Casual Review

Full Review

I’ve always liked games that have a twist. Aloha Solitaire is solitaire with a tropical twist. Scrabble Blast is a word search with a Scrabble twist. These games are the ones that break out of their respective genres and become something more. Totem Quest is match-3 with a twist, in more ways than one.

The descendant of an ancient civilization, your vacation is interrupted by an elder’s request that you go on a quest to recover the ancient totems of your people. They are scattered around in many different locations, from deep in the forest to caves by waterfalls to deserts. In order to uncover each of the hidden statues, you play a game of match-3. Once you satisfy the level, part of the totem will be uncovered. Once all of the totem is uncovered, you can continue with the story.

The truly unique thing about Totem Quest is that this isn’t simple piece-swapping like most match-3 games. In fact, there is no swapping whatsoever. Instead, the pieces are shaped like puzzle pieces, with tabs and slots that interlock when rotated into the proper position. Once you have a group of three or more pieces properly rotated (slots lining up with tabs) they will connect and hold for a few seconds. This gives you the opportunity to rotate additional pieces and connect them to the chain. With this gameplay addition, you can make some truly impressive chains. Getting rid of the chains in turn gets rid of plaques beneath. Getting rid of two chains of the same color in sequence will afford you one of a number of power-ups. These range from bombs that clear an area of pieces and plaques to a power-up that turns pieces in the vicinity the same color. The potency of these power-ups can be increased by collecting gems caught inside some of the puzzle pieces.

Once you’ve uncovered a totem, you will be presented with a mini-game to finish. In one, you need to catch gems as the fall from the top of the screen, much like the classic game Kapow. In another, you have to “shoot” puzzle pieces as they fly across the screen, unlocking the gems that they hold, much like clay pigeons in a trap shoot. While interesting diversions, they are ultimately not the most important part of the game.

Thanks to developers CTXM for actually including a well-written story to go along with the game. While most stories are there primarily to serve the progression through levels of the game (and this one is no different), some can actually stand on their own based on idea, style, and writing style. The story of Totem Quest is legitimately interesting, and given more development outside of the game, would actually be worth a read.

Far from “just another match-3 puzzler,” Totem Quest is a unique, well done puzzler with excellent graphics, sound that does not offend, and gameplay that is smooth and easy to get into. The story helps bring you into the world of the game and makes it a truly addictive experience. Try it for yourself by clicking the link below.

Review by Marcus Albers