The Match-3 genre is perhaps one of the most popular and competitive in the app store, with simple and addictive game mechanics, they make the perfect mobile game. Developers who want to create a successful match-3 title need to compete with the well-established classics, but also steer clear of hundreds of clones. pandora birzzle it does this, in several ways. It offers 3 very different game variations and has slightly different gameplay mechanics than most titles.

Each game mode has unique gameplay and is polished enough to be a separate title in its own right. Let’s start with the classic mode, just like other match 3 games, your goal is to group 3 or more birds together to remove them from the playing field. Instead of the usual trading mechanic, however, you can pick up any exposed bird and drop it on any column. Match 4 or more and you get a supercharged bird, the more you add the more powerful the effect. The brilliant thing here is that the matches will stay on the screen for a moment before disappearing, giving you enough time to add more. If you’re fast and can handle a group of 7 or more, you’ll be awarded a black hole bird that will clear the entire playing field, regardless of how many birds are stacked there. Every few seconds a new layer of birds falls from above and the game ends when there is no more room for new birds to fall. The levels increase as you earn points, which makes new birds drop faster, but also increases the points you get from matches. When you get past level 10, birds with locks start to appear, requiring 2-3 matches to clear them from the game.

Pandora mode is the main event and it’s like a blitz option. You start the round with 90 seconds on the clock, and of course, once the time is up, it’s game over. Between the birds there are blocks with the letters of the word birzzle, these cannot be moved and can only be destroyed with powered up birds. However, when you destroy them, you will receive a variety of bonuses, such as extra time and bombs or obstacles, such as wooden blocks that get in your way and cannot be matched. Picking up all the cards birzzle gives you the opportunity to get a more powerful bonus, large periods of time or advanced levels to increase your scoring potential. Unlike in classic mode, new birds enter from below and only when there is room for them, the faster you match, the more opportunities you have. Pandora mode has that ‘one more round’ quality that keeps you coming back for more and you always end a round feeling like you can achieve more.

The final game mode is Ice Break, and it’s like playing a completely different game. Unlike the other modes, you cannot move birds once they are on the playing field, you can only drop one bird at a time. The first two rows are submerged in water and while you can match here, you’ll need to focus on the area above. Your goal is to clear all the ice blocks above the water line by making matches adjacent to them. When all the ice is cleared, a new wave pushes up from below and you gain an additional 20 seconds. Scattered all over the ice are bonuses like extra time and bombs to help you out. You’ll also find golden eggs that add to your final score and may have something to do with a secret game mode apparently only found in Ice Break. Large groups are a bit more difficult to do here, but with a bit of strategy, it’s still possible.

The graphics are bright and cheerful, sharp and well defined. All the lighted birds look fantastic when they get going. The birds look a bit like they’ve been smuggled into very small boxes, but I only noticed this briefly. The backgrounds look good and don’t distract the eye. The only problem I found was that the screen could feel a bit cluttered at times, especially in Pandora mode with all the extra effects going off at once, sometimes even interrupting the flow of the game. The sound effects aren’t anything special, but they’re not bad either, they’re fun, and most importantly to me, they don’t get annoying. There are some nice little touches when using power-ups, but it’s not really atmospheric.

Social media integration is included in the options menu, but I couldn’t link to my Facebook account. I’m not sure if this is a bug or just a feature they are still working on. Game Center works fine though, you can compare your scores with your friends and if you want to get demoralized you can take a look at the global scores. Other than the social media issue though, this is a solidly built app, I have experienced no crashes to date.

pandora birzzle is a really fun, simple and addictive title that offers a variety of gameplay styles with simple controls and a fine balance between strategy and fast-paced action. Fans of the Match-3 genre should be happy with this title and newcomers should find it a great place to start. Other than a few minor issues pandora birzzle It’s a slick and well designed app, I rate it 4 stars. It is definitely worth the time.

achievements 50
Points 650
Birzzle Pandora HD Achievements