Brain Games: Emerald Quest

Fundy Ekim 06, 2022

Game Category: Casual - Match Three
Developer / Distributor: Various / On-Hand Software
Release Date: 12 May 2010
Rating: ESRB - Everyone

Well, what do you know? Tonight's game review is going to be a no-brainer.

Brain Games: Emerald Quest is a collection of 5 gem matching games collected together into an interesting pack of casual games that is sure to delight gamers of all ages. Although the games are a bit dated, you might still find it worthwhile getting this pack especially if you are looking for games to run on an older PC or notebook.

Though not as prolific as some other game anthology publishers out there, it seems that On-Hand Software really knows how to make a good pick. The five games in this selection include:

Asea (Kraisoft Entertainment)
Asianata (Newton Game Dynamics and Kraisoft)
Memory Loops (Dekovir Entertainment, 4 Oct 2005)
Elythril - The Elf Treasure (Absolutist)
Age of Emerald (Rumbic Studio)

[Ed: You can actually download Elythril - The Elf Treasure for free.]

Give me five!

Asea

Asea is an interesting match three game that comes with three modes - a 12 level Quest mode, a 30 level Puzzle mode, and a 6 level Arcade mode. In Quest mode, you have to get a boat to navigate through a maze of lilies on a hexagon game board. These lilies will keep growing, so you have to make matches of three or more to get rid of them from the lakes, rivers, and streams that each level represents. To complete a level, your boat must visit a select number of target hexes on a level; be quick or the lilies will overwhelm you before you know it.

Puzzle mode and Arcade mode has you matching lilies. In the former mode, you usually need to make solo lilies drift towards clusters of lilies to complete puzzles, while the latter mode is a like a never-ending game that has you matching lilies. All three modes of the game come with black lilies that serve as unmovable obstacles, as well as gold lilies that reward you with extra points.

Land of the Lilies

Asianata
There's got to be something Zen about matching balls that are affected by a physics engine (that means gravity). This is precisely what you'll be doing in the three game modes of Asianata. In Strategy mode, you will have to play through 54 challenging levels that will increase in complexity as you get further into it. Puzzle mode greets you with 30 challenging puzzles that will really need you to think carefully to build a pattern using the available balls in the level. The last mode, Arcade, plays quite similar to the first mode, but is constrained by a timer... so you'd better be fast at moving balls around the level with your mouse.

There are all kinds of strange balls later in the game; for example there are pieces that look like a ying-yang symbol - these can be used to match two colors along the horizontal or vertical axis. Also look out for strange bonus balls like the interesting Shuriken ball - yes, it actually launches out shurikens in 8 directions.

The balls go flying with a flick of the mouse

Memory Loops
Imagine playing a Zuma-like game that has you making matches on a snaking string of balls by playing a concentration-like memory matching game. There's absolutely no shooting required.

With 100 levels to tackle and 5 different powers to assist you, you will find you won't need any other memory tool again... so you can probably think about kissing your Tony Buzan - Master Your Memory books goodbye.

Notice there's a white roolback power on the right

Elythril - The Elf Treasure
Help Leorna, daughter of the king Halgorn, complete her quest through 80 levels of gem matching fun. Each level of the game is played on a spider-web kind of layout that has you sliding gems along clear paths to a destination node. If you get gems of the same colour surrounding a region, that area will take on that colour. Fill the entire board with colour and you would have completed a level.

There are two modes in the game - Easy and Hard. Some of the levels have specific targets - for example in an early heart-shaped level, you will get bonus points for filling the entire game board with as much red colour as possible.

The charm that is Elythril

Age of Emerald
I've kept my personal favourite for the entire collection last - that distinction goes to Age of Emerald - a 200 level extravaganza that has you drawing matches on a square grid game board.

The graphics in this game look very well done, and levels are well designed with quite some variety thrown in. The three resources (gold, food, and magic) you win for yourself in the game can be used to purchase and improve your village. Help nurture and build it into a mighty city that will be worthy for a birthday bash fit for royalty.

Match, match, and then match some more!

Pros:

Brain Games: Emerald Quest features an interesting variety of gem matching games that is sure to please everyone.
Close to 500 levels of play.
The games should have no problem running on lower end PCs.

Cons:

The biggest disadvantage are that the games are a bit dated - this compilation pack features games that were released around 2005 to 2007. In the end, you'd probably get better value by purchasing a more recent match three game then having a go with this pack.