Puzzle Quest (PSP) is a New Twist on Puzzle Games

I am a puzzle-game nut. My last 4 purchases were: Tetris Evolution, Marvel Trading Card Game, Puzzle Quest, a Kororinpa. Puzzles are hard to screw up, unless they're unoriginal and/or boring. Puzzle Quest isn't technically original. It is basically Bejeweled, Magic: the Gathering, Heroes of Might and Magic, and Fire Emblem rolled together. However, it feels very fresh.

From the great artwork and music, you know you are in for a treat. The game is all explained as you go. It's pretty simple. The board is made of red, blue, yellow, and green mana gems. Along with gems are purple experience stars, gold coins, wild mana gems, and damage-inflicting skulls. The object is to reduce the enemy's life to zero before he does it to you. To take a turn, make 3-of-a-kind, 4of-a-kind, or 5-of-a-kind of any of these pieces, or cast a spell.

Matching gems increases your mana. You need mana in a certain color combination to cast one of your six spells. Spells do a variety of things: give mana, drain mana, allow you to continue your turn, deal damage, give or clear status effects, and possibly effect the pieces on the game board. Some are offensive, some are defenses. Regardless, you need to power up the effects when you level up.

Items and your castle can be purchased/upgrade. Armor, weapons, shields, and equipment will directly affect the puzzle-battles. They can slow-drain your opponents mana and give you bonuses. Building the castle dungeon can help you capture the enemies. Some are beasts that you can turn into steeds. Building the Mage Tower allows you to squeeze your prisoners for their magic spells.

All this happens on a great map where you enact your quests take place. It has a story, too. So you complete the story by beating your opponents on the puzzle-field. Skulls inflict damage points. Experience stars add to your experience when you win. Likewise, coins add money to your purse. The key to the game is to get extra turns. 4-match and 5-match give you an extra turn. Some spells allow you to cast them and continue to play on your turn. Some match-3's will start a chain reaction. Just keep your turn going and avoid setting up yourself for damage by the opponent.

Can you tell I love it? Check it out on their website.  It's also on DS, but I'm not sure how different it is.