Mobile Gaming Review: Magic: The Gathering Puzzle Quest
Genre: Puzzle Game
Developer: D3 Go!, Wizards of the Coast
Platform: iOS, Android
Magic: The Gathering Puzzle Quest is the best iteration of Puzzle Quest yet. While the Marvel and Adventure Time versions are fun, the Magic: The Gathering version has several layers that make it enticing for Puzzle Quest fans as well as MTG fans.
The basic premise of the game is that you build planeswalker decks and create mana ramps by swapping jewels on a board shared between you and your opponent. Sometimes you play against individual cards, or computerized players, or others from around the world. Magic: The Gathering Puzzle Quest is much like a combination of games like Bejeweled and Candy Crush combined with MTG. It’s super fun, even for someone who isn’t super familiar with the source material.
I had a demo of D3 Go!’s latest version of Puzzle Quest at HASCON. Brian Etheridge, senior director of digital operations at D3 Go!, took me through a demo game featuring a super powerful planeswalker Kiora. He showed me how to build mana ramps to get creatures on the board, as well as how to determine which gem colors give your planeswalker more power. Etheridge also showed me how to build up Kiora’s special abilities to summon massive, devastating spells that essentially wipe out your opponent.
When I went home, I downloaded Magic: the Gathering Puzzle Quest. I’ve played several rounds with Nissa, the starter planeswalker, since. Just like in MTG, each planeswalker draws its power from specific colors, represented in this game by gems. The more gems you swap, the more power you gain. As you move through the game — I’ve been playing in story mode — you earn tokens and more to level up your planeswalker, buy cards to build or improve your decks, etc. You can also participate in challenges, some of which are coalition-based and others of which are ranked worldwide.
Currently, Magic: the Gathering Puzzle Quest offers a selection of cards ranging from the Origins set all the way up through Hour of Devastation. The game is free to play, with in-app purchases available — but if you strategize well, you shouldn’t ever need to spend money. Playing this game totally for free is 100 percent possible, which is awesome. You can buy cards and decks as you move through the game… but I’ll leave that decision up to you.
Verdict
Check it out! This game is strategy-based and it seems complex at first, but after a few rounds, it’s easy to get comfortable with the mechanics and kick butt. Magic: the Gathering Puzzle Quest is a super fun time.
