Puzzle Kingdoms for the Wii: A Puzzle/RPG Hybrid

"Match three" puzzle games, as they are commonly known, can be found all over the internet. Games such as Bejeweled, Ice Breakers, and Fishdom all follow a similar fomula: Line up three matching objects(jewels, tiles, etc.) to explode the aligned group, thus removing them from the game board. The vast majority of these are free to play and provide a cheap, fun game experience.

If, however, you have grown tired of the internet versions of the match three puzzle game or you just want a game of that type for your Nintendo Wii, a few options are available to you. Puzzle Kingdoms is one of the more recent offerings in this genre. It retails for $20, although I picked it up new at GameStop for $15.

The core mechanics of Puzzle Kingdom work like most match-three puzzlers, except that the three matching tiles do NOT need to be in a straight line. Simply getting three blocks to touch one full side to each other will cause the tiles to explode. There are six different types of tiles that can be matched. In the campaign mode, you lead a team of up to four warriors against computer players. Your warriors are able to launch attacks against the enemy warriors when their attack meter reaches full. You alternate turns with the computer player, who also has warriors it is attempting to power up.

As you may have already guessed, to get the attack meter full you have to match tiles. However, each warrior has a specific type of tile that must be matched to raise his specific attack meter. Also, the number of matches required to completely fill the attack meter also varies from warrior to warrior. For instance, a crossbow warrior requires two green symbols to fill his attack meter. This can be accomplished by aligning three green tiles twice or four or more green tiles once. Once his attack meter is full, the next turn he can launch his attack(which initially does three points of damage).

Warriors can be earned in mini games that have greater attack power and/or defense. These warriors usually require a higher number of symbols to fill their attack meters. For example, a fire dragon has an attack of seven, a defense of seven, and requires four purple symbols to fill the attack meter. A fire dragon, however, has a higher point value than some of the weaker warriors.

Points are important, because on any given section of the campaign, you are restricted by a certain number of points. These can be "spent" on leaders(who can cast various spells once they have enough experience), warriors, and artifacts. You have to have a leader and at least one warrior to enter a realm and begin battling. Artifacts(which are earned by playing mini games) give special bonuses, such as increasing the likelihood of receiving no damage from an enemy attack, an extra turn, or increased attack power.

That is how the game works in a nutshell, but the strategy required is quite elaborate. For instance, if you have the option of matching three tiles that will help power up one of your warriors but notice that in the next turn the enemy will also have the opportunity to match three of a different tile and power up its own warrior, which set should you match? If you match the tiles powering up your warrior, you are leaving the enemy to do the same, but if you match the tiles to prevent the enemy from powering up its warrior, you pass on a chance to power up your own warrior.

There are also considerations aside from what tiles to match, such as when to cast a spell, which warriors to use against which enemies, and what relics to use in battle. Suffice it to say, the strategy is a big part of the game. Fortunately, the system is elaborate but not complicated. Unfortunately, though, you will find yourself learning much of the nuances of the game on your own, as the manual offers little in the way of explanation aside from the most basic features.

Graphically, this game is certainly NOT going to blow anybody away. The graphic quality in Puzzle Kingdoms looks more N64 than Wii, and the cut scenes that advance the story are little more than static images with printed dialogue to read. While disappointing, the graphics are not what make this game worth playing.

It is the gameplay itself that really shines. Puzzle Kingdoms is very addictive, fun, and in some cases, quite challenging. By far the most challenging aspect of the game is the mini game that are required to recruit warriors. This is a timed game that requires you to make matches of a random number of each symbol. The game is simple if you are earning a weaker warrior, but the toughest fighters can be quite difficult to earn. They also cost money(which you receive every time you defeat a computer enemy). Weak warriors cost only a small amount, while the top fighters cost a lot to unlock. Fortunately, if you fail you can try over and over until you win.

The other mini game involves completely clearing the board of blocks in a set amount of moves. The first version of this allows you to clear specific tiles(so that new ones of that type will not continue to enter the game board) and makes it more likely that you can eliminate the tiles still existing on the board. This version requires some strategy but is relatively easy.

The other version gives you an unlimited number of moves but does not eliminate specific tile types even if you clear all the tiles of that type from the board. This is much more difficult and requires a great deal more forethought.

Other features of Puzzle Kingdoms include player versus player, quick battle, and the ability to play the mini games without entering campaign mode. The ability to play against your friends and enjoy the mini games outside of the campaign mode add to the reply value of the game(which is considerable).

Aside from graphics, which are ho-hum, and the gameplay, which is excellent, the other most notable feature is the music. The music for this game is absolutely incredible and will likely leave you spellbound. It is beautiful, haunting, and of the highest quality.

To conclude, if Puzzle Kingdoms was a $50 game, I would rate it at about a 5 out of 10. However, since the game goes for between $15 and $20 new, I would give it a 8 out of 10. The only major drawback is the poor documentation.