• Developer: Hand Made Games
  • Price: $0.99
  • Version Reviewed: 1.0
  • Device Reviewed On: iPhone 4
In many ways, Feed ‘em up is two games rolled into one: part fiendish puzzle game, part match three title. In both cases, it succeeds.
Set around the concept of running a restaurant for pets and other animals, the Appetizer mode, much like during a meal, is where players will find themselves first. This is where the old gray matter needs to kick in quite significantly. Each level is made up of a number of tiles with some depicting animals and others showing the food that they eat. The objective of each stage is to clear all the food by swapping tiles and matching the animal to the relevant food.
In the early stages, it’s relatively simple to solve. As tiles are cleared, others drop down so moving one tile can change a lot. This leads to some complex puzzle solving that makes for a real brainteaser of a game. I found myself frequently scratching my head trying to figure out the solution but, as with many games, it’s a great feeling to get to the next level.
Once the Appetizer section has been traversed, the Main Dish unlocks offering match three style gameplay. It’s a similar process to the Appetizer with animals lining up with food so as to eat to their heart’s content, but all constricted to a 60 second time limit. Combo bonuses and special moves keep the experience fast paced for the score chaser. Throughout the two modes, the animals involved are cute and responsive to finger swipes so speed can be built up quite nicely.
Combining two types of gameplay means that Feed ‘em up is excellent value for money. They’re both fun too, although I found the Appetizer significantly more satisfying, purely for being so challenging. It’s well worth a look for puzzle fans.