Puzzle Monkeys (Wii U) Review

Recently, #GamesMatter was giving away copies of a Wii U puzzle game called Puzzle Monkeys. I was able to get a copy. Here is my review of the game:
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The recipe for Puzzle Monkeys? One part Tetris, one part monkeys, and add in a dash of exploding blocks.

Puzzle Monkeys is not the most original Wii U eshop puzzle game but its not a bad game either.

The gameplay seems simply like a Tetris clone at first but thats just because the game does not teach you about its gameplay. You have to discover that the game uses the touch screen on your own. There are no tutorials for Puzzle Monkeys. The game tells you about its controls in the menus but you have to go look for that. I discovered the touch screen aspect of Puzzle Monkeys by playing the games second mode, which fully depends on the touch screen. Mode A uses the d-pad and the touch screen, Mode B is pure touch screen controls.

The game does have some good options for music and backgrounds. The graphics are simple but nice.

Most of all, Puzzle Monkeys is a challenging game. Even when you learn how to control the game, you'll still find yourself playing around with the blocks and trying to get things just right. The difficulty seems to ramp up real quick, even on easy mode.

I have to admit that I got bored of the game pretty quickly though. The challenge and the gameplay just didn't stay interesting to me. Maybe I've just played too many games like this in the past. The exploding blocks are a nice twist but the game needed something a bit more to make it special.

I also think this game should have been on the 3DS. Its a more pick up and play experience that seems better suited for Nintendo's portable.

As I said earlier, this is not a bad game. Its not a great either. The gameplay and graphics are fine but the game just doesn't have an addictive quality to it. Its a bit bland in the end.

My Score: 6/10

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I received my copy of Puzzle Monkeys from #GamesMatter and the developer @LogGameLtd.