PS Vita is the perfect platform for people on the go with short blocks of time to play games. The first free-to-play game on the platform is Treasures of Montezuma Blitz, the newest game based on the popular Treasures of Montezuma franchise. ToM has actually been around for years with its familiar match 3 gameplay, but each generation of the game has added new challenge and power-ups. This was one of the main things we wanted to ensure we hit with the PS Vita version. It had to be fresh and new, and most of all be fun.
A lot of people look at freemium or free-to-play games and think you have to spend money to be competitive and beat your friends. That’s actually not the case with this game. We built the game so it is actually really fun whether you’re earning your power-ups by playing a lot and being rewarded in-game for your persistence, or if you are short on time and want the benefits of being a seasoned and dedicated player, you can spent a little to get a short-term power-up. It’s really the best of both worlds since it respects players that have a lot of time, as well as those that don’t.
Power-ups have long been a way to feel powerful in game and we wanted to make sure in ToM Blitz that players feel the power. Whether it’s thorough their hard work in getting setup for a monster round, or through their in-game purchases that put them on an even playing field with the players that can spend their time maxing out the game, everyone should be able to enjoy Treasures of Montezuma Blitz on PS Vita.
Check out the gameplay video below, and download Treasures of Montezuma Blitz – available now and free of charge – on the PlayStation Store.
no trophies :(
trophies would have been nice since you have to pay for everything else. Hearts/jewels/scratch-offs etc. whats upl with the minis not even the new minis will not go on vita??? can so one say the vita is starting to feel like a rip off?!!!!!
but the game is over all ok
How can you say “A lot of people look at freemium or free-to-play games and think you have to spend money to be competitive and beat your friends. That’s actually not the case with this game.”??!
After 10 minutes of playing this game with each play subject to very short timer expirations, it tells me that I can no longer start a new game without buying more jewels.
For what is effectively a cheap Bejeweled clone, why wouldn’t I just wait for Popcap to port that like they did with Plants & Zombies? At least that way I’ll only have to pay once instead of $3 every time I want to add jewels. Plus I’m sure they’ll have trophies.
This game is terrible. Sony should be ashamed for lying in the marketing literature for this game here and in the PS Vita Store that it’s free for Vita owners when the game refuses to let you play at all without buying in game junk.
lol@ fsckit. that right fsckit stick it to’em. you right, the PS vita people bumped there head this week or someone is out sick cuz this game features/add-ons are psn worst idea yet. Yes, thank you for a free game but dont ask for a dollor for somethiing so miner. i mean this is not playstaion home where you have to pay for every bit of items thats keeped FOREVER. sony this game is a cheap PLOY, TO GET SOMETHING FOR NOTHING. sorry sony bad idea.
So guess what, I have two Vitas, one for me and one for my wife, since we have to use the same account (I won’t buy every game twice!!) and this game requires to be online to work, I can’t even play it at the same time my wife does, since it will disconnect every-time the other VITA connects, it will share the scores, the jewels, everything!! Not only that but it is asking for money for everything, I’d prefer to play €10 and just be able to PLAY the freaking thing, there’s a PSP/minis Version but without touch-controls it won’t be as functional.
Sony needs to address the accounts problem with the VITAS (one main account and a sub-account?!), it can’t be that hard, it makes no sense I have to share everything with the other VITA my wife and son are using (username, scores, trophies, etc)… Why not make it like PS3 does?!
So yeah, this “free” game is great as a game (addicting), but the “you can’t play it, you need to BUY BUY BUY BUY BUY BUY this and that is pathetic!) Why not an option for a premium version, I’d gladly pay for the game, I won’t spend one cent on crystals, lives, etc though.
people are saying the vita is starting to look like a rip off and its sad to say i’m stating to agree. when it was released it was said that PS one games were able to be played with an update to come short after the release. were is the update? second there are some major bugs! my friends on a PS3 don’t see me online when I’m playing on the vita either my names not shown their friends list or its at the bottom of the friends list with a loading circle were the avatar should be. Also why cant we play the same game on different systems at the same time yet.
Take Ultimate Marvel VS Capcom 3 it only lets me play against people that have it on vita and not PS3.
they also need to make the cross game chat work so that anyone can talk their friends on a PS3. I know you cant add the feature but merge it with the PS3’s voice chat so it an at least let people chat cross system.
Don’t get me wrong the Vita has great potential but with games like this whats the point in owning the best in the gaming industry if they are not going to keep up with it.
Everybody is using this post to complain about Vita and Free to Play. I’m enjoying my Vita and I enjoyed the 15 minutes I spent playing this particular game. I have nothing to complain about because it didn’t cost me anything and I can easily delete it if I stop liking it. I see myself playing this game every now and then. I’m glad to see developers trying new things with Vita.
People if you don’t like the game, don’t play it. No one is forcing you to buy nothing. I personally downloaded it played it and i’ll be deleting it as I don’t like Freemium games. Also, being a sofware developer I can tell you that implementing cross platform compatibility between systems takes months if not years to implement. So be patient and i’m sure we’ll see so pretty sweet things between PS3/Vita and specially PS4/Vita. Other than that, I’m loving my vita.
@MK24ever
Finally, someone complaining about this besides me. The 5 system limit was perfect. Now with the 2 system limit, I have completely stopped purchasing new digital games. They may have reduced college gamesharing, but they have severed family sharing in the process. I, for one, refuse to buy multiple copies of a digital game when I can buy one physical copy and pass it around to the wife and kids at the same(and often cheaper) price.
And the lack of trophies for a game on a PS system after 2008 is plain laziness. So much for sticking to the set of minimum guidelines. When I asked about the AR games not having trophies I got some “We don’t include trophies for demo software” or some such bologna.
And where the “F” is the PSone compatibility on the Vita?!! This was a general Vita feature, then a feature available “shortly after launch”, and now we are in the dark as to when we will get it. It seems to me to be held off as a ploy to sell Vita games and newer PSP games as a money grab. Not going to happen. I will still hold out until the Vita games start hitting more reasonable pricing.
@angbri2000
My gripe isn’t that it’s freemium. My gripe is that Sony’s press material, this blog, and store description describe it as a free game when it clearly isn’t. It stops working unless you buy the freemium junk. In the blog above they even say that freemium isn’t required to enjoy the game when that’s just not true.
Most freemium games that I’m aware of on the iphone and other platforms don’t do this. You typically have a game which you can continue to play albeit at a slow pace because it takes a while to earn whatever in-game junk they sell. But if you want to bypass the waiting or grinding you can by spending some money. I have zero problems with this model.
But when you advertise a game as free-to-play and after 10 minutes you can no longer play it without buying something that’s no longer a free-to-play game. It’s a demo. I literally played 3 rounds before it told me I could no longer play without buying jewels.
At best calling this game free is disingenuous. At worst it’s fraudulent. And given the nature of the marketing materials around it, I’m leaning towards the latter.
Gamers are a fickle bunch, myself included. With a few exceptions, I play a game for awhile, beat it, or get bored and, I’m ready for the next one. I’m an RPG/Strategy gamer so, when an anticipated title does get in my hands, I can put hundreds of hours into it. Do I wish the Vita had big new titles released every few weeks, yes. However, I don’t expect that with the PS3 either and, I look forward to when they do arrive (obsess, pre-order, count down the days) and, play around with what trickles in between. Disgaea, LBP, Mortal Kombat, Metal Gear HD, Gravity Rush… These will get here eventually.
Sure, the system has some bugs to work out but, these are the things you deal with as an early adopter. If it upsets you so much, wait a year and then decide if you want to buy one. We’ll see you then. I’ll even sell you the old copies of games I played a year ago.
As for this game, I won’t pay for anything extra but, it’s a Facebook game. You don’t NEED to buy anything else to play, these items just help you to bypass the cooldown timer in between repeated games. However, as a FREE game based on sessions that last a minute, it does its job. Makes a great time killer during “commercials” while watching Hulu on the PS3.
@11 – fsckit, it’s pretty much what you described it isn’t… you don’t need crystals to play, you need “lives” (the little row of hearts). Crystals (which you earn slowly in game) help you buy advantages (that are based on leveling up) quicker. Lives regenerate over time but, you can buy lives (5 for .99 cents, I think) although, if you set it down for a few minutes, those will regenerate allowing you to play more. Anything you pay for is optional.
@13 The problem is, if you buy to many upgrades, and run low on crystals, then they stop you from playing more.
I don’t mind that this game is the biggest rip off that I’ve ever seen. ( It’s kind of like having the worst doctor in the state. You know someone is one, but you just hope that you don’t have an appointment with him ) What I mind is the way they do it. There are no instructions in the game anywhere to tell you what you need to play, and how much you need to pay to get it. So you end up using things for stuff that you wouldn’t have used. ( like crystals )
@ XFRod
Sorry but that’s not the case. The game popped a dialog when I pressed start that said “You do not have enough jewels to do this. You can buy jewels in the PS Store”. And clicking on the presented link took me to a list of jewel packages for various prices starting at $3.
You may be right that there is some cooldown mechanic that would eventually regenerate and allow someone to play again however that’s not messaged at all in the UI.
I did not bother to wait around and try again later. After trying to launch it again a couple of times over maybe 5 minutes and getting the same message again, I just deleted the app.
I would pay $5 for an unlimited play pass. As is, its asking for Jewels, and if it’s still asking tomorrow, I’m deleting this game. I understand and support pay-to-play in an MMO, but not a match 3 puzzle game. I’ll just go back to my PC or Galaxy Tab for free match-3 gaming.
i love my vita and the ideas that sony has for it. its just feels like sony is shoving there problems with the vita under the couch and giving use problematic games/apps to sit on. i just feel insulted and sadly this game is a slap in vita user face. yeah its free bla bla bla but yet you took the time to download it the realize it wasnt worth your time or space on your vita and deleted it. then guess what you’ve just been slapped
@fsckit
You are correct, I guess I didn’t play the game long enough to realize you use up crystals every time you play. This game is definitively misleading, but like i mentioned before if people don’t like it just delete it. I can personally tell you I didn’t buy my Vita for freemium games ( although Gun Bros would rock with those awesome duals! ;) ) I have my phone and tablet for all that crap. Good point you have made though, but given this is the first “pilot” freemium game on Vita i’m imagining Sony will be analyzing our feedback or at least I hope they are. I personally would’ve rather pay 4.99 or so for this as a full-fledged game but that’s just my opinion.
I would not mind paying for in-game content with this freemium model if it actually had TROPHIES! Why would I pay money for a game that doesn’t even have trophies? I would have easily bought this game for $10 if it had trophies, because its fun and there’s no game like it on Vita. Idiots.
Deleted this as soon as I got to a request for money to buy something in game, to be able to continue to play the game. That’s not free in my mind, that’s pay as you go. It never should have been called free. I don’t mind that it’s pay as you play, but i never play games like that. So i need it labled as pay as you play. If i had had to pay for this game and it wasn’t labled pay as you play, I’d be rather angry.
I love to see the Sony comunity saying what they want! Releasing this game with head-lines that its free etc is just wrong! its not free, its a demo/trail as after awhile you need to spend money to play it!
Adress this or stop calling it a free game, i was looking forward to this game alot but now when i see that i have to toss out money here and there to enjoy it for a longer time, im not up for that as you clearly stated that it was FREE.
Sure you wanted the hype of us getting a free game for the Vita, but didnt you think about all the trash talk forums, press etc will do when a thing like this happens? not really good PR for a great product like the Vita, and you Sony, should know that you need all the GOOD PR you can get atm!
Sorry but i dont like your way of “selling” this game, should have told us right away that its more of a demo then you pay to play more, not calling it a free game, because thats not what it is!
And this comes from a guy that likes his Sony products!
-Phil
ps: get that youtube up allready, copy what ever you use for us phones, cant be that hard to get a good one working, you guys arnt really new in this game :D and skype would be great aswell!
Did I spend a bunch of money on a slick gaming system with dual analog sticks, so that I can play a stupid Bejeweled clone? Let me think about that for a second. Umm? No. This is shovelware.
I am so disappointed by this game. You really do get what you pay for.
Free download, pay to play. Pretty much anyways.
Thanks for raining on my parade.
Ay least it’s free. No trophies though? That made me sad.
it is a shame this game is on vita. nothing more than a quick cash grab. One of the most greedy game developer, even worst than most phone free to play games. This is not a MMO, just a clone of pop cap games and the develop wants to charge you every 5 minutes. shame.
I’ve already deleted this sad pathetic excuse of a cash grab con job. Hell, it stinks even as a demo.
My problem with this game is the 1 minute lives/cycles. With only 1 minute it removes all challenge to a puzzle game. There’s always a match to be made somewhere or it automatically reshuffles the board for you.
You have no risk of losing.
There’s no real reward for playing well or playing poorly.
I don’t see why I wouldn’t just wait for a traditional puzzle game that has a flat price, trophies and has a challenge that will reward or punish me based on my skill level.
If you are near your PS3 you can use the PS3 Remote Play feature to play Bejewelled 2 perfectly!
And you can earn the trophies on the PS3 via Remote Play on the PS VITA.
I use this at home to play Zuma, Bejewelled 2, Bionic Commando, PixelJunk Shooter and a few others that work with Remote Play on my PS VITA.
Also, ALL PS1 Games are playable via Remote Play from the PS3 on the PS VITA.
I know this doesn’t work away from the PS3 vicinity, but it may help get through the game drought.
Enjoy!
i’m pissed off because, i’m expecting to be able to play all my ps1 games, & mini’s that i received every month with my playstation plus account, & when i go to download all my games, it doesn’t even appear on the vita version of the ps store. every ps1, & mini games are up & able to be purchased except the plus games given to us every month.thats not a coincidence, its a SCAM. after spending over $300 dollars for the viita, its shameful,sneaky, & greedy that sony doesn’t want us using our old games on the vita. that way sony forces US the consumer to buy MORE games. thats shady, from now on i’m buying all my games used from gamestop, instead of giving sony another dime of my hard earned money until i’m able to download GAMES THAT I ALREADY OWN.
@28
It actually does work away of your PS3 (if it’s anything like the PSP, which I assume it is the case). The problem here is that the touch controls are perfect for game of this kind, it just feels more natural…
I assume there will be games coming out that surpass this one without the “catch”, when that happens is up to Sony…
I paid $1 for the extra lives. Figured it was cheap to be able to play without waiting for lives to regenerate. Kinda like extra cars on Motor Storm RC;I bought them all to say thanks to the devs.
I didn’t realize you have to do that every time you want to refill your lives.
Game deleted and bought Escape Plan because the devs put out some free DLC and updated their controls.
@29
That’s not true, I’m able to download and play all my free PSN+ minis to my VITA and play them, just go to the “transaction” list, they are all there, you just need to download them again (assuming you activated/downloaded them on the PS3/PSP).
PS: I’m from Europe, so I’m not sure if there’s any problem relating US accounts on that.
A dollar for five very short lives? And I have to add at least five bucks to my account just to do that?
Bad move. Not supporting this.
I’d have paid money for this game if it was fully functional and had trophies. But as it is I can do without five measly minute long lives.
Totally loving this. After I run out of lives I just go play with my dogs or switch the laundry to the dryer, something constructive for a few min and when I come back I got five lives again. now that I unlocked the orange totem some of my lives have lasted for a while.
I have spent my whole day off work so far playing this and if it wasn’t for the built in take a break function I wouldn’t get anything done. can’t wait to unlock some more bonuses.
7/10
You only get 1 minute of play per puzzle…and there’s only one puzzle. What the eff Sony?
I had to delete this game. It’s taking up too much space on your overpriced memory card. (4G ._.)
@32… I’m in the US. Still have no access to download my minis from my transaction history on my Vita to my Vita. Basically states you can’t download them on the Vita.
Also, this is depressing. This should have been like a free bejeweled (which almost every mobile device has a free version of now) but no… this is ridiculing.
and @36… seriously the memory card.. seriously.
Whine whine whine. It’s free people, don’t like…don’t play it.
@ 32. thanks for the advise,but it s true. i went to my playstation store download list, & redownloded EVERYTHING that i received with my plus account, then i went to content manager on the vita, but the vita wouldn’t recognize any of my downloads on my ps3.
This game is outrageous.
I understand free to play and I am all for it when it is done with taste. This game however does not belong on the vita, it belongs on facebook with all the other “nickel and diming you to death” games. It literally asks you for money every few minutes. “you don’t have any more lives so you can’t play for a while UNLESS you buy 5 lives for $1” (which will last you another few minutes). Or, you have no more crystals so you can’t play UNLESS you buy some more on the PSN store…
I work in game development and I feel that games who SOLE design is to take you money should remain in browsers.
@29 & 40 aka Skurge1, he minis etc that i own from my ps+ i search up on the ps store on my vita, sure it says that they cost right there, but the little redbox is there for the ones they have added to the store, they will add more and more, all of them arnt there yet, but as far as iv seen most of the minis etc i got through ps+ i can find on my vita and download, and ofc as the other guy say, the list is a great way to get your old lost things back :D
@DrPhiill Are you in Europe? I think it is becoming clear that they fixed the problem with free PS+ minis in Europe but not in NA. What could possibly be the reason for them fixing it in one region and not the other?
Yep! Shammed by Playstation. Just need to come out with an “Arcade” app with games like this within’ it. That way, its like a virtual trip to the arcade with what funds you have in your wallet. I personally dont see why this game says “Completely free for life to download and play!” in the description, as it is definitely not. It is a trial ,or even a demo. Sony needs to cough up enough jewels for everyone to not have to worry about putting money into this game everytime I want to play it, because it is a good game, just bad marketing.
I played for about 15 minutes, then when it wanted another dollar for five more lives, I deleted it. I have all three Treasures of Montezuma games for PC. You can get them for $6.99 from GameHouse, then you can sit there and play to your heart’s consent.
I would have no problem with a game like this being on Playstation Suite, or an “App” Store. This game has no right to be marketed as a free game, and should not be on PSN.
This game is totally NOT free to play. It only takes about 10 minutes to run out of crystals used to play until they try to make buy more. They have those free scratch cards once a day, but even then, the crystals you win probably only give you 15 mins of play time… Theres nothing free about this game. Feels like little more than game trial.
You do NOT need crystals to play. Just remove any power ups you have equipped and then you can play sans crystals. It isn’t very clear because the option is “Please buy some crystals to complete this action” instead of prompting the player “Buy crystals to complete this action or unequip the power ups”.
@35
You know this Sony’s fault they didn’t make the game, Alawar Entertainment did. Also I realize the games free but there needs to be more modes to play around with and trophies because I’m a trophy addict.
@Squiggle55 Yea Europe here, im shocked that its fixed here and not the US, most of the things allways arrive faster there for some reason :D Anyhow, i play my Minis etc all the time on my Vita next to my Escape Plan that got updated yesterday and Wipeout!