Pirates & Pearls: A Treasure Matching Puzzle Review

Match 3 puzzle games are a dime a dozen on mobile platforms (and computers, let’s face it). To stand out, it takes something more than just being another match 3 game. There must be a certain charm to the events, something intangible but cool for fans to latch onto, and the graphics must be better than normal.

Pirates & Pearls is just that, another match 3 game that has all the pieces to be a great game. There is charm like Candy Crush Saga, the graphics are cute, if not sometimes a little whimsical, and the audio is not grating. What more could you want in a match 3 puzzle game?

Well, there is more.

While the levels are setup like Candy Crush Saga’s overworld map that is quite linear, there is a bit of interaction going on with that map. Completing levels allows you to move onto the next one, no biggie there. When you advance far enough, you unlock quests that may require you to complete earlier levels again, or tackle levels in a certain region.

This is where Pirates & Pearls shines. There are all kinds of little “pirate” things going in this G5 Entertainment game.

Swapping gems around on the playfield is the key to Pirates & Pearls, just like any Bejeweled clone. Where G5 Entertainment have taken the formula further is in the minute details. Rather than just completing a level and being done with it, if you got three stars for compulsory gamers, there is more to do here.

Each level has the classic first round to deal with. This is mainly an introduction to the level and a method of transitioning to the next. In Pirates & Pearls there are two more stages per level. If you progress through the game you will be harkened back to an earlier level to complete at quest. Don’t worry, you can have more than one quest going and they can be worked on as you see fit, or just ignored for a brief period (at which time you will probably hit a wall till you gain the item in a quest to continue).

As you play through the levels of Pirates & Pearls you will traverse oceans, islands, etc. You will also build gold mines, boats, help people along the way, and backtrack to get supplies for later levels. Not exactly “piratey” stuff but this is a game that is clearly aimed at the family, not just the adults looking for murder, swashbuckling romance, and plunder.

Some of the quests you will have to complete include finding a shovel, helping the bar owner, building a gold mine, building a boat, etc. These are all quests that are completed by playing certain levels again, or more than once if the quest item is only available after the second or third playthrough (quite often).

The pirate charm comes through in the power ups and helpful items you can collect. There is a hand hook that can remove one block from the playfield. There are parrots that will randomly remove pieces from the screen helping setup combos, or just royally messing you up. There are a ton of these things available and they help keep the game interesting without knocking you over the head detailing how things work.

There are In App Purchases to watch for, the developers and publishers must make money somehow. You are limited to five attempts at levels before you are stuck waiting for them to recharge or buying more with real world money. All the powerups you can collect in the game are available immediately if you want to drop some cash on Pirates & Pearls.

Pirates & Pearls is an interesting take on the Bejeweled genre. Is it a life changer? Does it rock the match 3 world? No. It does bring charm and fun back to a genre that is lacking both. It also brings a little bit of adventuring to the proceedings with the quest system that G5 Entertainment have implemented.

Pirates & Pearls: A Treasure Matching Puzzle by G5 Entertainment
Platform: Android
Genre: Bejeweled, match 3
In App Purchases: Yes
Rated: E for Everyone, 4+ on iTunes
Available now on Google Play, the iTunes App Store, and Amazon