Classic Games Puzzle Collection
Genre: Compilation / Arcade / Match-3 Puzzle
Players: 1-2 Competitive (Local Split-Screen)
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Review:
(Note: All of the games in this bundle are included in multiple other bundles. I highly recommend you compare and contrast bundle contents using the handy chart on this page.)
Classic Games Puzzle Collection is a Compilation of three Arcade-style games and three Match-3 Puzzle games released on Nintendo Switch in 2023, with the respective games previously released separately in 2022 and 2023. This bundle also contains all of the DLC for the three Arcade-style games.
I have separately reviewed all of these games. Here is what I thought of all of the games in this collection:
| Game | Genre | # of Players | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fashion Girls | Arcade | 1 | D |
tl;drFashion Girls is an Arcade-style game that copies the Qix gameplay formula of drawing lines to create shapes to fill in the screen and reveal the girls’ outfits while avoiding enemies. This game even brings some good ideas to this classic gameplay, but then it ruins them with terrible controls and other issues that will result in players repeatedly getting killed due to stuff out of their control. This game had the potential to be so much better, but with these problems I simply cannot recommend this to anyone. | |||
| Fashion Princess | Arcade | 1 | D |
tl;drFashion Princess is an Arcade-style game that copies the Qix gameplay formula of drawing lines to create shapes to fill in the screen and reveal the girls’ outfits while avoiding enemies. This game even brings some good ideas to this classic gameplay, but then it ruins them with terrible controls and other issues that will result in players repeatedly getting killed due to stuff out of their control. This game had the potential to be so much better, but with these problems I simply cannot recommend this to anyone. | |||
| Fashion Friends | Arcade | 1 | D |
tl;drFashion Friends is an Arcade-style game that copies the Qix gameplay formula of drawing lines to create shapes to fill in the screen and reveal the girls’ outfits while avoiding enemies. This game even brings some good ideas to this classic gameplay, but then it ruins them with terrible controls and other issues that will result in players repeatedly getting killed due to stuff out of their control. This game had the potential to be so much better, but with these problems I simply cannot recommend this to anyone. | |||
| Bubble Puzzler | Match-3 Puzzle | 1-2 Competitive (Local Split-Screen) | C+ |
tl;drBubble Puzzler is a Match-3 Puzzle game that’s clearly copying the Puzzle Bobble formula of aiming multicolored bubbles at bubbles hanging above to try to match them and clear them. However, while this game lacks originality, it’s a pretty good take on this formula, albeit a pretty easy one – this isn’t a game to get if you’re looking for a challenge. However, for younger and more casual Puzzle fans, this is a good choice, especially if you can get the game on sale. | |||
| Princess Bubble Story | Match-3 Puzzle | 1-2 Competitive (Local Split-Screen) | C |
tl;drPrincess Bubble Story is a Match-3 Puzzle game that’s clearly copying the Puzzle Bobble formula of aiming multicolored bubbles at bubbles hanging above to try to match them and clear them. However, while this game lacks originality, it’s a pretty good take on this formula, albeit a pretty easy one – this isn’t a game to get if you’re looking for a challenge. However, for younger and more casual Puzzle fans (particularly those who like princesses), this is a good choice, especially if you can get the game on sale. | |||
| Bubble Shoot Farm | Match-3 Puzzle | 1-2 Competitive (Local Split-Screen) | C |
tl;drBubble Shoot Farm is a Match-3 Puzzle game that’s clearly copying the Puzzle Bobble formula of aiming multicolored bubbles at bubbles hanging above to try to match them and clear them. However, while this game lacks originality, it’s a pretty good take on this formula, albeit a pretty easy one – this isn’t a game to get if you’re looking for a challenge. However, for younger and more casual Puzzle fans (particularly those who find the colorful presentation appealing), this is a good choice, especially if you can get the game on sale. | |||
In short, what we have here are essentially three copy-pasted Qix clones, and three copy-pasted Bust-A-Move/Puzzle Bobble clones (I give Bubble Puzzler a slight edge over Princess Bubble Story and Bubble Shoot Farm due to fewer random elements junking up the gameplay).
The three Qix clones are all clearly derived from Space Lines: A Puzzle Arcade Game, reusing that game’s gameplay and even some of its assets, and while they have some gameplay elements that the original Qix didn’t, they all suffer from some frustrating gameplay issues, and none of them have the multiplayer that Space Lines included. The three Puzzle Bobble clones, at least, have some pretty decent gameplay (particularly Bubble Puzzler), but are plagued by random elements that can leave your chance of success up to pure luck. Overall, I would consider none of these games to be an improvement on the games that inspired them.
When it comes to value, how do you account for the fact that this collection essentially only contains two games plus some variations? Technically, each of the games sells separately for $10, except Fashion Girls which sells for $5, and since this package also contains all the DLC, we could also add in the $6 it would cost to buy these as well. So you could argue this bundle’s $30 price tag is a savings of $31 off the cost to get each of these games separately, over half off!
However, it’s hard to take that argument seriously when most of the games in this bundle are nearly-identical, and all of the games in this collection are knockoffs of better, more popular games. The only saving grace of this bundle is its standard sale price of $2. At that price, this package is probably worth it just for Bubble Puzzler, and you can just think of getting the bundle as you’re getting the other five games for free.
Still, Classic Games Puzzle Collection is overall a pretty embarrassing Compilation of games that shows just how creatively bankrupt developer/publisher RuWaMo Games is. Not only is seemingly everything they’re doing here a mediocre (at best) copy of another game, but they double down on it by repeatedly copying themselves. While it might be worth getting this bundle when it goes on sale, you’ll still be doing it while holding your nose.
tl;dr – Classic Games Puzzle Collection is a Compilation containing three bad knock-offs of the classic Arcade game Qix, and three mediocre knockoffs of the classic Match-3 Puzzle Bust-A-Move AKA Puzzle Bobble. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the price of this Compilation is insultingly high, though when the bundle inevitably goes on sale for $2, I suppose some may find it worthwhile. Still, it’s hard for me to recommend a bundle full of cheaply-made copy-pasted games.
Grade: C
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