Big Fish Games - New Game Releases

Big Fish Games - Time Management

31 July, 2008

Bloom Busters

Visit the magic village of Bloomland and help Jimmy and Jessie in their defense crusade. Save farms and forests by squashing peculiar monsters. Feed pigs, chickens, and sheep in 40 domestic-loving levels. Put a halt to the invasion of monsters with tricks that utilize gardening tools such as a fly swatter and water hose. Bloom Busters is chock-full of weapons and power-ups.



* Brilliant farm managing
* Lots of weapons and power-ups
* Squash monsters!
* Get help at our Forums


Bloom Busters is simple game of smacking the monsters to kill them and keep them away from the growing produce, flowers, or animals. Each level has you doing a different chore. You spend time growing apples, leading sheep from on pen to another, growing cabbages, feeding pigs, and defending flower blooms. You can choose from two characters, and your difficulty level at the beginning of play. Bloom Busters does have the ability to add a second player to any level during play, but the second player can only defend from monsters, and is not able to help achieve the goal.


Calling Bloom Busters a simple game was the highlight to it. The instructions are not always clear, as it pops a balloon over the action instead of freezing the action. Other times, we did not see the goal to the level and just spent time trying to figure out what we were supposed to do. We always love finding two player games, but Bloom Busters is not making it to our list even having a second player add in available.

30 July, 2008

Gunslinger Solitaire

Howdy partner. Time to wrangle up your card slinging skills for an Old Western showdown. Can you locate The Lost Gold Mine and The Treasure inside this historical American tradition? Travel the Wild West while earning money as a solitaire cowboy. Enjoy 10 various stages and 10 actionable rounds. Show no mercy when the cards are stacked in Gunslinger Solitaire.



* Western-style solitaire
* Action rounds
* Become a card-slingin` cowboy


Gunslinger Solitaire is your standard higher/lower solitaire card game. Earn money through your rounds to use at the General Store to buy bonus items to help out in your games. Play through bonus cards that come up in play like shooting as many money bags within the time limit, or shooting the target with an arrow. Gunslinger Solitaire is A Big Fish Games Exclusive, so click one of the links provided to download this computer game.


Gunslinger Solitaire is a fairly simple solitaire card game. It does have some really cute items, like you cursor being a gun. The boys were slightly intrigued by Gunslinger Solitaire, but not enough to give it a try. We all agreed that Fairway Solitaire is a much better solitaire game!

29 July, 2008

Fashion Dash

Step into the designer shoes of Coco, a young woman with dreams of building a fashion empire, one custom fit at a time. Set in a series of exclusive retail shops, Fashion Dash delivers a steady stream of customers willing to pay big bucks for perfectly tailored attire. Use the chaining, seating, and customer service skills you learned in Diner Dash to please this new flock of fashionistas. Fashion Dash is a stylish Time Management game, guaranteed to fit.



* Stylish Time Management game
* New customer types
* See Coco reach success


Fashion Dash is another great time management game from Play First! Take your customers orders and serve them as quickly as possible. Add in the requested jewelry or perfume/cologne, and earn treats to keep your customers patient longer! Earn enough money to get the dance crew back together as you travel through several locations making happy customers, and building your fashion empire!


Fashion Dash is as great as is always expected from Play First. The boys were less than thrilled with the fashion theme, but were having fun watching the customers. My daughter liked the game, but liked the theme of other Play First games better. But if you enjoy the clothes making fashion theme,than this is an excellent game for you!

28 July, 2008

Governor of Texas

It's best not to mess with Texas in this battle to poker superstardom. Earn your title by challenging old western poker pros and see your name in the local paper. Compete for cash, fame, properties, transport assets, and more. Youda Governor of Poker revisits the roots of this riveting card game. You've got to hold em and know when to fold em to take over Texas.



* Texas-style poker
* Tournament and cash games
* Distinct player styles


Governor of Texas puts you in the room with a bunch of poker players playing Texas Hold 'Em. Choose your level: beginner, intermediate, or advanced. Buy up houses too earn weekly rent. Buy up all the houses in a town, to move on to the next town. Keep going until you own all of Texas!


Governor of Texas is a great was to get in some cards without losing any money to your friends or worse. I am not going to recommend this game for the younger kids. I will leave it up to the parents to decide about their teenagers who like card games.

27 July, 2008

First Class Fury

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Starlink Airlines has gone bankrupt. After learning she's jobless, Claire has a serious panic attack - that is, until the phone rings. The new owner of Starlink Airlines wants to rebuild the business by hiring top talent. Claire might be a little rusty as a flight attendant - help her back into the groove by serving coffee promptly to passengers. Fly in First Class Flurry as a star attendant in this Time Management destination game.




* Time-Management in the friendly skies.
* Become a flight attendant.
* Customize your planes!





First Class Fury is a fast paced time management game. Choose which area of the world you want to start flying in. Take care of your passengers requests for food, drinks, etc. Upgrade you plane and equipment as you earn money from flights.



First Class Fury was a lot of fun! I loved having the ability to change the color scheme of the plane. The upgrades were practical and really helped. Although I don't like the chemicals that plague most air fresheners, I really enjoyed how well it helped the entire cabin of passengers gain happiness!

Yard Sale Junkie

Shirley dreams of being a boutique owner in Beverly Hills, but first she needs some cold hard cash. Organize high end yard sales in the backyards of Malibu, Venice Beach, and Hollywood selling items to impatient customers. Cater to their every whim and be on the lookout for those willing to shell out bonuses. Yard Sale Junkie is a one-of-a-kind hunt for hidden objects where you must expertly manage your minutes.


* Hidden Object fun
* Bonus customers
* Sweet neighborhoods!



Yard Sale Junkie adds in new twists to the hidden object venue! Instead of a list of objects to find, you have customers coming to your garage sales to find things for. Customers have patience levels though, and will leave after a while if you don't find the object that are requesting. Along your way you will pick up things to sell like bracelets, earrings in boxes, charms, shoes that must be sold in pairs, and more!


What a fun hidden object game Yard Sale Junkie is! I love the twist of having customers that require a specific object! Then add in that several customers can requesting the same item, but offering a different amount of money, and you have another twist thrown in. Yard Sale Junkie even offers three difficulty levels, so everyone can have fun playing this one! The boys give it a thumbs up as a great game to play with Mom or their big sister!

26 July, 2008

World Mosaics


Dr. Remington has unearthed a relic of the mysterious Pelasgians. To truly discover and unravel the mystery of an ancient civilization, you must travel to the city of the majestic Parthenon, Greece! Work your way through seven exotic locations in Story mode or tackle over 100 puzzles in an extra puzzle mode. Safeguard the history of World Mosaics in this globe-trotting Adventure.



* Globe-trotting Adventure.
* Exotic locations.
* Travel the world!




In World Mosaics, use the numbers in each row and column to solve the mosaic puzzle. As you get each space right, you will collect magic sand. For each vile of magic sand, you receive one hint, with a limit of four hints at any time. Work through the mosaic tiles to solve the mystery of the history of the "sea people", the Pelasgians.


World Mosaics is a fabulous logic puzzle! Simple logic can solve any of the puzzles, but when you start talking about 10 x 10 puzzle boards, and only 1 square in that row or this column, it can really stretch your brain!The boys may not be ready for this one yet, but I think I will keep it around for when they get older...and enjoy it myself until then!

25 July, 2008

Dream Day Wedding: Married in Manhattan


Go Uptown traditional or Greenwich cool in the perfect New York wedding. Pick the couple, explore the lucky bride`s Manhattan apartment, and scout locations for wedding day items. Hunt for hidden objects in brilliant NYC backgrounds like Central Park, a custom gown shop, and others. Can you reveal the final registry gift in this joyful sequel? Play Dream Day Wedding: Married in Manhattan, and experience bliss.



* Dreamy levels.
* NYC backgrounds.
* Plan the Big Day!




Dream Day Wedding: Married in Manhattan is another wonderful hidden object game in the Dream Day series. First decide which bride you want to help first. Solve the puzzle in the bride's house to get your next list of items to find, then it is off to several locations to gather those items. Once that has been accomplished, you may pick your present off the shelf, and play the mini game. If you win the mini game, you get a new wedding gift. Choose how the bride's love story goes, and open up a world of possibilities to create a perfect wedding! Then you can go back and do the same for the second bride!


Dream Day Wedding: Married in Manhattan was as enchanting as all of the Dream Day series of hidden object games have been. I loved finding the Blue Jays (bird of happiness) in each scene. There is a limit of four hints at any given time though, so use them, or you don't get them! The puzzles were fun and friendly, and the diversity, and surprise challenges thrown in created a great playability to this computer game. Dream Day Wedding: Married in Manhattan was a family event again... it has been a while since a new hidden object game has brought everyone over to help out, but this one achieved just that!

24 July, 2008

Yummy Drink Factory


Serve yummy drinks to fairytale creatures in the stylish Factory. Decorate your drink stand with moon beams, slug slime, and other wondrous elements. Use a blender for summer smoothies and concoct your own recipes. Whats great with chocolaty dessert drinks? Top them with whipped cream, cookies, and fairy dust. Visit five villages in the Yummy Drink Factory and savor this Time Management treat.



* Tasty Time Management game.
* Dozens of tasty toppings.
* Earn magical wands and gems!




In Yummy Drink Factory, you need to memorize your recipes and prepare them for your customers on Fairytale Island. Add new recipes on different days, and work your way through several towns to get back home. Use the gems you earn to decorate your shop, which will make your customers more patient. Play in several different modes including: Story Mode, two different Free Modes - use their recipes or use your own.


Yummy Drink Factory is a fairly standard time management game, with the exception that you need to memorize your recipes. I am still confused as to how to earn the gems needed to buy decorations. You don't earn them in the first two of five villages. Perhaps further game play will reveal that. This was not a computer game that caputured either of the boys interest, and it only briefly caught a waning interest from my daughter. As for me, there are other time management games that I prefer more like: Farm Frenzy, Turbo Subs, Garden Defense, Plantasia, Build-a-lot 2: Town of the Year, Flower Shop - Big City Break, or Ranch Rush.... Should I go on?

23 July, 2008

Yumsters! 2


Not only are these Yumsters crazy for strawberries, they can rock the bongos. For the love of fruity music, help them earn money by cleaning gardens to promote their band. To really skyrocket, Yumsters need the best equipment to win the ultimate grand prize at the fairy town music showdown. Get fruitilicious in five vibrant locations of Yumsters 2, a sweet Match 3 puzzler.



* Match 3, drag-n-drop.
*Adorable characters.
* Win the grand prize!




Yumsters! 2 continues in the same colorful manner as the original. Drag the yumsters to their matching color of fruit, and let them eat away. Eat the fruits shown in the task bar at the top to complete the level. If you don't eat the fruit fast enough, it drops onto the field when it reaches the end of the task bar. As you continue through the levels, and the locations, you will gain special bonus moves. Work your way through lots of fruit with bendy mandy, super yumster, and grenade yumster, to name a few. At the end of each location, buy your souvenir of a local instrument; then play a music level, and try out your instrument.


What a delicious computer game Yumsters! 2 is! Eating your way through all that lucious fruit... quite inspiring... I can't wait to go raid the fruit basket now! I was having fun with the special moves of the new yumsters at various levels. I love the colorful bouncy theme that this game has. It drew the boys in with it's colorful fruit, and fruitsicles appearing on the screen. Yumsters! 2 is listed under match three games, but it isn't about matching three. It is about matching colors, and solving problems... this makes it a fantastic game for improving those critical thinking skills, and thinking under pressure, while the basis of matching colors makes it an easy game to play. Overall a great game for kids and adults alike!

22 July, 2008

Legend of Ali Baba


A young Persian man is besot with Zeinab, a beautiful woman. To win her hand in marriage, he must first win the family over. They`ve demanded that Ali Baba must own land and shower them with gifts of silver and such. Ali Baba, a poor herdsman, has 51 days to build his field of dreams and fine fortune. Match tiles and collect treasures in the Legend of Ali Baba, a dazzling Match-3 love story.



* Mystic Match-3 play.
* Cool mini-games.
* Win the family over!




Legend of Ali Baba gives a twist to match 3 games. These bricks slide sideways, instead of a straight horizontal or vertical. Match bricks to break down the columns holding up the wall, so that you can collect the treasure inside. Earn money to buy the house and gifts that your in-law family have demanded to win the hand of your love in marriage. After the match three to break down the wall, match pairs of objects inside by torch light, to earn more hints and more money.


Legend of Ali Baba was a wonderful calming match three game, filled with little puzzles and blocks to overcome. I was really enjoying the sideways movements to the blocks, and the puzzles within them. I found the music to be enchanting and relaxing. Acquiring the buildings, animals, plants and transportation for the land was an interesting aspect, although you were not allowed to choose placement. Yet another family friendly match three game with beautiful colors, and an enchanting theme.

21 July, 2008

Pat Sajak's Linked Letters


Got a way with words? Meet the king of television game shows, Pat Sajak, and win fabulous prizes like new clothes, fancy vacations, and man-eating plants. Create your own game show avatar and compete for endless fun in "Road Trip" mode. Discover multiple categories like Pop Goes the Culture, At the Cineplex, and Found on the Menu. Press your luck in Pat Sajak`s Linked Letters, an infectious quiz-show trivia game.



* Authentic Word/ Trivia game.
* Upgrade your avatar.
* Challenge friends and family!




Pat Sajak's Linked Letters will get your brain turning. From the clue given, submit your answer by finding it in letters linked together on the board. Of course you will run across a risk round every day where you can pick your category from three choices and choose to risk 25%, 50%, or 75% of your score. At the end of your ten clues, you will have undoubtedly made it to the bonus round where you have to find as many letters to link together to form words as possible. This is in the Career Mode. You can also choose to take it on the road, or to play with up to three friends at the same time. I did not try these features. You also get to choose a basic character, and clothe them. You earn additional clothes and points to buy clothes by playing the game.



Pat Sajak's Linked Letters was frsustrating at first. I do not watch a lot of television or movies, and do not know a lot about current "pop culture". But it seemes that the game provides for that, and so started giving me clues about food, common names, and other things I had a chance to answer. At that point I started having fun. This is not something that I think my kids would enjoy... we just don't so a whole lot of television or movies, we are more computer people! That being said I always love multi player games, and any game that makes you think, and this one provides both.

20 July, 2008

Apple Pie

Frazzled by the sudden decision of your jet-setting aunt, you must manage her restaurant and keep her Apple Pie shop afloat. In sweet American fashion, make money to buy renovations for the restaurant. Your aunts spoiled cat, Marcello, can't seem to get along with the staff, but let's hope your combos are in good order. Match 3 items or more in this stylish eatery with 15 new recipes for dishes and drinks. Use recipes in real life to entertain friends!


* Sweet Match 3 game.
* Real recipes.
* Use recipes in real life!




Apple Pie was a fairly standard match 3 game. Earn money for your matches to make upgrades to your restaurant and recipes, which allows you to make more money with your matches. Along the way, there are slider mini puzzles with beautiful pictures of the postcards from your aunt. You also can earn money by correcting the order of the recipes as you buy the pieces to them. On te back of the postcards from your aunt are real life recipes that you can take and use in the kitchen.


Apple Pie nothing special suring game play, although I did enjoy the slider puzzle post cards. The only thing was that they showed up in the middle of a times board, and I would forget that I was in the middle of something else. The recipes looked really delicious too! I was even thinking that i could modify them to be vegetarian, and suite my kids' tastes also! While this was not my favorite recent release of match 3 games, it is a nice game that is worth looking into.

19 July, 2008

Tri-Peaks 2: Quest for the Ruby Ring


Join Tex & Ally Carter as they travel the world escaping danger in their quest for the ruby ring. Collect artifacts for the Museum, but be sure to play your cards right. Complete hands to advance Tex and Ally while avoiding hazards. Explore new temple sites in India, China, Easter Island, and other secret locations. Win six new card backs in Tri-Peaks 2: Quest for the Ruby Ring.



* Fast paced solitaire.
* Bonus game layouts.
* Earn a 7 card streak!




In Tri-Peaks 2: Quest for the Ruby Ring you are removing cards from the board that are one up or down from the card in play. When there are no more moves on the board, you may flip the next one from the draw pile. Try to get all the cards removed from the board to progress on your quest. Pick up bonuses and gold along the way, and find pieces for the museum exhibit also. Every so often your partner is caught in a trap and you have 2 minutes to clear 5 peaks to rescue her.


I had a handful of fun with Tri-Peaks 2: Quest for the Ruby Ring. It was your standard next card removal process, although the formation of the peaks was varied. It was amusing to watch the gold falling from the Gods hands in India as you cleared the peaks, and to watch the adventurer progress along the path at the top of the screen. Personally, I enjoyed writing this review more than playing this game. It was just too simplistic for me, but it might hold an attraction for a younger crowd. The standard one number up or down pattern is a great pre math skill, which card games are always good for!

18 July, 2008

Forgotten Riddles: The Moonlight Sonatas


Francis von Amadeus was a child prodigy and talented composer. The city of Godesberg has given you access to his journal filled with secrets and riddles. Use the clues to detect hidden objects within the many chambers of the Moonlight Opera House. You`ll notice a gaunt, ghostly figure still graces the second floor balcony. Between treble clefs and Forgotten Riddles, can you solve the mystery behind the Moonlight Sonatas?



* Haunting Hidden Object fun.
* Thousands of riddles.
* Learn secrets of the Opera House!




Forgotten Riddles: The Moonlight Sonatas is a haunting hidden object game centered on the life of Francis von Amedeus. Solve riddles to find the hidden objects in most levels, but a variety of other types of puzzles await your attention throughout the game. Match puzzle pieces using the clues of what they go next to. Place clues to open up new sections to place the final clues and find your goal object. Earn additional hints on optional mini puzzles. Between levels, learn more of the story. I will give you one hint in advance, the only place you will find Forgotten Riddles: The Moonlight Sonatas is at Big Fish Games!


Forgotten Riddles: The Moonlight Sonatas is a wondrous maze of creative puzzles! I absolutely loved fitting the puzzle together in this creative way! I had a blast solving the riddles so that we could look for the object within the scene! And there is even an apprentice status that you can choose to allow extra time and an easier puzzle. I would rate this as an excellent game for the whole family, but perhaps parents would want to work with younger children to help them out! (Bonus for the parents...an extra pair of eyes!)

17 July, 2008

Brain Challenge


Give your brain a vitamin boost, and take a fun evaluation of your mental capacity. Work with your favorite personal coach to improve your cerebral agility. Delve into 20 distinct games in five categories (Memory, Visual, Logic, Match, and Focus). How do you cope with the day-to-day craze? Find out with the Daily and Stress Management Test. Keep track of your daily progress and evaluate your level of brain activity in Brain Challenge ™.



* Visual, memory, logic game.
* Stress management mode.
* Manage your mental health!




Brain Challenge will have you jumping, and running, and spinning your way to answer questions that will use various types of tests to measure different types of intelligence. Choose your coach, and then work through various tests, puzzles, games and challenges to improve your cerebral agility!


Brain Challenge begins by testing you in several categories to establish your personal baseline. After that, you are testing against yourself, and can see your own improvements. There is a Kid's mode within the testing area, although I did not really notice the difference. Perhaps against a different baseline the difference would be more appearant.
Brain Challenge is a definite tools for homeschoolers or parents/ people who want to keep their brain active!

16 July, 2008

Nancy Drew: The Phantom of Venice


Beyond the bright piazzas and open markets of the Venice Carnevale lurks a masked thief. Despite months of investigations, the Italian police remain helpless as stolen treasures vanish in the night. The authorities have asked you, as detective Nancy Drew, to join the case and infiltrate a dangerous crime syndicate. Can you catch the phantom thief before he or she destroys the heart of Venezia? Find out in the Adventure of Nancy Drew: The Phantom of Venice.



* Realistic Adventure game.
* Detailed suspect profiles.
* Breathtaking scenes!
* Get the Strategy Guide!
* More Nancy Drew Adventures!

Sorry there are no free trials available for Nancy Drew: The Phantom of Venice because it is a large file adventure game. And well worth the Game Club price! But the only place you will find the Game Club price, or Nancy Drew: The Phantom of Venice is at Big Fish Games! Step into Nancy Drew's shoes to solve a mystery in Venice. Solve puzzles, keep an eye on suspects, and play games!


WOW! Nancy Drew: The Phantom of Venice is fantastic! I think my favorite part was playing Scopa! at the House of Games! I almost couldn't tear myself away to come write the review! The boys have been making random appearances..."Anything good yet?" "Try the key Mom!" And I will admit that i put myself at a Junior Detective (there is an option for Senior Detective also) to try this game out, and found pieces of it quite challenging! The Strategy Guide just might make a good addition when you buy this game, although I am sure you will start finding hints out there in Cyberspace within a few days! I might even share a few!

15 July, 2008

Enchanted Cavern


Step into the gaping black hole of a legendary cavern and behold its secrets. The walls are dripping with glittery jewels. Match groups of precious stones, and work your way towards a treasure trove of priceless stones. The Enchanted Cavern is full of five brilliant episodes and 47 enticing levels. Activate bonus items and ignite their special powers in this Match 3 dazzler.



* Glittery Match 3 game.
* 47 dazzling levels.
* Activate bonus items!




Enchanted Cavern is a dazzling Match 3 computer game. The levels slowly build upon each other as far as difficulty goes. New types of blocks are introduced at the beginning of levels. Work your way up to blocks that remove all blocks of that color, every block in a line horizontally and vertically, bomb blocks.... Find blocks that have been chained multiple times, stone blocks to remove, match the gems, move the special pieces to the bottom as you work your way through 4 segments to find the gems to open the door to the hidden cavern of gems.


The special blocks in Enchanted Cavern had the boys jumping up and down! There were a lot of swirly lights that would clear special parts of the board. But even so, it did not attract them for more then about 30 minutes. Enchanted Caverns was fun, with special remove all the blocks levels, and interesting boards. Personally, I am still stuck on Ancient Quest of Saqqarah being the best Match 3 game released lately!

14 July, 2008

Etch-a-Sketch: Knobby's Quest


Grizelda the witch has shaken things up inside the Etch A Sketch®, and Knobby™ must restore draw and order. Can you help Knobby save his kidnapped friend from peril? Relive the magic of this classic pastime with modern quests. Can you foil Grizelda`s evil plan to turn everything in the Land of Aha! to Dullsville? Etch A Sketch Knobby`s Quest is full of creative art tools and several types of puzzles.



* Classic Etch A Sketch fun.
* Unlock hidden items.
* Hilarious new characters!




Etch-a-Sketch: Knobby's Quest features several separate areas. In adventure mode, you need to draw the lines for Knobby to walk on to get where he needs to go. Protect him from the bad guys by drawing lines to block them. You can erase your lines by "shaking the board" as if it were an actual Etch-a-Sketch! 

In Knobby's Bounce, you draw lines to help Knobby collect all the gems, etc., for the level. For something less stressful, you can try the Color mode which is similar to a paint program, or good old fashioned Etch mode where you use the arrow keys to draw the lines.

Etch-a-Sketch: Knobby's Quest has some of the most unusual features that I have seen in a download game in a long time! I love Knobby's Bounce, and the boys were drawn right in with me. The boys loves the Color mode, including the pictures of Knobby included for coloring in. My daughter and I had more fun in the Etch mode...very reminiscent of long ago child hood days for me! This computer game is definitely family friendly and kid approved. Etch-a-Sketch: Knobby's Quest is also making it into the educational picks for being a challenging puzzle game as well as a platformer.

13 July, 2008

Farmer Jane

Not too excited about foodborne illness? Go au naturale and head straight for the farm. Jane and Joe are determined to revive Grandpa`s land by caring for chickens, pigs, cows, and other animals. Visit five separate farms and sell over 25 distinct products. Work through rough seasons like intense summer heat and a cold winter freeze. Can you turn Farmer Jane into a produce powerhouse in this Time Management hoedown?


* Upgrade your farms.
* Personalize your character.
* Become a star farmer!

Farmer Jane is yet another Big Fish Games Exclusive! In this time management game you get to choose to be Jane or Joe, they both come with customizable closets that continue to grow throughout the game also! Run around to produce the crops your customers are requesting, and then have fun each day upgrading your farm, and trying on new outfits! You can even change the colors of each clothing item!

Okay, I know I am a bit biased about time management computer games, but Farmer Jane was a blast! I loved the way each level built upon the last, the variety of seeds to plant, the diffrent challenges each level held, and the closet! This one is going high up on the list! It is a lot of fun, simple enough for younger children (like 7 years old or so), and has appeal to both boys and girls because of the choice of characters! Farmer Jane is a keeper!

12 July, 2008

Spa Mania


Jade is an animal rights activist petitioning the cosmetics industry. After being challenged by Madame Dubois, a beauty industry empress, Jade dreams of starting her own earth friendly spa. To do this, she must first learn the ropes and deliver 5-star service in San Francisco. Use your Time Management skills to please guests with massages, facials, mud masks, and more. Use profits for things like ginseng tea and other upgrades. Can you manage the Spa Mania and indulge needy patrons?



* Customize Jane`s look.
* Earn upgrades.
* Run a 5-star spa!




Spa Mania is a fantastic time management game! Direct your clients as to where to go to receive the treatment that they request. Perform the treatments, and collect their payments when they leave. Offer tea and music to keep them relaxed and happy. Train in different locations to gain skills to open your own spa someday!


Spa Mania has a theme that I can endorse! Earth friendly spas with natural products, how cool! Mini games include mixing up batches of special treatment, and meditating to gain money for Shiatsu massages. Every day you have the opportunity to upgrade your spa, and to change Jade's outfit! My daughter and I were having a lot of fun with this! My boys were busy with other things, but kept glancing over to check it out! I'd say this has whole family appeal! Have some fun with this one!

11 July, 2008

Tropico Jong: Butterfly Expedition


Take a jaunt through jungles, lush forests, and sandy white beaches. Grab your digital camera - it`s time to photograph beautiful butterflies in their real-time 3D habitats. Play a delightful game of solitaire Mahjong while collecting over 400 butterflies on Tropico Island. With over 100 levels, you`ll be snapping photos, matching tiles, and discovering new species in Tropico Jong: Butterfly Expedition.



* Solitaire Mahjong game.
* Distinct species.
* Visit the valley!




In this enthralling match 3 game, you are matching tiles to find butterflies and capture them. From the main screen, you can visit the valley where you release all captured butterflies, and can visit them anytime. Tropico Jong: Butterfly Expedition is fascinating in the way it drags you in to learn more about the various butterflies! You can choose Normal or Expert difficulty between any levels from the main screen. During play you have the option to undo your last move, shuffle the board, or get a hint. In addition, a match is shown to you if you are inactive for long enough. You can see how many matches are available at any time, and are given the option to restart or shuffle if you run out of moves.


If Tropico Jong: Butterfly Expedition doesn't inspire you to find out more about butterflies, I don't know what will! My boys were fascinated by freeing the butterfly tiles, and then releasing the butterflies into the valley. Catching the butterflies to look at them in the valley was another favorite part of this game! I am going to put this game into the educational label for the matching and planning aspects of any Maj jong game, as well as all the wonderful scientific information on butterflies!

10 July, 2008

Puzzle Hero

Puzzle Hero
Download a free trial!

As a stealth hero, you must free your brother from Zalock and his evil Army of Vegetables, ahem, Darkness! Duel with green beans monsters, pumpkins and up to 50 garden variety species. Collect enough gold and use it to shop for magical amulets, weaponry, and clothing accessories in the Salon. Do you have the cerebral skills to be a Puzzle Hero and outwit this Match 3 war board?



* Match 3 standoff.
* Customizable character.
* Super Shield power-ups!

Buy it NOW!


At the start of Puzzle Hero you can choose whether you want normal difficulty or "heroic". Then, you get to customize your character, and while there are not a lot of choices, you can still have fun with it! And if you change your mind, you can always go to the Salon and buy a different look! In this match 3 game, you battle various types of monsters along your path by matching swords on the board. You can also match potions to heal yourself, crowns to level up, and coins to buy better weapons, et al. in the shop. There are also bull matches for a super attack, and shield matches for a super shield. In the store you will be able to buy magic weapons also as you level up, and have those available to you during matches.


Maybe it is the age, but the boys are really starting to get into match 3 games, and Puzzle Hero was no exception! Especially with the hero at the top of the screen actually attacking when you match 3 swords, the boys were drawn in to see what would happen next! I would definitely recommend Puzzle Hero as a stand alone off line RPG type of game! Perfect when the 7 yr old can't wait to be 13!

09 July, 2008

Elf Bowling: Hawaiian Vacation

Hold on to your hulas. The elves are sick of "The Man" and Elliot`s in dire need of a vacation. Island hop into a hilarious bowling game and mow pins, posed as elves, with your athletic skills and verve. Roll your ball over coins for bonuses and use Dirty Tricks like large gutters and magnets to thwart your opponents. Tune out colorful commentary aimed at distracting you, and bowl like a champ in Elf Bowling: Hawaiian Vacation.


* Festive bowling game.
* Bonuses and coins.
* Dirty Tricks tactics!




Elf Bowling: Hawaiian Vacation is a virtual bowling game that you can play alone, or with a friend! Choose your avatar and your ball, then pick up bonuses and dirty tricks to use on your competition! Elf Bowling: Hawaiian Vacation offers several play modes: Story, Single Player, and Multi Player. During play, you can line up where you start on the alley, aim, choose your speed, and then further control your ball as it rolls down the alley.


Elf Bowling: Hawaiian Vacation is something my kids are enjoying. Between the dirty tricks, and the colorful (horrible) commentary provided by the elves, I was not having as much fun. My (gonna be 8yo next week!) son says the high speed bonus is the coolest! He also recommends that if you are looking for an alternative to gore for a child that likes shooting games as much as he does, that THIS IS IT! Maybe I would have enjoyed it more if we weren't sitting in 120 degrees with one old 5000 BTU air conditioner for the whole house! So, I am going to go with a high recommedation for Elf Bowling: Hawaiian Vacation, and a warning to not play Elf Bowling during Severe Heat Warnings!

08 July, 2008

Jenny's Fish Shop


Cats and dogs are one thing, but have you ever raised a hound shark? Jenny has big dreams of running her own aquarium. Can she move from managing a tumbledown shop to operating a major aquatic attraction? Help her construct gorgeous tank interiors and build a high score by casting tricky combos. Meet over a dozen sea creatures with striking marine beauty in 45 illuminated levels. Can you master this Time Management challenge in Jenny`s Fish Shop?



* Time Management aquarium.
* Bonus stages.
* Set the bait!




Jenny's Fish Shop is fast paced time management game! Set up the aquariums for each type of fish, bring them food, or fulfill other requests to raise them and sell them. Use the money to buy upgrades for your shop. As an in between level mini game, enjoy helping baby sea turtles get across the beach to the water, and defend them from seagulls in their journey.


As much as I like Fish Tycoon, it is a long term game. Jenny's Fish Shop progresses on a much faster pace! This may not be for the inexperienced players. While everyone enjoyed it, it just didn't flow quite as smoothly as some of our favorite time management games.