T-Kara Puzzles

 
Developer: Mexond
Steam Release: Jun 2016
Hours Played: 3.0
Similar To: 10000000 / Chuzzle Deluxe / Clickr / You Must Build A Boat
Rating: 5/5 Parsnips

GAMEPLAY
T-Kara Puzzles joins 10000000 and  Chuzzle Deluxe in that brand of match-3 games that has you dragging rows and columns rather than individual tiles. On a larger grid than the aforementioned, and with the need to match four rather than three tiles, beating levels is mainly based around number of moves rather than completing grids against a set time. As such, T-Kara Puzzles is a calm and relaxed experience overall rather than a rushed one. A satisfying glow accompanies each match-up as you aim to fill a meter on the left to the top. A counter on the right shows how many moves you have left or, in one exception, how much time is left. The tiles move fluidly as you drag them and the gameplay overall is super-smooth. In essence, it is the far more sophisticated brother of Chuzzle Deluxe with a lot more cool stuff to say for itself. 

BALANCE & PACE
There are two main areas where you'll be spending most of your time. In the campaign you'll play one of six modes that are further divided neatly into 16 bite-sized levels each; in score-attack you'll play one of three game types requiring longer sessions. There is a puzzle mode but this is fairly weak and not nearly as absorbing as the campaign or the score-attack sections. The campaign is generally six modes based around a theme of clearing away areas by same-colour match ups; be it in the form of stars to collect or padlocks to crack etc, you'll be awarded up to three stars depending on the number of moves you made to clear it. The levels are fairly short and can swiftly be replayed if you want to three-star them. Score-Attack, divided into three types, is more or less the endless mode where you attempt to amass the highest score.     

PRESENTATION & DESIGN
The developers seem to have gone for a mix when it comes to an overall theme. On the one hand, for the menus, an outer-space motif prevails with unknown and exotic planets signifying the different modes or game-types. A wooden paneling aesthetic is incorporated at the home-page dividing up the paths. In the game itself, the symbols on the tiles and the structure of the grids seem to have been inspired by the Mayan, Inca or South American culture. There is "music" in the game but rather than instruments, this is made of a series of jungle noises with insects and wild animals seemingly not far off. Not an unpleasant effect to my ear but an ambient tone which suitably suits the nature of the game. As mentioned the smooth flow of the tiles and the resounding sound-effects makes for a very satisfying experience overall.  

PROGRESS SYSTEM
Common sense prevails here in that you may dive into any of the six modes of the campaign in any order you want. Each contains a path ultimately numbering 16 dots along the way. Usually, one star is awarded if you complete the level with two moves left, two for four moves left and three stars for eight moves left. Of course, you can replay levels whenever you want but levels need to be unlocked by completing the previous one. In Score-Attack, you're given a high-score and there is a leaderboard so that you can compete with others online. Each of the three game-types (one consisting of a time-atack) involve completing level after level... and as it is a tad on the easy side these can sometimes seem like a war of attrition. If you extend the session it can straddle the line between being boring and relaxing. 
 

CONCLUSION

T-Kara Puzzles will no doubt join the ranks of all those other thousands of indie games that no one ever plays. However, it also joins those very few that happen to be well-designed, well-programmed and very good. It manages to be that match-3 game which is both calm and relaxing AND one that supplies you with competitive goals and targets to aim for. Unlike many others it doesn't throw special abilities at you that you can use like a get-out-of-jail free card or show you possible moves when there are few moves left. In fact, in Direct-Hit mode of the Score-Attack section it deliberately and blatantly makes you find that one move yourself with no clues - and this really adds that puzzle-element and depth that's so much missing in so many of those other mindless match 3s. For a clever match 3 with a difference T-Kara Puzzles really works!