Match Island – Tropical Escape

The game portion of the app isn't overly complicated, so users shouldn't get frustrated or stuck soon after playing, even if it asks for players to pay for extra playthroughs. Many levels in Match Island – Tropical Escape feature slight twists, such as having to free items from gel-like bubbles as you clear the board, along with the typical booster items players earn as they advance and use to clear larger amounts of items. A task list makes keeping track of island-related renovation work fairly simple.

Some aspects, such as the game's medal system, can be a little confusing -- you get them for completing multiple levels in a row and are also awarded booster items, making the medals seem somewhat meaningless. The main character's backstory, too, feels a little sparse. The brief intro suggests she's looking for a new way of life because she can't find a job, but it's unclear how being there will improve her livelihood. Essentially, a few items feel like afterthoughts because they're not really integral to the main game, which is the app's soundest element. While players may experience lags in the island portion, if they run out of turns in a matching game round, they can buy additional ones with gems. Once they run out of funds, they can quit out of the level and start it from scratch, though that may quickly deplete their allotted lives. When the lives are gone, you'll have to wait about a half-hour for one to fill up before they can play again. The app doesn't flood the screen with ads, but that structure, coupled with references to in-app purchases that appear on-screen periodically, make the app unfortunately feel at times like its focus is a little more on pay-to-play than just-for-fun. Match Island – Tropical Escape's game portion isn't bad -- players may enjoy trying to conquer its levels -- but if they find they're consistently getting locked out, they may end up just opting to try one of the more complex and varied match-3 games on the market instead.