MERGE MAGIC! Review for iOS

Is your smartphone overflowing with apps? Of course it is. Need another game to steal you away from scrolling through Instagram? Of course you do. Gram Games’ Merge Dragons! was insanely well received, so it comes as no surprise that the developer’s newest release, MERGE MAGIC! for iOS and Android is just as whimsical a treat.

This beautiful fantasy universe has been cursed by wicked witches and it is up to you to restore the land to its former glory hiding just beneath the surface. Sounds like a lot of responsibility doesn’t it? Well fear not, for a plethora of mystical creatures enthusiastically await to come to your aid. Each of these helpers possess unique specifications that evolve the higher you level them up. They do get sleepy rather quickly and are rendered useless for a period of time, so focus on upgrading and merging your creatures as much as possible to ensure you always have a magical helping hand.

There are essentially two playable areas — your personal garden, where all acquired creatures, buildings, and other goodies reside for your customizing pleasure, and structured levels, where you earn said items. If you go the completely free-to-play route, it can get rather frustrating to run out of compasses (lives) while solving the puzzles in each level, but you are able to frolic and arrange your garden while you wait for your compass meter to refill. Theoretically, you could stay in your garden forever, but this is where your creatures are quick to take to nap time, so after a while, you can’t do much on your own without their assistance.

My biggest gripe with this game is how often you encounter the ever-present, ever-frustrating, “cough up real money” road block. It is possible to skirt around this in most capacities, but there are certain premium areas that are off-limits without cold hard cash being exchanged. There are a lot of complaints circulating about the elusive nature of gems in free-to-play mode, which admittedly does suck, but if you keep plugging away at the puzzles, slowly but surely, the gems will start piling up.

MERGE MAGIC! is definitely one of those games to keep coming back to. What’s not to love? Adorable characters, enchanting music, and brilliant jewel-tone environments will grab just about anyone’s attention. The developers are constantly adding new levels and updates, so even if you put this down for a little while, look forward to returning to at least a few new treats. If you can look past the persistent opportunities to pay up, you can stay entertained in free-to-play for quite some time.

Rating: 9/10

Check Out the Merge Magic! Trailer:

Merge Magic! is available for iOS and Android as a free download.