Remember how much fun you had playing with LEGOS as a kid?
Well, now a new game is here inspired by LEGO “Clikits” brand of snap-together jewelry, called “Chic Boutique”. It has players selling rings, bracelets, necklaces and other cool stuff in designer boutiques around the world using a combination of match 3 puzzle gameplay and shop management skills.
When I first came across this game I grumbled about it being a little too “girlie” (yes, there is such a thing, even for me!) it looked like a game based on the belief that girls care only about jewelry and shopping at the mall.
But from the moment I saw that my first step was to make a custom avatar to kind of look like me, I was “in like flin”. And besides everybody knows what’s really important to us girls is being well- rounded, strong, independent individuals. Right!?
But jewelry never hurts!
In true basic match 3 fashion, you will drag using your mouse rows of jewelry pieces either up and down or left and right to make a set of 3 identical items. As you make matches, you will be creating rings, necklaces, headbands, combs etc. The puzzle board is on the left side of the screen and on the right side is your boutique.
In the beginning of game you’ll only have a rinky dinky little pushcart serving as your store, but fairly quickly you will earn enough money to expand your jewelry making business.
You will get to choose where you want to launch your first boutique from a list of fashion hotspots such as New York, Paris, Tokyo and London, (Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, the fashion capital of the world wasn’t an option, oddly enough.)As the game progresses, you'll eventually be able to open boutiques in 10 different cities.
At first your boutique will only stock rings, but different kinds of accessories will soon be added to your inventory. Before long, you will be juggling 16 of them at once, as well as making sure your production keeps up with customers' demands.
All of the customers will come into your shop with an item in mind, (none of those annoying “I’m just looking” types of shoppers in this game) and if you have enough of that particular item in stock, they’ll buy it and be on their merry way. So you must keep an eye on your inventory and make sure you have enough of every item to satisfy your customers’ needs and desires. If you don’t have what they want, they'll go away unhappy, which everybody knows, isn't good for business! This is where your shop management skills will really be put to the test.
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With the money earned Chic Boutique allows you to renovate your unique boutique with more than 100 different shop upgrades. Things like water coolers, stereos, mannequins, display cases and even plusher carpets all contribute to turning your empty little hole in the wall to a hip and happening place that attracts customers by the busload. By giving you an opportunity to decorate your space with trinkets and such really sets Chic Boutique apart from the other ordinary, “been there, done that” match 3 challenges.
One minor gripe that I have with the game though, is that it can get a bit repetitive.
Despite the fact that you get new items to create, it doesn’t really involve you doing anything different on your part!
Certain types of jewelry will require more pieces than others, but that just means you have to make more matches before you can create that item. There really isn’t any story in the game and even though you have a cute little avatar of yourself you never get see it within the game. It is only seen at the start up menu, so you never actually interact with your customers, you are kinda like a 3rd party to the action going on at the right hand side of the screen while you are busy making matches on the left . Weird.
Therefore I never felt any sort of emotional attachment to the game. You’re basically just working toward the task of completing each level.
But other than these nitpicky complaints I would have to say that Chic Boutique is a perky, fun way to pass some spare time.
The music is light and upbeat, and the graphics are done in nice soft pastely pinks and purples.
So for those of you out there wondering if this game could have been done with a not so “girlie” theme in order appeal to both male and female gamers out there, I would say without a doubt -Yes, Absolutely, Positively!
For whatever reason, LEGO decided to go with their Clikits theme in order to target girls directly, so the game definitely won’t appeal to everyone. To be fair though, I'm sure they are hard at work with “LEGO Bionicle Boutique” as we speak!
So if pretty pink LEGO bracelets are your thing, give “LEGO Chic Boutique” a Clikit or two!
Get LEGOS Chic Boutique Here
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Posted by oxyjen on Mar 13, 2007
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2 Comment(s):
On March 15, 2007, said:
hahahahahaha
On March 23, 2007, said:
girlie gamer
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