My Suika - Watermelon Game, a most weird concept for a puzzle concept that focuses on what can only be described as a 'Circular Tetris' of sorts at an initial glance, is surprisingly addictive in short bursts despite having such a simple gameplay cycle of fitting as much fruit of varying sizes in the area of a basket (which doubles as the playing field for the player) as possible, with the goal largely being to rack up as high a score as possible by filling up said 'basket' as best as you can manage. Although, when said like that, it is truly simplifying the gameplay of what is on offer here so, with that being said, let's look a little deeper into what this Watermelon Game here offers. Starting off we already have three different game modes on offer although, for the sake of keeping this review's points as concentrated as possible, I will mainly be focusing on the Classic Mode that is unlocked at the start of the game as getting the other two unlocked requires reaching a certain high score first and are more niche and challenging in their objectives as a result. Getting into the actual gameplay itself though, whilst it is true that the way this game plays out gives off the impression that this looks like Tetris but with circular objects instead, that isn't strictly true as the other main mechanic of this game that defines it as a true Puzzle game is the ability to combine two fruit of the same tier into the next tier, of which a handy guide on the bottom-left in a circular path helps new players to see which fruits combined together lead to which. Since it is worth noting that only the first five tiers of fruit (Blueberry, Raspberry, Grape, Lemon and Apple) can be dropped by the player down into the basket whilst the latter six tiers of fruit (Plum, Peach, Dragon Fruit, Cantaloupe, Pineapple and, of course, the glorious Watermelon itself!) can only be created through the combination of previous fruit placed down into the basket itself. To achieve mastery over My Suika - Watermelon Game requires a lot of careful planning as to where you position your fruits, not just in the moment but also several steps ahead like professional players in Chess do, so that you can not only ensure swift combos that are given a multiplier if done in sequence but also to make sure that your biggest fruit lay at the bottom of the basket and not in awkward positions that prevent you from being able to combine the bigger fruit with smaller ones getting in the way. No doubt this is why this particular game has enjoyed such a vast array of success where the Puzzle genre is concerned, seeing how it is simple enough in nature to understand yet it offers layers of complexity for those skilled players who are willing to invest the time into fully learning how to play this game well, as I actually quite enjoyed working my way towards my first Watermelon after playing for a couple of hours, eventually being able to nearly consistently pulling off at least a single Watermelon per game by the time of this review! (Of course, actual pros at this game can pull off two whole Watermelons in the one singular basket which, if combined, will clear both watermelons and allow you to almost start from scratch, resulting in even MORE points!) Speaking on that topic though, for those looking for an extra challenge, My Suika - Watermelon Game does offer two other game modes that can be unlocked as mentioned before, the first is Speed Mode that essentially plays out as Classic Mode does except you have no control over when you drop the fruit as it is on the same cycle every two or so seconds that the fruit drops which requires quick-thinking and good reflexes on top of all the skills that such a puzzle game as this demands of you! The other is 'Rescue Mode', a more unique look into how to play the Watermelon Game here as, rather than try to make the biggest fruit possible and fit as much of them as possible, the goal here is to ensure that there is NO fruit in the basket by combining them up to the Lemon tier, at which point it will simply disappear from the basket, all whilst getting rid of the grey stones that block you from combining said fruit and can only be dismissed via a glowing stone that erases one stone or fruit on contact when used. (Skilled players will likely quickly get all the fruits combined to have said glowing stones come by sooner, although it's worth noting that lining up combos increases the chances of a glowing stone appearing, so again the same skills for Speed Mode apply here, albeit in a different context!) As far as my personal opinion of the game goes here, I'd say it certainly does make for the appealing puzzle game to go back to whenever you need that puzzle 'itch' scratched and are in the mood for a satisfying indie with colourful presentations that's easy on the eyes but also invites a playful look into just how fantastic it feels to line up a good combo of fruit and watch the confetti fly as you see that Glum merged by two Apples form a chain combo that leads all the way to the majestic Watermelon! Though to offer some criticism to balance out this review a little, I do wish there was more variety to the game modes on offer as Speed Mode, although a good challenge for veterans, is simply a more difficult form of Classic Mode and doesn't even offer a score multiplier (as I don't believe there are separate high score boards unfortunately) nor an increased amount of seedlings which would help with buying cosmetics in the in-game store. Touching upon that though, this Puzzle game currently hosts a small but nifty amount of cosmetics that affect either the appearance of the fruit or that of the stage itself and, although the prices of said cosmetics may appear daunting at first, it is worth noting that getting even a single Watermelon in a game guarantees you 100 seedlings alongside whatever you would have scored normally. This wasn't an issue I experienced personally, however it is worth noting for those who may struggle with the game themselves, even if it is to serve as a 'push' to help players get better at the game itself. Other than some improvements to the highscore board side of things (separate game mode high scores, an option to see which position you are at exactly next to others and comparing your high score to friends etc) and the odd slight physics mishaps which could be due to certain fruit (mainly the Raspberry/Grape but also the Dragon Fruit to a lesser degree) not actually being 'round' and shaped slightly off, I have to say that I truly enjoyed my time spent on My Suika - Watermelon Game and I would encourage anyone curious to give this game a shot which, considering how cheap it is without even any discounts applied, I'd say it was well-worth the £0.89 spent on this neat puzzle game here! TLDR Version: • Simple yet addictive premise of 'Circular Tetris' with pairing smaller fruits together to form larger ones for a high score (+) • Excellent visuals that are fun to watch as the various colourful fruit combine in combo sequence to a satisfying confetti explosion (+) • Multiple game modes that have something for everyone and offer different layers of challenge (+) • The gameplay is easy enough to get into for a quick play session but offers more complex puzzle elements for seasoned gamers, offering something for both (+) • Watermelon Game's small price of £0.89 (this may vary in different countries) warrants the experience of such a fun puzzle game for even a few short hours (+) • The in-game store offers cosmetics that is reasonable for those who excel at the game via Seedlings currency but those struggling may feel it is too grindy and being encouraged to pay for the microtransactions (-) • No high score boards that track separate game modes or allow you to compare with friends (-) • Watermelon's game modes could have done with more variety and offered more chaotic experiences that aren't about challenge to vary up the gameplay (-)
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