Monster Bunch is a casually paced Windows 10 game that calls upon you to connect sets of monsters of the same color and style. Available for Windows 10 PC and Mobile, this free game challenges your skills at planning and strategy by requiring the entire game board to be used in creating these connections.
Monster Bunch includes two game modes and 600 puzzles to solve. The game is full of color and both the graphics and mechanics are simple — but the game does need a little fine-tuning in areas. For the most part, though, Monster Bunch is a fun game to spend a little down time with.
Monster Bunch greets you with a modest primary menu that holds options to jump into gameplay, to view your achievements, along with access to a More section that covers social media links, settings and an option to share the game.
Gameplay is split between two game modes. You have a standard mode where you take your time with each puzzle with a goal of completing it within a defined number of moves. Completing the puzzle within these limits earns you bonus points, but you can still be successful should you exceed these limits.
If you are in the mood for a more upbeat game than the casually paced standard mode, there is also a timed race mode. This mode gives you just 30 seconds to solve as many puzzles as possible. Each completed puzzle adds a little more time to the clock and your score is based on how many puzzles you solve.
Regardless of the mode of play, the mechanics of play are the same. You are presented with a grid that contains at least four pairs of monsters. The grid size begins at 5x5 squares and progresses up to 14x14 squares. The monster count also increases as you advance through the game.
The goal of Monster Bunch is to connect each pair of monsters together and use the entire grid in creating these connections. Just tap on one monster and drag your finger across the screen to create the connection. Each turn equals one move and if you need to re-draw a connection, all you have to do is tap on one of the involved monsters. Just remember, when you have to re-draw things, the move count does not reset.
Lines cannot cross or overlap and some puzzles contain obstacles that block off certain squares. There are also puzzle with multiple pairs of the same monster style, requiring you to choose carefully which two monsters you choose to connect and double color monsters that add to the game's challenge.
Should you find yourself at a crossroad with a puzzle and need a little help, Monster Bunch does have a hint button to point you in the right direction. The game provides you with a few hints to begin with and more hints can be purchased with the coins you earn during gameplay.
While the puzzle concept behind Monster Bunch isn't groundbreaking, the Windows 10 game is a nice rendition. Graphics are bright and full of color and the puzzles can nicely challenge your skills at planning and strategy. While I found the game to be a fun time waster, there is one annoying feature that requires a little patience.
Monster Bunch is a free, ad-supported game and the advertisements come in the form of full-screen, thirty-second videos. They appear when you complete a puzzle, just before your scoring screen and they show up with no apparent rhyme or reason. There was a point when a video advertisement appeared after each completed puzzle. This can be annoying and can eliminate any entertainment value the game holds. I would rather see the videos appear as you transitioned from the menu to the game or a lot less frequently during gameplay.
While there is room for improvement with Monster Bunch, if you are looking for a casual and challenging Windows 10 game to spend a little down time with it is worth trying.
Download Monster Bunch from the Windows Store
