Developer: Zoo Corporation
Publisher: Zoo Corporation, EastAsiaSoft
Platform: PS4, PS5, Switch
Tested on: Switch
Pretty Girls Tile Match – Review
Over the last few months, we tried out quite a few titles in the Pretty Girls series and we found most of these titles to be fairly mediocre affairs. We noticed that the Pretty Girls theme in all of these games was never properly fleshed out and it felt more like a way to sell games to gamers who are into anime ‘Waifus’. Most of these games provided us with fun arcade action, which was often the biggest redeeming quality. So far we have tried out several different card games, a breakout clone, and a tile-sliding puzzle game. Now, we are discussing the latest entry in the series, a Mahjong tile-matching title. While we were offered more of the same, this one might just be the best game in the franchise so far.
Story
Pretty Girls Tile Match does not have a story you can play through. You basically just pick the set of stages you wish to play through and that’s about it. We didn’t really miss the absence of a story either.
Graphics
This entry in the Pretty Girls franchise follows the same format as all the other titles. This means that you’ll be looking at a simple-looking arcade-like game, in this case, a Mahjong tile-matching title. On the left side of the screen, you’ll see a busty lady, who simply just stands there. The theme is basically just a glorified set of wallpapers that provide a frame around the actual gameplay segments of the game. The girls have reasonably detailed designs but there are no real animations present here.
Sound
The overall sound design is okay, but we eventually played the game with our own music in the background. The sound effects are also decent, but the overall OST and SFX were nothing to truly write home about.
Gameplay
Pretty Girls Tile Match is a simple Mahjong Tile Match game. You will always have to choose three matching tiles from the board in order to remove them completely. The game does allow you to hold up to seven tiles in your hand, so you can still remove a tile or two to reach an identical third tile for those you picked up earlier. The game also offers other help options to just automatically get an identical tile in your hand or you can also hold some extra tiles in your off-hand. These are limited in use, however, but they can help you out of a sticky situation.
The game is best enjoyed in handheld mode on the Switch with the touchscreen controls. Even though you may sometimes pick the wrong tile due to the overall sensitivity of the controls, you will notice that the game is a lot of fun when playing this way. Playing with a Pro Controller or the Joy-Cons feels very slow and does take away a lot from the overall flow of the game. That being said, if you prefer playing the game on TV, you’ll have to play with the controller options of course.
Again, the Pretty Girls theme is a bit of an afterthought in this umpteenth entry in the series. You’ll get points for completing levels, and with these points, you can buy outfits for the different maidens in the game. In turn, you can also make dioramas with your favorite girls, which offers nothing in terms of gameplay. Again this mode is basically a glorified picture maker that doesn’t even offer any advanced options.
Conclusion
Pretty Girls Tile Match might just be the most fun entry in the Pretty Girls series. You’ll be treated to a fun tile-matching game with great touchscreen controls. There are quite a few levels to play through, and even if you have beaten all the levels, the game does still offer a bit of replay value. We do once again have to mention that the Pretty Girls theme has not been fleshed out properly and often feels like an afterthought. This series would be so much better if the actual theme and gameplay elements would mesh together better.
No Comments