Game Classification

Talismania is a puzzle game set on boards with different tiles. There are at least two talismans in the game, as they launch a coloured path. The player needs to rotate the other titles on the board to connect the tubes and extend the path. This is done by clicking them. Once two or more talismans are connected, the tiles are removed, coins are awarded and new tiles are put on the board.

In the game's main Story Mode, players guide King Midas along nine locations where he needs to construct buildings. Based on the mythological premise, he has accidentally turned his daughter to gold and asks Zeus for advice. To break the curse Midas has to make money and spend it on others, by setting up structures. Each location on the level map is divided into different segments where Midas needs to earn coins to pay the workers to build for him. Each level requires a certain number of coins, gathered through successive games. Players can use three types of talismans in the game: owls (bronze), unicorns (silver) or lions (gold). The type is determined by the performance in the previous game. To encourage players to make long-winding connections instead of choosing a direct route, more combos and points make sure that gold talismans (with a higher cash count and thus nicer buildings) are used. If wrong decisions are made, silver or bronze is introduced. Easy levels only have two talismans, but in later ones there are often more than four, and of different types in a single game. Identical talismans can join the "stream" for large combos, but different ones block each other.

While progressing, additional difficulties and bonuses are introduced, such as cash tiles, lightning tiles (create more coins), stone tiles (block a path), medusa tiles (she turns tiles into stones), minotaur tiles (creates worthless tiles by charging across the board), pandora's blocks (can provide a positive or a negative effect), freeze blocks (freeze the bonus chest until the path is complete), sirens (drain the talisman meter), and many more. The special ones can be activated or destroyed by connecting the "stream" to all sides of them. Negative ones that are ignored and kept on the board, will quickly start doing damage.

There is also a bonus chest with a number that counts down. If the player manages to finish a level with a number of plays lower than the number, a jackpot is unlocked. Other special actions are rewarded with stars, stored at the bottom of the screen. When three or more are available, Talismania can be started where the player can click as many tiles as possible on the board to turn them into gold right away. This only lasts a few seconds. After every few rounds, a quick mini-game can be played to earn an additional building. Players need to click flying items and watch out no harpies are touched.

After a number of levels, the Hero Mode is unlocked. It is very similar, but introduces a time limit. Players can also earn extra points by finishing early. Both modes have a separate high scores list.

The free browser version has the same basic mechanics, but is much smaller in scope. [source:mobygames]

Distribution : Retail - Commercial
Platform(s) : Browser (Flash) - PC (Windows)

Links

• http://www.mobygames.com/game/talismania-deluxe/