World Voyage game
by Amanda Nettgen
(USA)
Quick verdict
World Voyage
Download it from:
PlayFirst (trial version)
Footprint score:
4/5
World Voyage is not for faint-of-heart "match 3" lovers! It combines colorful yet complex action with "monumental" travel rewards.
What’s it about?
Match 3 games are normally not my cup of tea at all because a lot of them are lacking in an objective beyond just scoring points. But I found World Voyage to have a plethora of point and goals!
The 100 levels all have the same basic layout, but become harder and harder as you advance through your World Voyage career. A given level will have balls and tiles contained within a nifty shape, and it’s your objective to combine the balls Match 3-style to smash nearby squares. Smash all of the tiles before the four-minute timer is up, and you proceed to the next level.
But wait... it gets harder. Some of the tiles require multiple combinations to be broken, and some of the tiles are locked.
Locked tiles can only be unlocked by forming a ball sequence that matches the tile color (unless you use a special power). Locked tiles will also form "electricity" fields that cut through your playing field if they sit parallel to each other.
Let’s not forget the ticking time bombs that are consistently dropping in and will turn into locked tiles if you don’t incorporate them into a sequence before their counters hit zero.
Whew! Sound hectic? It is. Fortunately, there is some relief. In addition to countdown balls dropping in, bonuses balls come in, too, that can wipe out entire lines of tiles, or explode nearby bombs.
Color combos are constantly contributing to your special powers meters, too, that - once full - come in various degrees of intensity, and have the potential to clear all tiles, destroy locks, add time, etc.
Some of the tiles have little rainbow balloons in them, and once you amass a total of 20, a new famous monument from around the world opens up on your own personal island. Get through all 100 levels without dying to erect all of the World Voyage locations!
Other games you might enjoy!
Bejeweled
Bejeweled 2 Deluxe
Bejeweled Twist
Pizza Chef
Puzzle Quest
Free downloadable action PC games
New downloadable games
Play Bejeweled 2 tournaments and win REAL cash!
Pros and cons
+ It has a neat advertisement-like intro.
+ I love to visit other countries, so the travel aspect of this game is appreciated. Your little island gets more and more gorgeous as you advance, and each monument comes with a fact bubble about it.
+ It's more challenging and addicting than words can say.
+ If people used their bodies as much as they’ll use their brains in this game, there would not be an obesity problem.
+ If you get going really good on your combos, you’ll fill up a meter that will result in tile-smashing rain. You have to work really, really quickly, though!
+ A tile-shifting mini-game comes into play when you discover a new travel locale.
- If you lose all of your lives, you have to basically reset your progress and go through the monuments you've already acquired again. I think it would have been better for the game designers to only have a person reset a few levels rather than all the way back to the beginning, to ease frustration. If you’re dedicated to this game, however, you’ll become a master, and this should eventually not be a problem.
- Gameplay may become dull for some after awhile. Likewise, adding a travel graphic to the menu page may not be enough of a reward.
- The background music comes under the guise of being relaxing, but it’s really quite annoying. You had better not be relaxing if you want to pass, anyway!The verdict
If you like fast-thinking games that leave you with a sense of achievement, than World Voyage is the way to go. If you’re prone to a "same old, same old" feeling, though, you can pass on boarding this balloon.