Charlotte's Table

This matching-based game features a pretty standard format -- but unlike similar games, it doesn't offer much progression from level to level to draw kids in. The plot in Charlotte's Table involves a chef and his wife preparing to throw their young daughter's birthday party at the chef's restaurant. Players are given tasks -- which initially involve selecting herb garnishes for a steak dish and evolve to choosing place setting elements. Completing the tasks costs stars, which are earned by finishing matching puzzles. After Charlotte is kidnapped during the party, presumably by an industry rival, the plot fast-forwards to her adult life, as she sets out to open her own eatery.

The developers attempted to mix up the matching experience by introducing slightly different structures, like shifting items on top of crackers or freeing a kitten in the center of the board by matching a specific number of symbols around them. That usually involves the use of booster items found in other matching games, like bombs and rockets. But it's often unnecessary, because kids get more turns than they'll likely need. Still, some gameplay can be confusing. While there's initial guidance, some players may not realize they need to return to the main menu and perform tasks using some of the purple stars they've earned. Kids may also not know why they're also earning coins and dollar bills as they play, since stars are used frequently. More importantly, though, the matching games just aren't very challenging, which, after awhile, isn't compelling. The boosters are doled out so readily, and the number of items kids need to match is often so low that it's hard to feel like you're vastly improving -- or even advancing much -- over time. Even with some different goals in each round, playing can start to feel a little mundane -- which may prompt kids to ask to be excused from Charlotte's Table.