Mandora 3.0.1

Mindless fun is what I'm almost tempted to use to describe this game, Mandora. I say "almost" because you do have some things to decide before going on a plucking spree. Well, let's see what this Mandora stuff is all about.

Contrary to what nerds and music aficionados might think, the Mandora is not the highly popular musical instrument from the sixth century, neither a female character from a comic book series featuring talking cats. The Mandora, as described by its creators, is a mixture between a plant and a living, breathing creature. They grow like any carrot, but if you pluck them out at the right time, they become more akin to a familiar rather than a soup ingredient; Although I wouldn't rule out the latter.

The gameplay in Mandora is a race against the clock to harvest a rapidly growing Mandora crop. These Mandoras come in three servings... I mean types. Fresh sprouts become "Babydora" and ripe ones regular "Mandora." If you wait too long to pluck them, they will wither and die, but you still get a nice looking carrot if you hurry up and pluck them before too long. Harvesting ripe Mandoras in a row will yield more points, but going out on any 'combo' can unlock different specimens of Mandora. For example, eight mature (withering) leaves will result in a "Grassy" specimen. Once 'unlocked,' these types will begin sprouting as well, making harvest more varied and colorful.

The point of the game is to perform various plucking combos and discover more and more specimens. The Mandora app gets regular updates, so it's advised to be on a lookout for more content.

Now, it's not only that. Before going on a harvest, you get the chance to equip up to three items. These items help you during the harvest in various ways, but also cost gold leaves, and are only worth a single round. You get gold leaves by plucking 'goldgrass,' which disappears rather quickly. So be on a lookout!

Some other things to be on a lookout for is 'Wormee,' who looks similar to a regular sprout but steals the entire crop if left unplucked. Some Mandoras also extend the allocated time, helping you reach higher levels of plucking(?). All in all, there's a decent amount of variety when it comes to choosing what to pluck, while also being stressed by time.

Final Thoughts

Mandora seems to be designed for a young audience, but I would advise against it. It can offer some moments of entertainment if you're an adult, but younglings might become addicted. Actually, don't let a young one near mobile devices at all. But do try Mandora, there's something about this Japanese style cutey that is just unbearably attractive.