Introduction:
Swap and fall received a positive 88% of 147 votes the first time it was given away back in January 07 and it received 41 comments which you can read by following the link below: Check out Game Seekers comment # 19 and mrt’s comment # 27 about upgrades (& #32, Dr Fix’s answer to mrt’s comment). As well as # 16 by Johnny and #30 by William
http://game.giveawayoftheday.com/swap-fall-2/#comments
The final installation takes up 17.5Mb of space, though my copy was bought from Reflexive some time ago so the size may vary a little. The following paragraph is quoted from one of the several sites I checked out when I discovered what today’s game would be. It made me laugh.
Quote:
Swap & Fall 2 is a cute point-and-click puzzle game whose appeal is based on the unhurried brain challenge, wonderful music, and graphics crafted by the patient hands of talented artists. Your objective here is to swap neighbor items on the board to match a line of at least three. Once you've got the line, the items fall and you score. The more items fall, the higher your score. So, always look for the item to entail the cascade of items to fall. Sleek autumn graphics and tranquil music make the game a real cutie!
Easy for a 7-year old kid as well as a 70-year old lady
The Game:
The game comprises of two distinctly different game play modes, 2-ball and 4-ball games. In the two ball game you just swap one ball for another provided that swapping the ball makes a vertical or horizontal line of at least three balls. In the 4-ball game, you have to rotate a square of four balls to make the same sorts of matches as the 2-ball mode. When I say ball, that’s not strictly true though as you can choose between two basic styles ball or square, so I use the term loosely. The different styles comprise of different patterns such as an oriental style that looks like Chinese or Japanese writing, another style is just a plain texture or you can choose from two autumnal styles (fall styles) as well as stars.
The two main modes are further divided into three styles of game play, Classic, Arcade and Strategy.
Classic mode:
You have to swap balls so that you get a combination of 3 or more balls of the same colors. When you make the combination, it disappears. There are no time constraints in this mode. You can take as long as you like in between moves if you wish.< If you leave it long enough you will get a hint which can be seen by the group that can be matched flashing slightly.
Arcade Mode:
This is a more challenging mode than classic. The thermometer level to the left of the playing area constantly decreases. Your aim is to make combinations of 3 or more balls of the same color as fast as possible increasing the thermometer level, when balls blow up and disappear.
Strategy Mode:
In this mode you have fire balls which destroy balls below it. Your aim is to make combinations of 3 or more balls of the same color with a fire ball. Don't let the fire ball reach the bottom or you lose the game.
There are several things common to all six styles of game play. For example there are several bonuses which include score multipliers (x2 and x3), a rainbow bonus that allows you to use any color to match. There’s an arrow bonus that allows you to swap any ball that’s adjacent to the arrow and there are three types of TNT bonuses that blow up vertical and horizontal lines of ball as well as one that destroys the surrounding balls. You’ll also find a chain bomb that blows up all the balls of a specific color; one each for every color that’s represented; though you don’t see all of these bonuses right from the start apart from in the bonus levels which are found in all six game types and start after the fifth level.
The overall theme of the game is an autumnal one (fall). There’s an animated squirrel to the right of the screen that blends in with the theme quite well. He/she makes several movements usually in response to or lack of the game play. For example munching on an acorn, scratching the nose and occasionally speaking. Thought you’ll also get hints via a bubble that appears above the squirrels head.
Options Menu:
There are several ball styles (see the images via the links below) that you can select from in the options menu for example there are two autumnal styles in both square and circles, as well as stars, oriental characters and textured balls. You can also play the game in windowed mode, adjust the music and sound effects as well as adjust the quantity of leaves that are dropping at a leisurely pace in the background image. The music is reasonably relaxing, but does seem rather repetitive.
Other useful Information:
• The game is fully mouse controlled apart from inputting your name in a profile.
• You can create new player profiles by clicking on player
• There are high score tables for each of the three modes Arcade, Classic and Strategy and you’ll find that each of these high scores tables contains two lists, one for 2-Ball and one for 4-ball
• When you start a game from the main menu you are given a choice of any of the three that are available as well as either a 2 or 4 swap mode.
• You are shown the number of possible moves at the bottom of the playing arena in all six modes
• There are bonus levels in each of the six different games. The first bonus level being awarded at the end of the fifth level.
• The bonus levels game play differs from the main game play in that you destroy groups of two or more by clicking on the sets of color instead of swapping them. The aim is to try and clear the board fully. No new balls are introduced during game play. All the power ups are available right from the start in the bonus levels
• As you progress at the end of each level you are given details of your score and game play time plus you are introduced to a new power up or a new element. As you progress through the levels you are introduced to more elements that increase the number of colors and thus increasing the difficulty of the game.
• You can leave any game from any of the six modes and return to them at a later time. This also applies to all the different profiles you create
• While in game if you pause for a short while you will be given a hint as to what your next move could be.
• The sequence of power ups that are introduced into each level are the same for all six modes, That is at the end of level one you are introduced to a score multiplier thenceforth for each mode you get a new element then the rainbow token then another new element.
• When a power up is used yu’ll hear a sound cue
• If you wish to change any sound effects or the music you’ll find the sound files in the snd folder within the data folder. All the files are ogg files so for the music files for example you’ll have to convert whatever you want to listen to to the ogg format and then rename the file to the correct name (that is the name of the file you are replacing). You can find audio converters in the giveaway projects freeware library:
MP3 & WMA converter:
http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/freeware/dir/51535/Download-Free-Mp3-Wma-Converter.htm
MP3, WMA and WAV converter:
http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/freeware/dir/50186/Download-Free-MP3-WMA-WAV-Converter.htm
Images – All on one page:
http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n61/Whiterabbit_01/gaotd/Swap%20and%20Fall%202/?start=all
Images – As a slideshow:
System requirements:
OS: Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows Me, Windows NT , Windows XP
System Memory: 64MB
DirectX: 3
CPU: Pentium 200 MHz
Conclusion:
This is a big improvement on the original Swap and Fall which was given away early January 2007. There’s probably something for most community members here so don’t let the simplicity of the game fool you as this game can get quite challenging as you progress through the levels. Besides it’s a good looking game.
As more elements are introduced (eight colors in total) the game play can become very challenging, especially on the strategy and arcade modes, both of which are timed; ‘though in different ways’. Of the three levels I preferred the strategy levels as they seemed more challenging due to the fireball eating its way through the balls beneath it. :lol:, though the arcade level was maybe just as challenging. For example I really struggled to keep pace with the falling line in the thermometer and just as I thought I was going to clinch the level I’d get a momentary lapse and lose ground. The game requires planning and strategy to win in the later levels and when playing the numerous bonus levels you need to be judicious in how you use the special bonuses such as the horizontal and vertical TNT power ups which if used incorrectly can leave you with counters that are impossible or at the very least difficult to remove. I personally never cleared any of the bonus levels (usually had one or two left over), so cannot say whether you get extra points for doing so, but I presume you do.
This is definitely a family orientated game that all ages can enjoy. The classic mode appears to be the simplest to play as there are no time constraints. In my opinion for the wide range of games available, all of which are playable makes this a game well worth having in your games folder and in my opinion is worth a good 8 out of 10.
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Similar games:
The following games all bear some resemblance to today’s game and are all free though you do get a browser opening when you close the games down. I’ve used Gametop for nearly two years now and never had any problems with malware or adware apart from the browser being opened; which can be closed and then there’s nothing else, no pop ups or other messages.
Gem Mine:
http://www.gametop.com/download-free-games/gem-mine-download/
Magic Drop:
http://www.gametop.com/download-free-games/magic-drop-download/
Amazon Quest:
http://www.gametop.com/download-free-games/amazon-quest-download/
Diamond Lines:
http://www.gametop.com/download-free-games/diamond-lines-download/
Hamster Blocks:
http://www.gametop.com/download-free-games/hamster-blocks-download/
