Puz: Critter Match [by Silver Elixir]

Game Review: Critter Match 1
Release: March 1, 2004
Genre: Puzzle
Developer: Silver Elixir Entertainment, LLC
System Requirements: MS DirectX 5+, PIII 600Mhz, 16MB Video Card, 30MB hard drive, 64MB RAM, mouse
Players: 1
Price: Freeware


After leaving the 2004 Independent Games Festival in a bit of frustration I was happy to see a game come in for review that was a bit simpler than some of the games that I had been playing.  There is always something to be said about a game that is a simple diversion instead of an all-out engrossing affair.  Games after all are intended to be a form of entertainment and an absent-minded time pass.

In the case of Critter match that is exactly what you get.  This game is built on the memory concept.  There are multiple board sets which are divided into 4 distinct levels.  Each level is built around a theme such as desert or underwater.  On each board you will see images in front of you.  The game proceeds by clicking on one image and seeing what is behind it and then another.  If you match up two images then they disappear.  If they do not match then you will start again choosing two images.  Once all the images have disappeared then you proceed onto the next board in the level, or onto the next level if you have completed all the boards on a specific level.

The game makes things a bit more difficult with moving images that you must carefully watch and a timer on each board that will put the stress on you as you attempt to complete the puzzle before the time runs out.  Critter Match also adds the option to save your game as you progress to each new level so that you can continue your game at a later time from a specific level, or just try to pass any specific level again and again if you are having trouble passing it.

Critter Match focuses on presenting a fine visual experience with good graphics and sound that will interest most people into playing it, and those who do will find that they are presented with a fantastic challenge that defies the abilities of most gamers.


Graphics 8/10
The graphics for the game are quite clear and easy to look at.  The different levels each have a very intriguing background that helps to make each level feel quite distinct from the other levels.  The images that you match up are very cartoony in nature and are well-designed and cutesy.

Sound 8/10
I was really pleased with the music in the game especially the music for the underwater level, which is very different than any other music that is available.  In fact each of the sound tracks help s to further the individuality of the levels.  The Underwater one stuck out in my mind as the music was calming and helped to create a surreal feeling for the environment. 

Game Play 5/10
The Game Play is the first spot where the game takes a big hit.  The game is based around matching.  You are given several images on each level.  You click on the images to find out what is hidden behind them.  The game takes this fairly simple concept and builds upon it by adding more images, images that move, and a timer to require you to have quick reactions while playing the game.  Unfortunately there is very little else available to you while playing the game.  I would really have liked to have seen some options to change the amount of time that you have to complete each level and/or a kid mode.  This game is one that probably won't appeal to the more hard core audience, so offering options to make the game easier I believe would have been a very big addition.

Concept 6/10
Memory is one of the longest standing games that I know of.  It is a game that kids play and this version is a nice presentation overall, providing solid visuals and sound, but the game itself hasn't really provided anything all that new to the concept of Memory other than the pieces on the board being mobile.

Value 8/10
This game is free, so it is hard to not see the value in that.  It was initially released at a cost, but shortly thereafter the price of the game dropped, and soon after that the price dropped.  About a week after the price dropped, it dropped further to being completely free.  So you can look at this as being a game that costs you nothing to play, but is solid on its presentation values.

Fun 5/10
I really wanted this game to win me over.  I am big on simple concepts and on games that have solid music and visuals.  After I started playing I was pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable the game was.  I studied marine biology in college prior to graduating with my B.S. in Conservation Biology and I have a great love for the sea.  The Second level set is marine based and reminded me of the time I spent at the Monterey Bay Aquarium while doing research at the nearby Stanford Marine Station.

I have two children under the age of 6, and looking at the game I though that this might be something that would enjoy playing much like Fashion Cents and several other games that they have gotten into despite their age.  However, in the case of Critter Match I quickly found that even though the game seems like it is something that would be aimed at the 10 and under crowd, it is far too difficult for them to play.  My kids were unable to pass the second board of the game, which limited their playing time to mere seconds overall.  They tried multiple times, but the timer does not allow you to make many mistakes in playing and as mentioned before there is no way to extend the timer.  This in my mind is the number one fatal flaw with the game as it takes a game that is probably best suited for a younger audience and turns it into a game that younger audiences won't be able to play.

However, this was not the only glaring flaw in the game.  I played through the many board sets to get into the 3 level of board sets.  The second level boards were difficult, but I was shocked to find the third level board sets to be all but impossible.  I tried time and time again on multiple days, but came to the conclusion that getting past the levels had as much to do with having the good fortune of having similar items next to each other in order to simplify the match-making as it did with my ability to match up items under what seems to be a ridiculously short period of time.  For example, on the third board of the third level I often found myself having trouble.  However, when I passed the level I would pass it with 10 seconds still left on the timer, indicating that I wasn't getting any better or worse at the level as time went on, I was just having better luck occasionally.

Unfortunately considering the difficulty inherent in the game and the intended audience I found the game to be quite lacking in the fun category and feel that this is clearly the biggest misfire of the game.

Overall 6/10
I had initially considered letting one of the other staff members play this game, but figured I would perhaps be the best person to do so considering the nature of the game and the fact that I have small children who could help me get a better feel for this type of game.  In the end I found that the game really wasn't my cup of tea.  With the price tag being so low this is a game that I think everyone should consider downloading, and those with small children should definitely give it a try as I think most children will find some entertainment in the game.  However, I feel both adults and kids alike will likely be frustrated by the difficulty built into the game and the inability to do anything to help simplify the game and make it more enjoyable.

Added: April 24th 2004
Reviewer: Russell Carroll
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