Buy Now...

Match 3 game play has much to offer with regards to the roles to which it can be put.  Recently I have seen this grid-based Match 3 format used to create routes for cats to reach food, set out a search for pirate gold and rebuild Dracula's castle.  Now this format provides the basis with which to create a garden out of a desolate area in order to win a  special reward showing off your skills.

Garden for Glory is the name of this game developed by IKi Games.  It is available in Collector's Edition format.  You get a number of additional items that consist of extra levels and assorted mini games plus additional stories and wallpaper items.  These bonus items supplement the main game which is spread over 90 levels of game playing action.

Various options are available to adjust the game's environment.  Volume levels can be set for background music and sound effects with the action being viewed in full screen mode or in various resolutions.  You can also select from a variety of mouse pointers and opt to play in Relaxed mode or when restricted by a time limit or number of available moves.

See also: Games

more

The game casts  you in the role of Gloria, a young woman, who enjoys gardening.  The game starts as you attend Gloria's Grandmother's will reading in company with other relatives who do not appreciate your presence.  While the other relatives get the choice items of inheritance, you are left a piece of desolated land which you plan to turn into a beautiful garden that will be admired by everybody.

The game's main action will be based around Match 3 game play.  A centrally positioned grid, housing numerous types of tiles, is accompanied by panels listing the current level, points total, power-ups and other available features including a Hint option.  Along with this Hint feature, you also are provided with brief instruction whenever a new feature or element is introduced into the game.

Among the tiles featured in the grids, you will encounter boxes, shrubs, hay bales, an assortment of grass in different colours, boulders, rocks and padlocks.  Located on the edges of the grid could be tiles showing a flower where they will be waiting to be fed with water.  In order to get water to the flowers, you will need to create pathways from a water source to the flower.  This will often require you to avoid obstructive blockages and clear away various tiles.

While in some cases a blockage can be removed with a single creation of an adjacent group explosion but this is not always the case.  Sometimes you might need to carry out multiple explosions or set in motion a dual action to complete a task using one of the supplied power-ups.  Unlike the power-ups appearing in other Match 3 title, those featured in this game come with a special ability.  You are able to change the type of power-up ability present in a power-up by clicking on it with the right mouse button before activating it with a left mouse click.  In this way you can cycle through the power-up of an axe, knife, bomb or fire.

At various intervals you will be given a rest from Match 3 game play with the appearance of a random mini game puzzle.  This diversion could involve a Hidden Object puzzle, matching face down cards, selecting tiles by following a set sequence or rearranging strips to form a picture.  Completed mini games bring a monetary reward.

The money earned from completing the game's main levels and mini game puzzles can be used to purchase plants and components to improve your garden.  You can also purchase additional land to expand your garden.  This will be necessary as you attempt to build up a business element as you work towards being the champion gardener.

Linking together the various elements of this game are a series of static cut-scenes featuring various characters that have their own back-stories.  These scenes feature spoken and printed dialogue which can be set to disappear into the ether.  You can download this title from Gamehouse.com where it is priced at $19.99 or from Big Fish Games priced at £15.48  The game requires a 2.0 GHz processor with 4096MB of RAM and 868MB of hard disk space running Windows 7 and later.

Garden for Glory Collector's Edition | Big Fish Games