Hey, so Mario, remember when I said that The Maze Runner was my favorite PikPok game? I lied. You guys (and the folks at Adult Swim) have outdone yourselves with Adventure Xpress.
I'm not always a fan of match-3 games, but I do enjoy the games that blend the mechanics with other genres. Most of the time, I feel those games falter in some way, being too hectic, too fast, the matching elements seeming arbitrary and somewhat disconnected from the other mechanics. You're more focused on simply making matches as fast as possible rather than any real strategy
In that way, I feel Adventure Xpress is a resounding success. The gameplay flow gives the encounters a turn-based combat vibe; your enemy attacks every time you move a tile, making every move critical. You have all the time in the world to plan and figure out the most efficient and effective ways to set up chains. Elements such as barriers that clutter the grid, frozen or chained tiles that can't be moved, special tiles that unleash column-clearing blasts, spells charged by certain tiles, and more add challenge and a surprising amount of strategy to the matching gameplay
But Adventure Xpress doesn't just impress with its fun and engaging gameplay. With its colorful visuals and the kind of polish you'd expect from an Adult Swim game, Adventure Xpress is a charming visual experience. The grid explodes with color with every combo and spell. Your enemies are diverse and unique, and both foes and hero are well animated.
Adventure Xpress may be F2P, but don't let that dissuade you from trying this engaging blend of Match 3 and RPG lite.
Honestly I'm enjoying it more than Castle Doombad. On PC, Super House of Dead Ninjas and Westerado (and Rain World...eventually) are my favorite Adult Swim games, but I think Adventure Xpress is their best IOS title.