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Rome wasn't built in a day, but it was built by ... puzzling? Uh, yeah, OK. Cradle of Rome is a different kind of puzzle game, for a different kind of hero (please, no autographs). In Cradle of Rome, not only do you complete match-3 puzzles, but you build Rome while you do it! Damn! You're good!

Cradle of Rome is a match-3 puzzle game; which is, in many respects, similar to other puzzle games. The mechanics of the basic game are pretty simple: each game board will have four different icons you need to match. One will represent coin, another supplies, one for food and, finally, another for a special move with a tool. You are required to swap two adjacent tiles so that at least one will form a match on the board; after it is matched, it will poof off the board and move all the other icons down. The goal is to knock all the blue tiles off the screen — be they inaccessible via locks or other designed challenges.

Here is where Cradle of Rome differs from the other puzzles I've played. Each of the three resources you have to match result in points you gain at the top of your screen. Those resources are very typical of a real-time-strategy-style game, and performing combinations, chains or large area breaks will result in even more resources gained. But what are those resources for? Well, building Rome, of course! As you move through Rome, you will need to use your supplies to create specific buildings. Each building will have functions, from giving you access to new (more powerful) icons to match during the game, new special tools to use and, finally, and probably most interesting, they can unlock a bonus for playing well and reaching goals.

Along the bottom of your screen you have various locations for special tools you are able to use. Your arsenal is limited when you start, but by building Rome, you gain access to more and more tools, from a simple hammer, to a magic sphere doohickey that can change just about all the spaces on a game board. Use your tools as you get them, or save them for troublesome levels &mdash you decide how to play and use them. Running into problems? Maybe you should skip building a few structures and open up some extra tools. You only have the ability to power up one tool in a level, so picking when to use them is important.

While I did enjoy the added theme of Rome into the game, I really don't feel the way it was added was done exceptionally well. To me, it just feels like they could have made it "Cradle of Egypt" or "Cradle of Paris" and stuffed in a few different graphics and modified just a few words to get where they wanted to. My thoughts are that the details aren't enough to make it stand out.

That said, the level designs are very well done (at least for a somewhat novice puzzle player like me), with different challenges popping up all the time. Through all 100 levels of Cradle of Rome, you rarely feel the game being repetitive — from nasty-locked tiles, tricky-positioned tiles, difficult-to-manipulate tiles (from specific tile fall patterns), confined spaces and much more. Cradle of Rome definitely keeps you on your toes as you constantly look for problem areas, and in difficulty as you level, it took me more tries than I'd like to admit (so, I'm not admitting it) to get past some points.

If anyone knows me, they know I like little people! Uh, well, not like that; I mean little people in my games. By reaching certain collection milestones, achieving special combos or various other methods, you can earn bonuses for your city. Each building you put up may be able to house a little person for you to earn, and that person works for your city giving you a bonus while you play. I have to say, I love this! It is as if the little people dance for how great I am! (Even though I didn't get a lot of them, but shhhh.)

As you play Cradle of Rome, you can see your city form, from rural basic buildings, to large expensive structures; you obtain citizens and rise through the ranks to become the Emperor of Rome. Cradle of Rome is a unique and fun puzzle game, providing a good variance of challenge and fun game design. From Level 1 to 100, I was captivated; I clung to my seat till way too late just trying to see how Rome would turn out. And while I would have loved a little more detail put into the city, the game was fun and challenging. Despite the excessive amount of swearing on a certain level, I enjoyed 99/100ths of the game at least! I'd say that is better than most.