The Apple App Store is crowded with all manner of variations of the match 3 game. Most of them are kind of boring, the best ones bring some new twist to the game that makes you want to keep playing. Treasures of Montezuma 3 is one of the latter types of the match 3 game that will keep you coming back for more.
At its core Treasures of Montezuma 3, as I mentioned before, is a match 3 game. You have a playing field with a variety of different colored and shaped objects on it. You match the objects in groups of three or more in a line, then the objects disappear. More fall down from the top of the field and so on.
Standard match 3 game so far, right? The first twist that Treasures of Montezuma 3 has in store is that you are trying to free crystals that are embedded in the play field objects by matching them with like objects. There is a time limit to the level as well, with the amount of gold increasing based on how fast you clear the level.
Also what Treasures of Montezuma 3 brings to the table is a set of power ups that change how the game acts and is played. As you play, you earn coins. The coins can be spent to improve the powers of various totems that are the same color as the objects on the playing field. When you have two consecutive matches of the same color, the totem associated with it activates. The power ups range from freeing all the crystals on the play field to blowing up objects.
The graphics of Treasures of Montezuma 3 are decent, but nothing that will blow your mind. They look good, both on my iPhone 4 and iPad 2. The game interface is clean and not cluttered which is nice on the iPhone since there isn't a whole lot of space to play with.
The audio in Treasures of Montezuma 3 is pretty good with some nice sound effects and music. It does get a bit much though when you get into a groove and are triggering bonus after bonus. I've gotten more than one look when playing the game at the office from the noises coming from my iPhone.
Treasures of Montezuma 3 has some In-App Purchase (IAP) but it isn't too much or even required. You have the ability to purchase some of the coins used to purchase power ups, but if you do a bit of grinding in the lower levels you won't need them.
The only issue I have with the game is the final level in each stage. For some reason the game changes from a match 3 to a hidden object game. The change is rather annoying, but that may be due to my dislike of hidden object games.
If you are looking for a different take on the match 3 type of game then consider giving Treasures of Montezuma 3 a shot. I think that it brings enough new twists and flavor to the table that will make it worth the purchase price.
Verdict
Graphics:Two stars
Sound:Two stars
Gameplay:Three stars
Amount of IAP:Some
Overall: Three stars
Cost:$4.99
