iPod Games Review Roundup (page 6 of 8)
- September 15, 2006 19:26 PM PST
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Mahjong
Mahjong is yet another version of the ubiquitous tile-matching game that you've played a hundred times before. Mahjong tiles (each with a specific symbol) are laid out in a unique pattern and using the scroll wheel, you have to find matching pairs and eliminate them off the board. The hitch is that the tiles have to be "clear," meaning they can't be blocked by any other tiles.
The iPod version makes this a breeze by making it impossible for you to choose a tile that isn't free. The click wheel makes tile selection a bit involved, as you can't simply choose on the way you could with a mouse, but it works well enough. The game also looks good on the iPod's screen and we had no trouble identifying the individual tiles.
The biggest gripe we had with the title is that it's a little played-out. This version doesn't add anything new to the basic formula and the game itself isn't challenging or entertaining enough really warrant the purchase. Save your five bucks for something else and play this one for free on the Web.
Fun factor: 2.0
Bejeweled
Much like Mahjong, Bejeweled is a straight port of the popular online game that we've all wasted hours playing. But unlike Mahjong, Bejeweled is actually entertaining and the iPod version shines with bright, colorful graphics and a much better control scheme. You still have to scroll the wheel to choose individual jewels but a quick tap up, down, left or right will immediately swap your chosen jewel with its neighbor.
Bejeweled is the perfect timewaster for when you're stuck on the subway on the way to work or when you just need a little mindless entertainment to go along with your music. Sure you can get it for free elsewhere and it certainly won't make you abandon your Nintendo DS but you can't beat the portability and convenience of having this gem right on your iPod.
Fun Factor: 3.0
