Match-3 DS puzzler Cradle of Rome screenshots

by: Randy - posted: 9/4/2008 10:46:00 PM

While now derided as "dirt farming" in real-time strategy games, the collection of wood, tools, and gold resources within a match-3 puzzler is a fresh look at a tried-and-true concept.  Cradle of Rome does just that, making a city-building strategy game out of the humble dirt-farming roots of an RTS.  Working your way up the Roman Senate's food chain all the way to Emperor, you build the city up starting with a lowly saw mill and eventually tackling historic projects like the Temple of Venus and the Coliseum.  Even though your main adversary is the clock -- though it looks like a "Relax Mode" will rein that opponent in -- this one sounds like it has a winningly new combination of gameplay ideas, just as Puzzle Quest (GN score A-) did as a match-3 RPG.

Cradle of Rome ships to retail stores on November 18th for the Nintendo DS.

D3PUBLISHER ANNOUNCES CRADLE OF ROME FOR NINTENDO DS™

 

LOS ANGELES—September 4, 2008— The Ancient Roman Empire will rise again when D3Publisher (D3P) brings the well known PC casual games brand Cradle of Rome to Nintendo DS™ this fall.  Players will re-create the legendary city of old using a unique variation of the much loved Match-3 puzzle mechanic to build more than 20 masterpieces of the Ancient Roman architecture.  More than 100 mind-bending levels, each with its own puzzle board design, will call for players to use a different strategy each time to build and conquer their way to become Emperor.  Cradle of Rome is slated to ship to North American retail stores on November 18, 2008.

 

“Cradle of Rome offers the highly addictive puzzle gameplay that fans know and love.  It’s easy to pick up and play making it a perfect fit for on-the-go gaming on Nintendo DS,” said Pete Andrew, vice president of product development, D3P.  “Players can enjoy Cradle of Rome for a few minutes or for hours at a time and brush-up on Ancient Roman history while they’re at it.” 

 

In Cradle of Rome, players can build more than 20 historical sites from 5 different eras of Ancient Roman architecture by gathering resources such as wood, tools, gold and more by matching rows of 3 or more on the puzzle board and obtaining as many as possible before the time runs out.  The more resources players gather, the faster they can build the city from a lowly saw mill and progress to such historical monuments such as the Temple of Venus and eventually the mighty Coliseum.  Multiple gameplay modes offer various degrees of difficulty and a vast array of bonus tools adds even more incentive to continue the game and eventually become Emperor.

 

Cradle of Rome has been developed by cerasus.media and is currently rated “E” (Everyone - Alcohol Reference) by the ESRB.  For more information about Cradle of Rome for Nintendo DS, please visit www.d3publisher.com

 

About D3Publisher

 

D3Publisher, a subsidiary of D3, Inc., is a leading interactive entertainment publisher and distributor for licensed and original titles for personal computers, major console platforms and handheld systems.  D3Publisher has operations in the U.S., U.K., and Japan.  The company also owns development studio Vicious Cycle Software, Inc., and its technology platform, Vicious Engine.  Recent releases have included Dark Sector®, Dead Head Fred®, Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords®, and Ben 10™: Protector of Earth.  For more information about D3Publisher, please visit: www.d3publisher.com.