Put simply, Cradle of Rome is a puzzle game through and through. While the puzzle’s theme bases itself around Roman culture and the massive city of Rome itself, the overall vibe maintains a strict direction towards puzzle action. And although this ancient theme might seem a little silly for a puzzle game, the truth is that Cradle of Rome can be quite fun, quite addicting, and quite time consuming.

The Nintendo DS seems like the perfect system for any form of puzzle-genre video game. Unfortunately, these puzzle games are not always executed well, or simply do not have enough depth to hold the interest of the gamer for too long. Cradle of Rome might appear shallow and simple at first, but the simplicity is part of the game’s overall appeal.

When a game begins, the screen is covered with blocks. These blocks might lie in different formations, or contain different obstacles to hinder your efforts, but the ultimate goal is always the same. You must line up at least three of the same type of block in order to eliminate those blocks from the touch screen. You might line up three blocks with hammers on the face, or six blocks with silver coins to distinguish them apart. No matter the block, the identifiable symbol will always be Roman themed, and these symbols do affect the game in the long run.

Once you eliminate a series of blocks, another line will cascade from the top of the touch screen to fill in those gaps. The only way to actually clear the level and advance is to eliminate a number of blue blocks that lie underneath the actual playing field. In order to do this, you must create a combination of regular blocks on top of the blue ones, which will then eliminate both sets of blocks. This simple, yet innovative concept truly adds another level of difficulty to the simple gameplay. As you progress through levels, you will also begin to encounter obstacles, such as a chain that is preventing you from clearing some blue blocks. In order to eliminate these obstacles, you must perform a special combination clearing. All of these minor challenges can really add up.

After the player clears a level, a cut scene will sometimes take place. These cut scenes will depict a building being erected, among other things, and this will occur thanks to the blocks that are cleared. Each building grants a special ability that the player can utilize on the puzzle screen, such as taking a hammer to the board to smash up the pieces. These abilities help offset the blue block difficulty slightly. The fact that each level is timed will keep you on your toes with those blue blocks though.

Visually, Cradle of Rome does nothing wrong. The visuals are satisfying and smooth throughout each puzzle-piece transition, and the cut scenes are even mildly satisfying to watch in between levels. While the graphics won’t blow anyone away, they do work perfectly in tune with the Roman theme and the simplistic overlay that you might expect.

Even the sounds pouring from the DS speakers are Romanesque in nature, and aid the player in immersing into the gameplay. Each tune definitely possesses a modified upbeat underside though that keeps each game fun and engaging. If you play too much though, the music can definitely get repetitive.

The Roman Empire might be huge, but this shrunken edition presented on the Nintendo DS is satisfying and worth a play through by any puzzle fan. Each game can begin calmly, but end with the player fighting against the clock. This can elicit a vast range of emotions from the player in a short period of time, always changing the way the game plays. The game could potentially get old quick, depending on how much the player pours into it initially, but if paced right, Cradle of Rome could become a staple addition to any puzzle lover’s shelf of shifting pieces.

Gameplay: 7.0
Although simple, Cradle of Rome can quickly become a formidable challenge to any player, thanks to the mixture of blue block elimination and timed trials.

Graphics: 7.0
Nothing about Cradle of Rome’s visuals were jaw dropping, but the artistic direction worked well with the handheld puzzler.

Sound: 6.0
Although the audio portion of Cradle of Rome might have been the weakest portion as well, the sounds and music were still satisfying and worked wonderfully with the Roman theme.

Difficulty: Medium
The difficulty level of Cradle of Rome is essentially dictated by the player’s skills. As the player progresses, the time limit shrinks and the puzzles become more intricately challenging.  

Concept: 7.0
While the concept of sliding pieces around a board to clear blocks is not fresh to the genre, the Roman theme and special abilities are. Both of these new concepts are welcomed with open arms.

Overall: 7.0
Cradle of Rome is surprisingly addictive, easy to play, and challenging from a number of different angles. If you enjoy puzzle games, this freshly released puzzler for the Nintendo DS will surely satisfy. Even casual gamers will find themselves quickly addicted to the rollercoaster paced gameplay.