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Pardon the dust! This page includes some jargon that hasn't been added to the site's glossary yet. I'll be around to fix this later, but sorry for the inconvenience in the meantime. |
Review: Jewel Quest 3
At a Glance
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How to Save and Pause:Each player has their own profile, with their progress being saved automatically. To pause the game, open the menu via the button in the lower right corner. Time needed per session:Most of the levels can be completed in a short period of time, so you're probably going to want to play through more than one per session. Thus, plan on playing for about fifteen to thirty minutes.
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Does this game pose issues for Christian players?
 | Some players may have concerns Most of the problems with this game are found in the story segments, such as the occasional mention of magical artifacts or spooky events. |
Screenshots
![[view screenshot]](../images/screenshots/jewel_quest3_0.jpg)
![[view screenshot]](../images/screenshots/jewel_quest3_1.jpg)
![[view screenshot]](../images/screenshots/jewel_quest3_2.jpg)
Game Overview
Games in the Jewel Quest series have always combined a semi-serious plot about a magical Jewel Board with Match 3 gameplay. It's a good combination, but the developers must have been having second thoughts about it in 2008. That year, they released two new entries in the series, Jewel Quest 3 and Jewel Quest Mysteries, and both of these games deviate from the style seen in the original two games. While Mysteries took the franchise into a different genre, Jewel Quest 3 tried to add new quirks to the popular Match 3 mechanics. Personally, I think Mysteries had better luck with this transition, and I'll explain why later on in this review.
Jewel Quest 3's story opens with Emma and Rupert preparing to open a grand museum about their travels. In addition to showcasing some of their many souvenirs, the museum would prominently display the famous Jewel Board itself as the central attraction. But, before they could open their museum, tragedy strikes. While playing with the Jewel Board, their daughter Natalie discovers a hidden compartment. When she opens it, poisonous spores spray out, blinding her with a strange affliction that causes her eyes to shine like rubies.
Thus begins another adventure, as Rupert, Emma, and Natalie begin searching the world for a cure to Natalie's condition and Rupert's old rival Sebastian, who is suspected of planting the spore trap on the Jewel Board. As they search, cryptic clues will send them from region to region, eventually leading them to cross paths with several old friends and enemies.
Now, Jewel Quest 3's developers were clearly tired of creating regular Match 3 levels, so they had each region feature its own variation of the traditional Match 3 gameplay. For example, in Central America, the player needs to align three gold coins in order to remove locks that block part of the board, and in Iceland, heated stones need to touch frozen jewels in order to melt the ice and free them. Before the player can continue on, they need to clear every unlocked level in a region.
Additionally, each region has three types of challenges. There are the Silver quests, the Gold quests, and the Hidden challenge. Silver quests are unlocked when the region first becomes available, but Gold quests only unlock later in the game, requiring the player to return to the region and solve more difficult puzzles. Both variations have the same goal: turn the entire board to gold. Hidden challenges are different, tasking the player to do something unusual during a level in that region.
The bad news is that none of these regions have many levels, and with the Silver and Gold quests being separated by visits to other regions, you don't really get much time to enjoy a new mechanic before you're sent to deal with something else. This results in the player getting introduced to new ideas constantly, with no real time to master any of them. Worse, if you don't like a certain mechanic, there's no way to skip levels or otherwise work around it. You're just stuck until you either manage to play through it or just give up and play another game.
In my opinion, this limitation makes Jewel Quest 3 the weakest entry in the Jewel Quest Pack. It's as though the developers wanted to try something new, but weren't quite sure what, so they just cobbled together a lot of different ideas and hoped for the best. Ultimately, I think you're probably better off replaying Jewel Quest 2 or trying another game altogether.
Jewel Quest 3's story opens with Emma and Rupert preparing to open a grand museum about their travels. In addition to showcasing some of their many souvenirs, the museum would prominently display the famous Jewel Board itself as the central attraction. But, before they could open their museum, tragedy strikes. While playing with the Jewel Board, their daughter Natalie discovers a hidden compartment. When she opens it, poisonous spores spray out, blinding her with a strange affliction that causes her eyes to shine like rubies.
Thus begins another adventure, as Rupert, Emma, and Natalie begin searching the world for a cure to Natalie's condition and Rupert's old rival Sebastian, who is suspected of planting the spore trap on the Jewel Board. As they search, cryptic clues will send them from region to region, eventually leading them to cross paths with several old friends and enemies.
Now, Jewel Quest 3's developers were clearly tired of creating regular Match 3 levels, so they had each region feature its own variation of the traditional Match 3 gameplay. For example, in Central America, the player needs to align three gold coins in order to remove locks that block part of the board, and in Iceland, heated stones need to touch frozen jewels in order to melt the ice and free them. Before the player can continue on, they need to clear every unlocked level in a region.
Additionally, each region has three types of challenges. There are the Silver quests, the Gold quests, and the Hidden challenge. Silver quests are unlocked when the region first becomes available, but Gold quests only unlock later in the game, requiring the player to return to the region and solve more difficult puzzles. Both variations have the same goal: turn the entire board to gold. Hidden challenges are different, tasking the player to do something unusual during a level in that region.
The bad news is that none of these regions have many levels, and with the Silver and Gold quests being separated by visits to other regions, you don't really get much time to enjoy a new mechanic before you're sent to deal with something else. This results in the player getting introduced to new ideas constantly, with no real time to master any of them. Worse, if you don't like a certain mechanic, there's no way to skip levels or otherwise work around it. You're just stuck until you either manage to play through it or just give up and play another game.
In my opinion, this limitation makes Jewel Quest 3 the weakest entry in the Jewel Quest Pack. It's as though the developers wanted to try something new, but weren't quite sure what, so they just cobbled together a lot of different ideas and hoped for the best. Ultimately, I think you're probably better off replaying Jewel Quest 2 or trying another game altogether.
Points of Interest
Collectible treasures
As you clear regions, you'll unlock new treasures for the museum. Most of these are gems like those seen on the Jewel Boards you use throughout the game, but sometimes you'll unlock a statue or other large object. The gems are placed along the rim of the globe, while the other things are given their own exhibits in the background.
Many different ways to play
Variety is the name of the game here. You'll always be using the familiar gem-swapping mechanics that made the franchise famous, but each region also presents a unique twist to the gameplay. Only some areas have "specials" this time around, and they don't carry over to other levels, so you'll need to learn how each region's rules work in order to succeed.
Borderline unfair difficulty
Unfortunately, some areas are unfairly difficult, such as the levels where the player plays a two-player variant of the game against Sebastian. His AI is almost too good at the game, making me question how well the developers playtested the later stages. Again, if you can't overcome a challenge, there's no way to skip it. You're basically stuck forever and can't continue the game.
Story feels unpolished or confused
Normally, this series uses its storyline to give the player a good reason to investigate an area. Perhaps Rupert found a clue that leads him to search an old campsite, or maybe the jeep broke down and they need to collect some water to refill the radiator. This time around, every level has a story entry, which quickly leads to pointless filler updates or plot points that don't connect together.
Of course, the biggest plot hole in this game's story is that we've been using this Jewel Board for three whole games; there's literally no reason for it to suddenly attack a child, sabotage or not.
Of course, the biggest plot hole in this game's story is that we've been using this Jewel Board for three whole games; there's literally no reason for it to suddenly attack a child, sabotage or not.
Concerns and Issues
Some general issues with the story
As per usual in this series, the magical Jewel Board takes center stage, and various other fantastical events are encountered along the way. From masks that show their wearer hidden things to jewels that contain cryptic messages, magic follows Rupert and his family around the world.
There is also the way that Rupert allows his bitterness to get the better of him, leading to conflicts that weren't necessary.
There is also the way that Rupert allows his bitterness to get the better of him, leading to conflicts that weren't necessary.