Puzzle and Dragons

With there being a crossover with Mario, I'm surprised there isn't already a topic for the general version of the games, well here it is, Tama!

This game recently celebrated it's 5th anniversary, and for a game that's only 5 years old, it sure does have a lot of monsters! Over 3000 of them in fact, my favorite is Bastet

The game plays somewhat like a cross between a RPG and a puzzle game, line up the right orbs to get chain attacks as well as hearts to heal your monsters, you have to think strategically, use the right move your monsters have and line up the orbs that enemy monsters are weak to, it's fun but challenging, it's free on IOS and Google Play, I recommend giving it a chance!

I get what you mean when you said it's fun: I loved the gameplay on the 3DS version of Puzzle & Dragons Z and the Mario one. Since I am a puzzle fan on the likes of Puyo Puyo, Tetris and the like, this is right up my alley.

Coming from Puzzle and Dragons Z, I am amazed at how different the original handles their monster system. For example, instead of using puzzle pieces from various monsters, monsters are used as its materials. It's as if the 3DS spinoff is an entirely different type of game, which is likely due to its RPG structure. The most intriguing thing I found out is that the Mario spinoff is closer to the original game compared to Z, what with double type monsters (there's only one or two dual-type monsters in Z, and they're hard to get). Case in point: Tamadra is not found in Z, but it is in the Mario spinoff (though as a non-player character).

With that being said, Z certainly introduced me to some of the monsters from the originals, and I am surprised to find out that the starter monsters are original to this game, along with its branched evolutions (each element has 4 potential final evolutions). Also surprised to find out that the monsters from the original game have smaller evolution lines. The Healer Girls, for example, only have two members each, but the original has three (the middle one is cut, so for example, Naga evolves into Empress of Serpents, Echidna, skipping out on Echidna). Somehow, I thought Z didn't have too much variety in its monsters, which is a bummer since I would like to see more of them.

The only problem I feel I have is that game is that the free-to-play model is kind of something that doesn't appeal to me, since I can imagine needing to delve too much time to get the monsters that I might find appealing, along with schedules on which items/monsters are available. Contrast that to the paid versions (the two 3DS versions), where everything is in the game without worrying about schedules. One thing I find intriguing with the mobile game is no doubt the collaborations, because it's so weird to see stuff like Hello Kitty and DC's heroes battle alongside the favourites.

So yes, this is a very solid concept for a puzzle and battling game, and if given the opportunity I would like to give it another go.

Thanks for reading.