Quick Review Slingo Quest Hawaii

Popular game Slingo Quest returns for a different destination. In Slingo Quest Hawaii, the game takes on a (what else?) Hawaiian theme. In the bingo slash slot machine game, players try to match numbers in a row while earning power ups, jokers, tricks, and bonuses to help them along the way.

Players travel from island to island in Quest mode similar to many of the time management games where trails contain dots indicating your progress. Classic Plus mode works like arcade mode where players repeatedly play the game.

The game relies on luck and little else to get Slingo, five matches in a row. However, you win bonuses for making patterns and clearing the board. The hardest part is clicking the numbers, picking power ups, and using tricks. Otherwise, the game takes little effort. Those who like Slingo Quest will delight playing this tropical edition since it contains more of the original plus new features.

New features include:

• Tricks that come with powers you can use before spinning.



• Game modes including Speed Slingo, Volcano Slingo, and Special Shape Boards (The game comes with two different game modes: Classic and Quest. These modes occur as you play).



• Power ups such as Power up Vision (see through the numbers), Power Shots for matching five cells in one shot, and Tiki Jokers that create Slingo from one match.



• Collection of Hawaiian postcards (also known as trophies).

Let me share a lesson I learned the hard way when using Super Jokers first so you don’t waste them like I did. Super Jokers can clear any number on the grid whether they’re in the same column or not while Jokers can only clear items in the same column. The first click applies the Super Joker (unless the number is one of the selected numbers) before applying any Jokers.

The game starts slow, but picks up as players gain more surprises, beautiful scenes, and bonuses. With so many features and power ups, it takes time to learn how things work. Furthermore, the game play changes — so avoid taking any plays for granted. Give the time time — it should start kicking in before the free hour is up. Slingo Quest Hawaii is a vacation for the entire family and it only costs a few bucks not hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Note: Quick reviews are based on playing one hour of the game.

PC Game Review Magic Farm

Bloom Busters, Magic Seeds, Alice Greenfingers… now Magic Farm— another another farm / gardening game. Unlike the others, it has a touch of role-playing games (RPG), but it won’t turn off those not interested in RPG — I promise.

If you’ve played Bloom Busters or Grimm’s Hatchery— you’ll notice some similarities. However, I’d say this one offers more adventure and variety than Bloom Busters. Grimm’s Hatchery runs a different type of business and both games have features the other doesn’t have.

The game brings many features that you can’t say it’s another clone with a different theme. In fact, it has its own special charm because of the dragon help mate named Robin. The girl (whose shoes we fill) in the game has no name.

The amazing Robin does as many tasks as we do and does a better job of it than other games with a helper. Robin rarely clashes into our character and works hard. As the dragon gains experience, his skills improve making him faster and stronger in doing tasks.

It’s nice having company on their travels from farm to farm where they also discover new plants and battle more aggressive bugs and monsters. The two start with a journey to find the girl’s missing parents. Along the way, she needs to earn money, which she does by raising and selling plants.

The pair also meet people from the towns — some nice and some not so nice. The town’s folk provide tips, demand bribes, and assign quests. It only takes about half of the game before the pair finds her parents. The rest of the game involves quests where the girl receives instructions from the locale’s people.

Since each level lasts for a day, a clock’s arm moves from sun to moon to indicate how much time you have left for the level. As I progressed in Magic Farm, I noticed some days moved faster than others — but couldn’t figure out the pattern.

As the girl and Robin find or buy new farms, the plants become more expensive and exotic. The cheapest plant costs $20 while the more expensive ones run over $400. Plants also evolve into two more advanced plants that a light plant (yes, like a light from a candle) starts orange and then produces blue flames and the most expensive is a pink diamond.

The girl makes more money when she sells the flowers in the Flower Shop as bouquets instead of singles. So she could sell a bouquet of three for $30 as opposed to selling them singly for $5 each — that’s $15 more.

While the Flower Shop starts as a cool feature, it turns tedious by the time the game reaches the halfway point. Of course, you can work faster selling the flowers as singles, but then it slows down profits and some things call for big bucks.

The game moves slowly in the beginning because raising money takes time. in its first hour or so. Furthermore, Robin and the girl have to buy supplies every time they find a new farm. Count on surprises in the adventure — it’s these and the quests that make the game engaging and enchanting.

The game has plenty of surprises along the way. No matter how much money you have, be ready to start over. To divulge more details would spoil the fun. It’s the quests and surprises along the way that stir curiosity and captivate players.

The RPG part comes in with the girl and Robin having three skills each. Their skills grow over time as they gain experience allowing them to work faster, sell plants for higher prices, and buy plants for less.

Magic Farm combines two adventures into one game — something not found in many casual games. Game modes don’t count here because two adventures all appear in one long-lasting game. Despite minor faults, the game will win over players with its charm and keep them interested with the unpredictable quests.

Game du Jour: Week of 2008-03-10

Remember the deal is good on Game du Jour for one day only.

10 March: 40% off on Bookworm Deluxe

11 March: 50% off on Bridge Baron 18 Express Edition

12 March: 50% off on Diner Dash

13 March: 50% off on Star Blaze

14 March: 50% off on Azangara

15 March: 70% off on Jane’s Hotel

16 March: 50% off on Action Solitaire