H. Connection puzzle. Use fuses to connect matching numbers to create an electrical current between them. The easy version has 4 numbers. The hard version has 6
C. E/H Sequence puzzle. Somewhat like a HOP scene. Search for a specific number of items on a computer screen. In the hard version you must do them in sequence. In the easy version, just locate the number of items requested.
D. Map puzzle. Swim in an ocean grid to reach an exit avoiding dangerous jellyfish in your path. Choose between 3 paths and click on the path at the right moment. 3X
E. Connection puzzle. Connect jellyfish with the number of lines emanating from them which matches the number written on them
F. E/H. Moving tiles puzzle. Move cylinders to display numbers and press on them in sequential order from 1 to 7 in the easy version and 1 to 10 in the hard version.
BONUS CHAPTER:
G. E/H Alignment puzzle. Align bars with symbols on them with those at the bottom of the grid so all symbols are lit up at the bottom of the grid. The harder version has more symbols and more bars to align.
H. E/H Switch puzzle. Switch books so that the hands of the images on the spine have a sphere between them. Hard version has more books to switch
I recommend this game!