Critical Play: Theme Only Games

For the purpose of this analysis, I played both Dots and Bejeweled. I’ve played the latter on my phone since I was in my elementary school (Remember when sliding phones were a thing?), and I’ve played Dots for quite some time during my Freshman year. Although both share a common mechanic of “matching 3 (or more) identical shapes to earn points”, the drastically different theme of the two games provides a very distinct gameplay experience.

Bejeweled, with its flashy graphics has a vibe quite similar to those casino machines. The beautifully flash gems that blows up in front of your eyes are enough to keep you playing for quite some time. With the timer going down very prominently, your heart races to find the next set of jewels to destroy. As you frantically search through the entire game board to look for a pair waiting to be swapped, the tension builds up, eventually culminating either in frustration (game over!) or a satisfying explosion in front of your eyes.

However, Dots is a game that goes very easy on the eyes. It makes use of soft pastel colors that provide a somewhat soothing experience. Void of that frantic experience of Bejeweled, the user could calmly connect the dots they want to eliminate. (Notice that I wouldn’t describe this process as ‘destroying’ — Dots is definitely not about breaking/destroying things). Also, the game makes use of great, aesthetically pleasing characters that guide you through the game, allows you to use power-ups to boost your score, and exhibit some sort of cute reaction when you make a great move. Generally, it’s definitely a more calming, (somewhat zen) experience. (Until you feel like you’re stuck at some level :D)