Puzzle Kingdoms is an RPG game that uses tile matching mini-games as its combat system, similar to Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords . The main gameplay mechanic involves moving columns and rows to match tiles instead of swapping adjacent tiles. The player controls a hero character, navigating through an isometric map in the style of the Heroes of Might and Magic series. The game consists of campaigns where the objective is to conquer all the main cities of a kingdom by invading and defeating them. As the player wins battles, their hero character levels up, unlocking new abilities and spells. The battle screen features a grid of tiles with the troops of both armies lined up on either side. The player can move rows and columns using buttons, taking turns to make matches of three or more tiles of the same type to charge their troops and increase damage against the enemy. When a troop is fully charged, an attack button lights up to unleash an assault.
The outcome of attacks depends on the alignment with the board colors and terrain effects, as well as the stats of the troopers. The player can retreat to save remaining troops when the battle seems lost. Special buildings like shrines and taverns offer mini-games with multiple goals, such as clearing the grid within a set number of turns or making matches within a time limit.
Completing these bonus stages rewards the player with new items and upgrades. The game's focus on puzzle-solving and strategy makes it an engaging experience for fans of RPGs and puzzle games.
