Puzzle Kingdoms is a role-playing game that uses tile-matching mini-games as the fight combat system, similar to Puzzle Quest, another puzzle-based RPG with fantasy themes released in 2007 by the same developers. Rather than switching neighboring tiles to form groups of three or more like in the previous release, the central gameplay mechanic this time is to shift columns and rows to match tiles.
The player controls a hero character that travels between waypoints on an isometric map reminiscent of the Heroes of Might and Magic series. The game is separated into campaigns, aiming to invade and defeat all of a kingdom’s major cities to conquer it. After several battles, the hero character automatically levels up, adding new abilities and spells to his arsenal.
The combat screen is a grid of tiles that takes up most of the center space, with the troops of the two opposing armies lined up on either side. Each row and column have buttons to move them, and the fighters take turns attempting to make three or more matches of the same type to charge their troops and boost the damage against the adversary while attacking. When one of the troops is fully charged, an attack button appears at the top of the screen, allowing you to launch an attack against the opposing forces. Attack tiles work similarly, initiating the maneuver when three or more of them are lined up on the grid.
The troopers’ assault and defense statistics decide the outcome of the attacks, with board color alignment and terrain impacts adding or diminishing their scores. The player can retreat when the battle is nearly lost, allowing the surviving men to be spared. Spells can be employed in four spots below the troop lines to adjust the number of specific tiles on the grid, change statistics, and help in other ways. They are charged by matching tiles of the same color.
New troops can be recruited on the outposts using the money earned from winning fights. Mini-games can be found in shrines, taverns, dungeons, and other unique structures, with numerous goals such as clearing the grid in a certain number of rounds, making a series of matches within a time restriction, and other similar tasks. Completing these bonus stages rewards you with new stuff and upgrades.
