by Michael Collins

Created on: June 06, 2008   Last Updated: June 08, 2008

An exciting cross-breed between the puzzle and strategy genres, Money Tree by Big Fish games is a fast-paced, addictive puzzler that will have you wondering where all the time went.

The plot places you as William, lovelorn gardener and money-raiser who must cultivate the world's most beautiful garden in order to impress - and win the love of - the lovely Elizabeth. In order to accomplish your goal, you must make a truck-load of money by harvesting fruit from you pretty plants, and using the cash generated to buy equipment that will help to keep your garden in tip-top shape. Through Money Tree's unique and original game mechanic of catching falling leaves and attaching them to your tiny saplings, you'll get your trees to grow into hearty, fruit-bearing plants. Once a branch has enough leaves grafted onto it, you've got to watch it for signs of ripened fruit, your main source of cash. As you progress through the levels, you'll have to also keep an eye on garden pests and weather conditions, which require you to purchase items to keep your trees healthy and happy.

As you're at work in your garden, you'll barely notice the soundtrack, which is peaceful and relaxing. It's actually kind of ill-fitting, considering the frantic nature of the game.

Graphics are of secondary importance to Money Tree, but the guys at Big Fish didn't skimp: the imagery is just bright enough to reflect the nature of the game, but is not so colorful as to be overwhelming. In a game like this, you really don't need to go overboard with the art, but what's there is clear enough that you can tell the difference between a ripe apple and a worm.

The only place where gamers might have trouble with is at the beginning of each level, including Level 1: it can get a bit hectic when you've got to catch falling leaves and keep an eye on the riping fruit and make sure the tree doesn't get too hot and keep critters off of the branches. It's tiring work, but once you get going, Money Tree has that addictive quality that will have you trying desperately to keep up.

Money Tree is a solid, fun game that qualifies as a good time-waster.

4.5/5

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