Tinseltown Dreams: The 50′s is a match three game for the PC. Now you may be thinking, another match three game, there are so many of those, but Tinseltown Dreams is not just another match three game. The game sets itself apart from other match three games by having the player create a movie as they play. The goal of the match three part of the game is to accumulate as much money as possible.

Players need as much money as possible to buy props and talent for their movie. There are seven different movie genres of movies to create. The movie genres capture most of the main types of movies, romance, western, sci-fi, comedy, adventure, horror and musical. Each movie genre has ten different levels inside that genre to earn money and buy the best props, actors/actresses, sound, music and camera people. The best people in each category costs the most amount of money.

All of the items purchased are then used to create a movie set. Each movie genre has its own background and movie scene. There is only one background to choose from, but many many different props to choose. Players will be able to buy more props than can fit on the movie set or that they want to use. These props cam be stored in a chest for later use.

All of the money is earned by playing the match three portion of the game. Players match movie items, such as film reels and movie cameras. Matching four or five of a kind produces bonuses. There are hammer bonuses that will break one tile or wind bonuses that flip a grid of tiles around. There are treasure chests and presents that appear on the match three board, as well. If players can match the key and the treasure chest, they unlock a prop and get it for free. If players swap the gift with a piece to make a match, they open a huge bonus. The bonus depends on movie genre, but wipes away a ton of tiles. The romance genre has a car that drives through the board and clears tiles and the western board has two cowboys with guns that clear tiles. The last bonus is the popcorn bonus. The quicker players make matches the more the popcorn pops. When the popcorn maker is full, it will blast popcorn onto the board. Players click the popcorn to gain extra money. All the bonuses help players clear the yellow squares on the board before time runs out. The quicker you can clear the yellow squares the more money you make.

Players create the scene they want with everything they purchase. They are in charge of how they want the scene to look and what they want in the scene. After the movie is created, it is up to the movie watches to come see the movie. The movie is also rated by the critics and given a star rating. Players will be given a dollar amount the movie was able to bring in and the dollar amount depends on the stars and camera crew selected.

The graphics in the game are great looking. All of the different movie scenes have backgrounds that make you feel like you are in that type of movie. All of the movie props are nice looking and it is clear what the prop is. The graphics in the match three part of the game are nice, but can be a little difficult to decipher.

Over all, Tinseltown Dreams: The 50′s is a fun and entertaining game. At first I thought creating a movie was going to be tedious and not enjoyable, but the more you get into creating the movie the more fun you have. It is entertaining to be able to pick the props and create the scene and find out how the public liked the movie when all is said and done. Gives players a glimpse into the movie business. If you are looking for a match three game that is different and sets itself apart from other match three games, check out Tinseltown Dreams: The 50′s.

Avanquest Software Publishing has announced the release of Build-a-lot on the Nintendo DS. The game is in stores today and challenges players to build and fix up houses to make a profit. Players have the option of renting the houses or fixing them up and selling them off.

The digital and online version of Build-a-lot has done really well and now it has made the jump to the Nintendo DS handheld platform. There are 35 different levels to try and beat the clock. There are different objectives for completing a level. Sometimes players will have to make a certain amount of money before time runs out or build a certain type of house.

The game takes advantage of the dual screens of the Nintendo DS and the use of the stylus. Players use the stylus to select the area to build a house and then they start construction. The top screen displays current income, money available to spend, potential and current rent, a countdown timer and the tasks in hand. The bottom screen contains all of the actions a player can take.

Build-a-lot is a great game and seems like it would be a good fit for the Nintendo DS. It is one of those games that you can play in short spurts and provides great challenge and entertainment. If you are into simulation type games, check out Build-a-lot for the Nintendo DS.

Legacy Interactive has announced two new digital downloads for the PC. The games are Scratches Director’s Cut and Murder in the Abbey. Both games are available from Legacy’s website.

The digital version of Scratches Director’s Cut contains an alternative ending to the game plus two additional hours of game play. If you already own the original version and really enjoyed the game, it may be worth it to get the digital version as well to get the extra content. The game is an adventure game that takes players on an eerie “ride” through a mystery from the past that is haunting the present. Players have to solve puzzles to get through the game and solve the mystery.

Murder in the Abbey is also an adventure game that has murder at the center of it. Players take on the role of former Grand Inquisitor Leonardo as he attempts to solve the murders at the Abbey. Leonardo is not alone, though, and will have the help of his side kick Bruno. As they are researching the murders, an attempt is made at their lives. Players have to figure out what is going on and stay alive themselves.

If you are into adventure games, check out the latest digital releases from Legacy Interactive.

Merscom has announced the release of Empire Builder:  Ancient Egypt for the PC. Players take on the role of an architect that is tasked to help powerful pharaohs construct their cities along the Nile River. Players won’t only build cities, but they will build famous moments from history.

Players play through thirty different levels all increasing in challenge as the game goes on. No game would be complete without power ups and Empire Builder: Ancient Egypt is no different. Players can use power ups along the way to help them complete the levels as they build housing, ports, schools, temples and a variety of other buildings to complete Egyptian cities.

“Empire Builder:  Ancient Egypt is a wonderful mix of the fastest growing genre in mass market games and our customers’ repeatedly proven interest in Egypt,” said Lloyd Melnick, Chief Customer Officer at Merscom.  “We are confident this game will continue the string of hits we’ve had over the past 18 months.”

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Scribblenauts may be the first time you’ll ever see a grudge match between Cthulhu and a Tyrannosaurus Rex, with the former killing the latter, leaving nothing but T-Rex steak. So is the introduction to the latest innovative Nintendo DS puzzle game that boasts a massive vocabulary, where you’d be hard pressed to find anything it can’t conjure up.

The gameplay is simple: to win a level, you must earn a Starite. Starites may be found in Action levels, or won as a reward in Puzzle levels. For example, a Starite might be found in a tree, so you might have a ladder summoned, so you can climb it and pluck the Starite from the tree. Or you might burn the tree down with a blowtorch. In a Puzzle level, you have to summon objects to fulfill a condition. For example, a cat may be stuck on a roof. One way of getting it down might be summoning a can of cat food to give to its owner, causing the cat to come down from the roof to eat. There’s no one answer to any puzzle, which is the game’s biggest strength, in that you earn points for originality, as well as other things. You can earn points for how obscure the object is, or non-weapon objects, or animal objects, and so forth. You can get points for selecting the most unusual, arcade objects of all.

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