Mooniz
Score: 88% ESRB: 4+ Publisher: Adrenaline Monki Developer: Adrenaline Monki Media: Download/1 Players: 1 Genre: Puzzle
Graphics & Sound: Match-3 games are one of those odd gaming anomalies I'll never understand. By description, they sound like an absolute snore (at least when compared to other games), though I've yet to meet someone who couldn't get sucked into one. Mooniz is a match-3 game, though if you're only matching three at a time, you're going to lose. As aliens, called Mooniz, tumble into the bin, you need to seek out groups. Once three or more are touching, tapping one destroys the others. Clearing out a group of three is a good way to make room, but you need to match larger groups to earn stars, which let you pass to the next level. Mooniz are large and colorful, so they are easy to pick out in a hurry. Each has its own shape as well, which is a nice touch for color-blind players. The shapes also play a big role in gameplay, another nice feature. The look is fun and appealing, especially when accompanied by the child-like squeaks, squeals and gurgles Mooniz make when you clear them.
Gameplay: The process is simple, though becomes more daunting thanks to a bit of Ian Malcolm-approved Chaos Theory. Mooniz don't wait around or drop down in neat columns. Instead, they fall and bounce around in the bin. Each type of Mooniz has a different form, so they react a bit differently depending on rough shape of the pile. I liked the concept; it adds an extra bit of randomness to otherwise overly done gameplay. This also adds a frantic pacing, especially when the timer and star count are factored into the mix. You can't think for long about groupings, nor can you randomly tap on Mooniz. Instead, you have to decide on which color groupings you're going for and try to clear out as many smaller groups as fast as you can. Tapping a Mooniz not in a large group "kills" it, causing it to turn into a white skull. Dead Mooniz add clutter to the bin and cannot be cleared unless you hit a Cloud-shaped power-up. You'll also come across other power-ups, including Grenades that change all adjacent Mooniz into a certain color or Nukes, which clear all like-colored Mooniz from the bin. Both play modes feature the same basic gameplay. Each challenges you to earn set star amounts, though Classic tosses in levels with different star goals, while Rush limits you to 90 seconds and asks you to collect 100 stars. Both modes offer their own challenges, though Rush is the easier of the two since it isn't incredibly hard and, once you accumulate 100 stars, you get to play an fun and oddly rewarding point-rush mini-game.
Difficulty: Classic is, on the other hand, an uphill hike. After a gentle first few levels, Mooniz ups the star totals while slowly dropping the available time. The more you play, the better you get at seeing Mooniz as colored groupings rather than individual pieces, though even then you might hastily tap the wrong Mooniz, throwing off your entire system. I also would have appreciated some explanation of the scoring system. I think I have a grasp on how points are tallied, though I still can't figure out how the game determines how many Mooniz need to be in a group to earn stars. It probably doesn't matter, and really knowing would probably just slow down gameplay, but at the same time it seems a bit random, which is discouraging.
Game Mechanics: I rarely made it any further than level five, and when I did, it was usually because of a nick-of-time power-up rather than skill. Power-ups can swing momentum to your favor really quickly, though with the exception of Score Multipliers and Grenades, they're rare, unless purchased between games. Coins are earned by playing, and you can usually earn a decent number of coins (about 10) per game after a few games. Though if you want a constant stream of power-ups in each game, you need to purchase them via the in-game store for real money. The system is similar to what is used in most Facebook games, especially Bejeweled Blitz. Coin packs range between $0.99 and $9.99, which isn't a terrible deal if you're that determined to see past the first few levels. At the same time, I'm still not completely comfortable with tying progression to monetary values. At least power-ups are relatively cheap, so coins can last a long time if you ration them out. I also liked that coins are "gifted" to you every few days, so even though I probably won't purchase coins, I still have access to power-ups. Actually, the ability to "buy my way" through the game was a big motivator. I think I played more games just to prove I could win without purchasing power-ups than I would have if they were easily available. It also encouraged me to figure out my own little tricks for easy points, such as tapping Mooniz as the pile fell into place before the timer started. As much as I didn't like the in-game micro-transactions, I still enjoyed Mooniz enough to play it every day for a couple of minutes since I received it. It was even one of the first games I installed on my new iPad, so I'm sure I'll play it a lot more in the future. It's a challenging game, but Mooniz is fun in quick, fun bursts.
-Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker
Related Links: Mooniz || iTunes Page (Purchase/ Info)
Dwarfs!? Brink