Secret of the Magic Crystals

About

Secret of the Magic Crystals is a single player casual simulation game with fantasy and kids themes. It was developed by Artery Games and was released on February 3, 2010. It received positive reviews from players.

In "Secret of the Magic Crystals," players explore a mystical world, solving puzzles and battling enemies to uncover the power of magical crystals. As they journey through various landscapes, they'll gather resources, acquire new abilities, and interact with non-playable characters to further the storyline. The game features a blend of adventure, strategy, and role-playing elements, providing hours of engaging gameplay.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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83%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,448 reviews

story34 positive mentions

grinding37 negative mentions

The game features beautiful graphics and charming horse designs, making it visually appealing.
It offers a unique experience of raising and training magical horses, which can be enjoyable for younger audiences.
The game has a relaxing atmosphere and can serve as a casual time-killer.

Gameplay is repetitive and lacks depth, often involving waiting for horses to return from quests without player interaction.
Many features, such as racing and quests, are locked behind a paywall, limiting the overall experience.
The lack of a tutorial and clear instructions can make it confusing for players, especially younger ones.

story
163 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
71%
8%
The game's story is criticized for being poorly developed and nonsensical, with a loose plot involving meteorites and horse breeding that fails to engage players. Many reviews highlight the repetitive gameplay and lack of meaningful player interaction during quests and races, leading to a sense of boredom and frustration. While some players find humor and charm in the absurdity of the narrative, the overall consensus is that the story lacks depth and coherence, making it a weak aspect of the game.
- “With amazing story, believable characters, and amazing graphics, this is honestly the single best game I ever played.”
- “The story is also very emotionally compelling with each horse that is born into the world.”
- “The storyline can be described in detail in only a few words but at least it doesn't get in the way.”
- “The plot essentially is about some meteorites that fell through the sky, your grandfather discovered pieces but was not taken seriously and you, as the grandson, must prove to the world that your grandfather was right and use those pieces to breed different horses.”
- “The story is one of the worst I've seen: a magic asteroid hits earth, gets a man fired and forces horses to play DDR. Sounds legit.”
gameplay
151 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
68%
9%
The gameplay of "Secret of the Magic Crystals" has been widely criticized for being repetitive and shallow, primarily revolving around simple rhythm-based mechanics and waiting times, which detracts from player engagement. While it offers some educational elements about horse care, the overall experience is described as tedious, with minimal interaction and a lack of depth, making it more suitable for younger audiences rather than seasoned gamers. Despite some appealing concepts, many reviewers found the gameplay to be unpolished and lacking in substantial content, leading to a disappointing experience overall.
- “The gameplay consists of training your horse until it reaches max stats, doing quests and races to earn money, buying more horses, breeding them for higher level horses, and repeating the process. You can also upgrade the blacksmith and the barn to make better horseshoes or potions for your horse.”
- “The gameplay is particularly gripping and brings you all of the things you loved from Dance Dance Revolution.”
- “You haven't lived until you've experienced the joy of your horse winning a golden cup in one of the many gripping races, and after spending so long training him up and upgrading his horseshoes with the well-thought-out reward mechanics that always leave you with something to work towards.”
- “The gameplay is boring and cruel.”
- “The entire training gameplay consists of watching a side scroller and you have to press the correct arrow at the right time, like a rhythm game.”
- “Overall, I was not really impressed with the gameplay in the Secret of the Magic Crystals and I cannot recommend this game unless it is for a kid, but even then there are a lot better choices out there in terms of games.”
graphics
145 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
52%
3%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising their beauty and detail, particularly in horse animations and environments, while others criticize them for being simplistic or glitchy. Some players highlight the stunning visuals as a standout feature, especially on higher settings, but note that the overall graphical quality may not meet the expectations of more seasoned gamers. Overall, the graphics are generally considered appealing, especially for the target demographic, but they are accompanied by concerns about repetitive gameplay and technical issues.
- “The graphics are outstanding!”
- “Stunning graphics, beautiful atmosphere, immersive gameplay, just an all around great game, really a ten out of ten.”
- “The stunning graphics in this fantastical game are only rivaled by its superior gameplay and majestic plot.”
- “The graphics are just mind-boggling.”
- “I wish I could say that, out of everything, at least the graphics are okay, but even they come off as very cheap - despite the 3D - especially since the backgrounds of the obstacle courses obviously just repeat after a few screens.”
- “Overall the graphics aren't great and the game is lacking in many gameplay aspects, so I really can't recommend this game.”
music
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
72%
8%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its repetitive nature and lack of variety, often highlighting that there is only one or a few tracks that play throughout. While some appreciate the relaxing and tranquil atmosphere created by the soundtrack, others find it generic and forgettable, leading to fatigue after extended gameplay. Overall, the music is described as decent but not memorable, with a few praising its quality and ambiance despite its limitations.
- “It's quaint, sweet, and the music and sound effects blend well and create a tranquil atmosphere.”
- “The soundtrack was and continues to be one of the finest orchestral pieces I have encountered in all of my years of orchestral music listening.”
- “The music is lovely and adds a lot to the ambiance.”
- “The music is extremely generic: there's only one track that continuously plays throughout the entire game, and it's just low-key happy music, nothing memorable.”
- “The music is loopy and repetitive.”
- “I wouldn't recommend the soundtrack/coloring book, as the book only has 10 pages and you'll be tired of the soundtrack after an hour of gameplay.”
grinding
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
97%
The reviews overwhelmingly describe the grinding aspect of the game as tedious, repetitive, and lacking in enjoyment. Players note that significant time investment is required to progress, often leading to frustration rather than satisfaction, with many feeling that the grinding detracts from the overall experience. While some find the game fun, the consensus is that the excessive grinding makes it a chore rather than an engaging gameplay element.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Mythical horse racing feels banal as the very limited actions the player can take result in a slow, tedious slog to make any meaningful progression.”
- “The actual game is tedious, repetitive, and painfully dull.”
- “The end-game also involves useless grinding for (more) boring and longer quests, races, and training courses.”
emotional
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is overwhelmingly powerful, with many players reporting intense feelings ranging from joy to heartbreak. Users frequently mention crying during pivotal moments, highlighting the game's ability to forge deep emotional connections with characters, particularly the horses. The intricate storytelling and relatable experiences resonate profoundly, leaving a lasting impact on players and evoking a spectrum of emotions.
- “Made me cry with joy.”
- “Heartbreaking storyline.”
- “Never have I ever felt such an emotional connection with a video game, let alone any creature I have ever physically come into contact with.”
humor
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is often described as a mixed bag; while some players find it amusing as a gag gift or appreciate its silly elements, others feel that the humor does not compensate for the game's poor mechanics and repetitive gameplay. Many reviews highlight moments of unintentional comedy, such as the absurdity of horse controls and spelling errors, but caution that the novelty wears off quickly, leaving the game lacking in overall enjoyment. Ultimately, it seems best suited for those looking for a lighthearted, albeit flawed, experience rather than a serious gaming endeavor.
- “Your horse will drive like a drunk, blind man with a whacked inner ear but it's more hilarious than infuriating.”
- “Pretty funny horse game I think.”
- “The gameplay definitely isn’t that great, it’s super repetitive and pretty silly, but it’s funny to amuse yourself with for a bit if you are utterly bored.”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The game boasts significant replayability, driven by its complex systems, diverse achievements, and unique item mechanics, allowing for varied experiences with each playthrough. Players can expect to invest substantial hours, with some estimating up to 1200 hours of gameplay, as they explore new game modes and strategies. Overall, the replay value is highly rated, with many reviewers highlighting its depth and engaging content.
- “It’s over-the-top and at times unnecessarily complex, but serves both current and next-generation consoles with ambitious new ideas and tremendous replay value.”
- “The items system in the game offered a deep level of replayability, as no two magical horseshoes are alike.”
- “A lot of replayability in the language selector.”
- “It's possible that the replay value of this game is about 1200 hours; each new game plus or regular new game will have you sitting on the edge of your seat in awe as you watch your treasured horse grow.”
- “It may seem a little juvenile at first glance, but once you scratch the surface you'll find a wealth of strategy and replayability that you weren't expecting.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its quaint and tranquil qualities, enhanced by a relaxing soundtrack and stunning graphics that create an immersive experience. While some reviews note a lack of depth in story, the overall ambiance is described as beautiful and serene, effectively drawing players into its world.
- “It's quaint, sweet, and the music and sound effects blend well to create a tranquil atmosphere.”
- “The game has a nice atmosphere, a great relaxing soundtrack; it gives you a new way to look at things, which enhances our intelligence by making us more aware of the world and certainly more aware of magical horses.”
- “Stunning graphics, beautiful atmosphere, immersive gameplay; just an all-around great game, really a ten out of ten.”
- “- atmosphere and story are for all real intents and purposes nonexistent.”
- “At the beginning of the game, the player is informed that '[a] special meteor hit the atmosphere of the earth a long time ago.', resulting in the main character's grandfather collecting 'magic crystals' from it.”
- “It takes full use of advanced DX11 shaders to create some of the most realistically serene atmospheres to train your horses in.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with frequent crashes and graphical glitches reported by users. Players experience unresponsive controls, particularly when interacting with in-game elements, and encounter crashes during sharp turns, severely impacting gameplay.
- “The game crashes easily in several places, and if I don't experience a crash, I encounter graphical glitches.”
- “You start the game and name your horse, but as you go to interact with your horse, the game glitches, and you cannot move your cursor or anything.”
- “Especially during every single sharp turn, you find yourself crashing into walls the moment the game unfreezes.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
67%
The optimization of the game is well-received, as it runs smoothly and effectively enhances the performance of bred horses in races, automatically applying improvements for better results.
- “Runs smoothly.”
- “Increases your horse's performance in the next race (used automatically).”
- “The strengths of the horses that you breed become relevant because they affect performance in races.”
- “- Increases your horse's performance in the next race (used automatically)”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game is heavily criticized for its reliance on in-app purchases and intrusive advertisements, including long ads upon quitting the game, even in a paid version. Despite these issues, some players still find enjoyment in the gameplay.
- “You get a lot of in-app purchases, and what sucks is that you get a big, long advert when you quit the game.”
- “I got all my trophies easily, but there are also bonus in-game ads on a paid game.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in the game is highlighted by its strong themes of equality and friendship, effectively conveyed through unique dialogue and character designs. Players appreciate the elaborate storyline and engaging plot twists, which contribute to a satisfying character evolution throughout the game.
- “The very common trend within each level of SotMC is the themes of equality and friendship, which are tremendously achieved through unique dialogue and intriguing character designs and actions.”
- “Before I started this game, I expected an elaborate storyline, with mini plot twists, incredible character development, and this game has delivered just that.”