Puzzle Quest - Challenge of the Warlords
Ages: Everyone 10+

Make no mistake – this is a full range RPG with classes, quests, shops, spells, weapons, and armor – even a semblance of a story. The unique and inventive thing about this game is that battle sequences are done by playing a Match Three game much like Bejeweled. You interchange icons at right angles to each other to make up a matching set. Your opponent is battling you on the same board. Rewards and upgrades are earned for 4 or 5 puzzle matches. Winner is the high scorer. The game is surprisingly long at this battle level, but once again you return to the quests. As you level up you can take on the more difficult tasks of forging items and researching spells while the extra money you have earned can be exchanged at the Temple for increased skills and mastery. If you are good enough, other characters will choose join you. Eventually you may wish to take on more serious conquests by laying siege to cities.

The top screen displays your stats and character, the stylus moves the map, and plays the puzzle game. Help is available at the bottom of the screen, there are two save slots and the game saves automatically upon exiting. I cannot praise enough the clever melding of two divergent game genres. I wonder what else D3 has up their sleeve? This unique game may actually bring more players into the RPG genre.

Fun Factor: Unique

Reviewed by: Editor - 08/07