Minesweeper Flags
Verdict: it’s a dud
In a Nutshell: A mediocre new take on a classic Windows puzzle game.
“Minesweeper has come a long way since the days of the 9 X 9 grid! In Minesweeper Flags, you can choose to play the classic grid game if you like, but if you’re looking for real action, check out our Flags mode where you must secure the mines instead of avoiding them. Minesweeper Flags also delivers exciting multiplayer action for up to four players, deep stats to track your rankings, ratings and true skill score, fun new achievements and an all-new action packed single player campaign mode. This is Minesweeper Xbox 360 style!”
- Fun Rating: Not Much Fun
- ESRB: E
- Players/Mode: Classic Single Player, Multiplayer Flags mode, Campaign Mode
- Game Duration: Potentially endless if you really love minesweeper
- Developer: Tik Games
- Website: http://www.tikgames.com/xbox/MinesweeperFlags/tabid/67/default.aspx?id_game=428
- Cost: 400 Microsoft Points ~$5
- Demo: Available on Xbox Live Marketplace
| Would I play this again? | No, well maybe if I had nothing else to play. |
| Would I recommend this game? | Only to diehard Minesweeper fan |
| Was the story good? | n/a |
| Was the music good? | No |
| Were the graphics good? | Mediocre at best |
| Was this game difficult? | Moderately |
| Was this game frustrating? | Yes |
| Was this game offensive? | No |
| Was this game worth your time/money? | Not really |
Playing the game
In traditional Minesweeper you are presented with a grid. Your goal is to mark the suspected positions of hidden land-mines. A click will either reveal a blank spot indicating there are no mines near by, a number which represents the amount of mines in adjacent squares, or a mine itself indicating you just died. Using the numbers seen around the board you can intuit the locations of mines and mark their suspected position with a flag.
While classic mode in Minesweeper Flags matches the original game quite closely, in multiplayer flags mode the game strategy is changed- the goal becomes finding the mines as quickly as possible instead clearing the board without selecting a mine.
What the game gets right
When playing the game in classic mode you essentially get a console clone of the original Minesweeper game we’re all familiar with. In this respect the game matches what you might expect, the only major difference being the input method using an Xbox controller instead of a mouse. The addition of multiplayer play could provide more interest for some gamers. I can imagine having some fun playing split screen multiplayer with friends.
What the game gets wrong
When playing in campaign mode, instead of playing on the traditional gray square grid, the game is played in varied 3d environments with more randomly shaped grids. As you continue to play you unlock different kinds of terrain corresponding to the continents. While this adds a layer of graphical interest to the game the execution leaves a bit to be desired. The terrains feel a bit half baked and sub-par. Perhaps I’m just spoiled by the shininess of big ticket games but I couldn’t help but be disappointed. The camera angle is preset and cannot be changed and follows the cursor around the screen. This can make it difficult to quickly find the desired square on the grid and is less functional than a top down view in terms of sheer gameplay. Another graphical element that disappointed were the explosions. Given the graphical upgrade given to the 3d environments I expected over the top and varied explosions to give you that twinge of frustration and excitement when you step on a mine. The explosions seem small and there is only one animation that I saw while playing the game.
In addition, playing against the AI was frustrating as using the Xbox controller feels much slower than a mouse. As you have a time limit on each turn you feel the AI has a much easier time finding the squares it wants.
I also found the music to be rather irritating. The music reminded me of the bad MIDI synth soundtracks of mid-90’s games.
Sum it up
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