I wasn't too sure about this game when I heard that it was going to be match 3 gameplay instead of time management like the other two Sally games but I was pleasantly surprised. The only match 3 games I do not get bored with after a couple of hours are the ones like Restaurant Rush which combines match 3 with time management, and this new Sally title fits in well with this ethos. You have to match, for example, scissor icons to fill up your haircut meter (which can store 3 or more cuts at a time) and then drag the service required onto the customer - there are several different services, some of which require playing a mini game which should be familiar to Sally fans where you click through a series of pictures of the customer until they are smiling and select that style/colour to earn an extra patience heart. You can also match clovers to earn various bonuses such as cups of tea for your customers, a magazine to keep someone happy, and a joker which automatically gives the next service to your selected customer. There is a good range of upgrades both to help you fill your service meters faster and to keep your customers patient. At the end of each 5 level location you play a head to head match 3 game (such as in Puzzle Quest or Puzzle Hero) where you have to fill your service meter faster than your opponent. The gameplay is surprisingly challenging - I got a perfect score (for this you need to make expert plus have all your customers leave with full hearts) on the first five levels but on the second five I only managed to make goal without replaying any levels so it gets hard fairly quickly, not that I'm complaining! I only played the 1 hour demo and got cut off during the 10th level so estimate at least five hours of gameplay, not counting replays to get better scores. Anyone unsure about this one not being pure time managment should give the demo a try - you might be pleasantly surprised. Recommended. Give this Review a KudosReport as Inappropriate
nikkihayes
Posted on Sep 25, 2009, 1:41am
4 Stars
User Review by nikkihayes
I wasn't too sure about this game when I heard that it was going to be match 3 gameplay instead of time management like the other two Sally games but I was pleasantly surprised. The only match 3 games I do not get bored with after a couple of hours are the ones like Restaurant Rush which combines match 3 with time management, and this new Sally title fits in well with this ethos. You have to match, for example, scissor icons to fill up your haircut meter (which can store 3 or more cuts at a time) and then drag the service required onto the customer - there are several different services, some of which require playing a mini game which should be familiar to Sally fans where you click through a series of pictures of the customer until they are smiling and select that style/colour to earn an extra patience heart. You can also match clovers to earn various bonuses such as cups of tea for your customers, a magazine to keep someone happy, and a joker which automatically gives the next service to your selected customer. There is a good range of upgrades both to help you fill your service meters faster and to keep your customers patient. At the end of each 5 level location you play a head to head match 3 game (such as in Puzzle Quest or Puzzle Hero) where you have to fill your service meter faster than your opponent. The gameplay is surprisingly challenging - I got a perfect score (for this you need to make expert plus have all your customers leave with full hearts) on the first five levels but on the second five I only managed to make goal without replaying any levels so it gets hard fairly quickly, not that I'm complaining! I only played the 1 hour demo and got cut off during the 10th level so estimate at least five hours of gameplay, not counting replays to get better scores. Anyone unsure about this one not being pure time managment should give the demo a try - you might be pleasantly surprised. Recommended. Give this Review a Kudos Report as Inappropriate