Hidden object games are all over the place for the Mac/Windows downloadable scene. Take a look at the mobile market, though, and you'll find the pickings a bit more slim. Narrow that search to just the good hidden object games, and the selection is even smaller. Pirate Mysteries: A Tale of Monkeys, Masks and Hidden Objects is one of the successful hidden object games on mobile devices. It manages to keep its intrigue along with a healthy amount of content while shrinking everything down to fit on smaller hardware.
You play as Mary Blade, daughter of a pirate whose ship is taken by a storm at sea. Everything is scattered around the beach, and to top it off, her father seems to be possessed by a demon. Not her best day! The game takes you from hidden object scene to hidden object scene, zooming and scrutinizing every pixel to find the list of items on the left. You are given rechargeable hints and can view silhouettes of each item by giving it a tap.
There are 30 locations to visit, each packed with more than a dozen items to find. Some areas even require you to solve riddles before you know what to look for. There are also nearly a dozen mini-games to distract you from the main game, which is never a bad thing! The visuals could use an upgrade, as everything looks blurry when you zoom in for a closer look. There are also frequent loading screens that, while short, break up the game with unnecessary blank space. Despite those few technical shortcomings, Pirate Mysteries manages to deliver a stout hidden object experience filled with challenge and humor!
If you enjoy Pirate Mysteries, check out The Lost City and The Secret of Grisly Manor, two similar games for mobile devices that will definitely tickle your hidden object adventure fancy!
NOTE: This game was played and reviewed on a NOOK Tablet. Game was available in the North American market at the time of publication, but may not be available in other territories. Please see individual app market pages for purchasing info.
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