Amazing Vacation: San Francisco > iPad, iPhone, Android, Mac & PC Game

Overall rating

5 / 5

23 of 30 found this review helpful

amazing vacation san francisco

PostedMarch 20, 2023

FranceA58

fromtrois-rivieres

Skill Level:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object

Fun Factor

4 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

4 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Storyline

4 / 5

very good game i like to play it

I recommend this game!

+16points

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Overall rating

5 / 5

16 of 33 found this review helpful

amazing vacation san francisco

PostedMarch 20, 2023

langlant21

fromsaulon la chapelle

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object

Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

bon jeu d'objets cachés j adore a quand la suite j'espere qu'il y en n'aura plein d'autre.merci.rachel.

I recommend this game!

-1point

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Overall rating

5 / 5

Amazing Vacation: San Francisco

PostedJanuary 26, 2025

andrewhow670

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This "Key Contributor" plays, rates, and reviews a lot of games. We think you'll trust their thoughts and opinions about games.
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Fun Factor

5 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

Level of Challenge

5 / 5

Storyline

5 / 5

I enjoy playing games by this developer I like playing games based on geography

I recommend this game!

0points

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Overall rating

4 / 5

14 of 16 found this review helpful

Fun game

PostedMarch 21, 2023

dgeehring

fromCincinnati

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This "Key Contributor" plays, rates, and reviews a lot of games. We think you'll trust their thoughts and opinions about games.
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Favorite Genre(s):Adventure, Card & Board, Match 3, Puzzle

Fun Factor

4 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

4 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

I'm not a big HO game fan but I do like this type. For me this game would have been a 5, except for errors and glitches. It didn't hurt that I lived in the Bay area for about 20 years so it was a fun revisit. I found that they called a macaron - macaroni and they call a great blue heron a stork and there seemed to sometimes be "prerequesites" for clicking. For example, I would see the handpump on ...Show more

I'm not a big HO game fan but I do like this type. For me this game would have been a 5, except for errors and glitches. It didn't hurt that I lived in the Bay area for about 20 years so it was a fun revisit. I found that they called a macaron - macaroni and they call a great blue heron a stork and there seemed to sometimes be "prerequesites" for clicking. For example, I would see the handpump on the list and click on it but it wouldn't work until I clicked another correct object first. Problem is they don't tell you that and sometimes you got the right thing but that makes you unsure if you did. Show less

I recommend this game!

+12points

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Overall rating

3 / 5

17 of 19 found this review helpful

Amazing Vacation: San Francisco (3-20-23)

PostedMarch 20, 2023

kerith90angel

fromNew England, USA

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This "Key Contributor" plays, rates, and reviews a lot of games. We think you'll trust their thoughts and opinions about games.
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Skill Level:Expert

Current Favorite:

Golden Trails 2: The Lost Legacy Collector's Edition

(22)

Fun Factor

2 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

5 / 5

General:
- You can play this game either Timed or Relaxed.
I counted 15 scenes located in San Francisco. They are: 1. Golden Gate Bridge, 2. Aquarium by the Bay, 3. Academy of Sciences, 4. China Town, 5. Ferry Building Market Place, 6. Golden Gate Park, 7. Alcatraz, 8. High Tea, 9. Japanese Tea Garden, 10. Little Italy, 11. Lombard St., 12. Fisherman’s Wharf Pier 19, 13. Market St. 14. San ...Show more

General:
- You can play this game either Timed or Relaxed.
I counted 15 scenes located in San Francisco. They are: 1. Golden Gate Bridge, 2. Aquarium by the Bay, 3. Academy of Sciences, 4. China Town, 5. Ferry Building Market Place, 6. Golden Gate Park, 7. Alcatraz, 8. High Tea, 9. Japanese Tea Garden, 10. Little Italy, 11. Lombard St., 12. Fisherman’s Wharf Pier 19, 13. Market St. 14. San Fran. Bay, & 15. San Fran. Zoo.
- Each of these location scenes has 4 types of search modes.
1. ABC= listed items
2. silhouette items (not shadow items)
3. BCA =scrambled words
4. Mirror mode = all the letters are backwards

*** Only the first 4 of the above location scenes open (and can be played any order) until you play the scene enough times to gather more stars. I needed 10 stars before the next 4 scenes unlocked. I personally really dislike the search methods 2-4 listed above, so I played each of the 4 scenes again in ABC mode. Replaying the same scene grew really old but at least the items were in the same spot so you get faster at it the more times you play the scene.

- Each scene has 15 search items
- Each scene has 1 silhouette trash item to find, to the left of the toolbar.
- Each scene has 2 zoom zones (indicated by very little sparkle) and you only search for 2 items in these great scenes (why just 2 items?)
- POINTS TAB (center top) shows how many points you’ve earned by finding the items (but I have no idea why you collect points). There is nothing to spend them on like in the Vacation Adventure series.
- YELLOW STAR TAB- also center/top. Shows how many stars you collected by searching scenes. By playing the same 4 scenes a few times, (supposedly in all the different search modes) you gather enough stars to unlock the next 4 levels and so on.

What I liked:
The graphics are clear and sharp, the scenes are interesting, and they use real people instead of cartoon ones which was a plus. I also liked the gaming sound effects.

What I didn’t like:
- The hint was too slow
- Some of the words were misspelled and that would be really annoying in the mirror or scrambled modes.
- I had one item left… “macaroni” and couldn’t find it anywhere. I hit Hint, and it pointed out a cheeseburger. Haha I got a kick outta that. Word was “bottle cup” but it was a bottle cap is in the scene. Word was “lamp” but the hint pointed out a flashlight.

- I really disliked ALL of the search methods in this game other than the listed items type (which didn’t even have 2-steppers). I don’t like Silhouettes because the empty blob can be anything. I just prefer to look for either “Shadow items” or just a pic. of the actual item (like Jewel Match series does). The Scrambled words mode is just annoying and the Mirror mode made me a little upset to my stomach.

I think this would be a 5star game if they improved these things:
- If it’s a travel game it should have some facts or trivia about the location you are searching.
- I couldn’t figure out why each of the 2 zoom zones in each scene only had 2 items to search for. Those were really great scenes with a lot of detail and it felt like such a waste to only find 2 items.
- Change the search modes a bit. I love 2 step items and putting items back into the scene where they belong. If only a HOG would have would have just those as a method.
- I’m not a fan of HOG music so when you shut it off there are no “environmental sounds” in this game. Big Adventure: Trip to Europe & the Vacation Adventure series has this down pat. You hear water, wind, birds, etc. instead of just game effect sounds as this game is.
- The scenes in this game have no movement. That is also perfected in the games I’ve listed above. Right on down to 2 step items, example, find the strawberries, put them in the blender, and it actually makes a blending noise.
- Add more scenes. Please stop making us search the same scene over and over for those yellow stars to unlock more scenes. For ppl like me that don’t like the other search methods, it just makes this game a no buy because it’s so annoying searching the same scene several times in the same method. Too bad, because the things I like about this game I actually love. Show less

+15points

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Overall rating

3 / 5

3 of 4 found this review helpful

NOT AS AMAZING AS NY

PostedMarch 29, 2023

cathybobcat

fromChicago, IL

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This "Key Contributor" plays, rates, and reviews a lot of games. We think you'll trust their thoughts and opinions about games.
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Fun Factor

4 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

4 / 5

Level of Challenge

4 / 5

Instead of having 20 scenes as in the Amazing New York game, this one only has 15. Not impressive. I also thought the scenes were better in the NY version.

Gameplay is the same as NY. 3 difficulty levels of play, magnifier in the lower right...and plenty of hints if you need them and have chosen the no time limit mode of difficulty.

There were times I could not pick up an item and when this ...Show more

Instead of having 20 scenes as in the Amazing New York game, this one only has 15. Not impressive. I also thought the scenes were better in the NY version.

Gameplay is the same as NY. 3 difficulty levels of play, magnifier in the lower right...and plenty of hints if you need them and have chosen the no time limit mode of difficulty.

There were times I could not pick up an item and when this happened, I just focused on finding other items on the list and when I was able to pick up the item, I went back to pick up the one that would not respond. That worked for me. Otherwise, you just exit to the map and choose the scene again and see if that will work.

There are 4 modes of play as in the NY game. (1) ABC, word items....(2) Silhouette...(3) Scrambled word items....(4) Mirrored, where the scene is in reverse with the items in reverse spelling. I really liked the mirrored scenes. You can play any mode any time you like.

The game is fun, but was too short. It is relaxing, not taxing and I am sure I will play it again. I hope the next game will have 20 scenes instead of just 15. Show less

I recommend this game!

+2points

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Overall rating

3 / 5

Not really that amazing but it'll do in a pinch

PostedOctober 3, 2023

rainstormy

fromLufkin, TX

Skill Level:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Brain Teaser, Card & Board, Hidden Object, Match 3, Puzzle, Word

Fun Factor

3 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

4 / 5

Level of Challenge

3 / 5

Run of the mill, average-in-every-way travel HOG – I've played a LOT of these and this one isn't terrible, but it's just kind of generic and unremarkable as these types of games go. Objects are clear and easy to spot and I hardly ever employed the dreaded “hint button.” Other reviewers have pointed out the many language and translation errors in this foreign-produced game; I notice those so often ...Show more

Run of the mill, average-in-every-way travel HOG – I've played a LOT of these and this one isn't terrible, but it's just kind of generic and unremarkable as these types of games go. Objects are clear and easy to spot and I hardly ever employed the dreaded “hint button.” Other reviewers have pointed out the many language and translation errors in this foreign-produced game; I notice those so often they are almost predictable for me now, but they are still annoying. The game features unnaturally bright and overly cheery scenery of a very idealized San Francisco – a city which frankly, is not getting much (if any) positive press in the media these days: so it's both a travel HOG and a fantasy game as well, I guess. At any rate, kids might enjoy this Amazing Vacation San Francisco as may someone who is new to this genre, but seasoned players will find better offerings even from Lazy Turtle – the “Travel To (fill in the location)” series are more challenging and rewarding, with a higher production level. I'll recommend this one because it does fulfill its promise - it's a travel HOG; just not an exceptional example of one. Show less

0points

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Overall rating

2 / 5

18 of 22 found this review helpful

amazing vacation san francisco

PostedMarch 20, 2023

Janeypat

fromuk

Key Contributor
This "Key Contributor" plays, rates, and reviews a lot of games. We think you'll trust their thoughts and opinions about games.
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Skill Level:Expert

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object

Current Favorite:

Crossroads: Escaping the Dark

(5)

Fun Factor

2 / 5

Level of Challenge

2 / 5

Storyline

2 / 5

oh dear
what a waste of a game
same objects on all 4 choices of where you played
Never mind got it for free
Not the best
Did the game before it asked me to pay
lucky me
Carry on BFG - hard times
Thank you for being there

I don't recommend this game.

+14points

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Overall rating

2 / 5

10 of 10 found this review helpful

Once again...

PostedMarch 20, 2023

beckins

fromCalgary, Alberta, Canada

Key Contributor
This "Key Contributor" plays, rates, and reviews a lot of games. We think you'll trust their thoughts and opinions about games.
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Skill Level:Intermediate

Favorite Genre(s):Hidden Object, Mahjong, Marble Popper, Match 3

Fun Factor

2 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

4 / 5

Level of Challenge

2 / 5

So many mislabeled items. A lamp is not a light bulb, and a padlock is not a combination lock! In 45 minutes I unlocked all 15 levels. Even if you play all 4 modes per location, there are still only 60 levels to play in total. And with almost no challenge in finding items, I will finish the game is less than 3 hours, possibly even closer to 2 hours. This is a no buy for me but try it for yourself. ...Show more

So many mislabeled items. A lamp is not a light bulb, and a padlock is not a combination lock! In 45 minutes I unlocked all 15 levels. Even if you play all 4 modes per location, there are still only 60 levels to play in total. And with almost no challenge in finding items, I will finish the game is less than 3 hours, possibly even closer to 2 hours. This is a no buy for me but try it for yourself. It might just be your cup of lemonade (don't you just hate when things are mislabeled?)! Show less

I don't recommend this game.

+10points

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Overall rating

2 / 5

48 of 75 found this review helpful

MACARONI IS A NOODLE-THERE'S NO "I" IN A MACARON (or Macaroon with coconut)

PostedMarch 20, 2023

pennmom36

fromVacation ends when the no's end

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This "Top Reviewer" is one of our most frequent game reviewers. We think you'll trust what they have to say and find their reviews helpful and informative.
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Skill Level:Expert

Fun Factor

2 / 5

Visual/Sound Quality

3 / 5

Level of Challenge

2 / 5

Storyline

2 / 5

Looks like the Macaroni disguised as a Macaron has returned! This developer may want to start reading reviews because everyone was complaining about not being able to find Macaroni in the last game, and here we are with the same misspelled item in game number two! Lord help the player who starts with the Missing Vowel or Scrambled Letter Mode!

I don't know about you, but I'm getting tired of ...Show more

Looks like the Macaroni disguised as a Macaron has returned! This developer may want to start reading reviews because everyone was complaining about not being able to find Macaroni in the last game, and here we are with the same misspelled item in game number two! Lord help the player who starts with the Missing Vowel or Scrambled Letter Mode!

I don't know about you, but I'm getting tired of all the travel-themed games! It's bad enough that the devs always choose New York first, followed by California (we have 50 states, ya know), but why do they have to use the same tourist locations in every game? How many times do we have to find hidden objects spewed about The Aquarium on the Bay? Surely, there is more than one stock photo available for this massive aquarium?

I get that developers have to use non-licensed iStock images, but can't they think outside the box and choose something other than Hats, Fans, Ropes, Neckties & Bowties, Keys, Microphones, Shovels, Pipes, Bats, Wheels, Frogs, Crowbars, Baguettes, Shoes, Flutes, and Hangers as the HO objects?...and definitely not Macaroni-Macarons!

You can play in a Relaxed mode with no timer or opt for a 10-minute or 3-minute Timed mode. You will earn a single Gold Star when you complete a scene, and those stars unlock the next destination. Eventually, you will have to replay the scenes to unlock the other scenes. You can choose which HO mode to play, such as Listed Items, Missing Vowels, Silhouetted Shapes, Scrambled Letters, or Mirrored Mode, where the words, as well as the scene itself, is a mirrored image (like seeing the word ambulance thru your rearview mirror)

Each scene has two Zoom Zones (look for glints in the scene) as well as at least one Recyclable object shown as a Silhouetted Shape. Obviously, we don't want to leave a footprint because being environmentally conscious is the right thing to do...just try to overlook the "Other" trash that we aren't being asked to remove...Also, you're going to want to carefully step over those sleeping bags & camping gear as it appears someone has decided to make the hallway of the Aquarium their permanent residence!?

SCENE LOCATIONS:
Golden Gate-Aquarium By The Bay-Academy of Science-Chinatown-Ferry Building Marketplace-Golden Gate Park-Alcatraz-High Tea-Japanese Tea Garden-Little Italy-Lombard Street-Fisherman's Warf Pier 39-Market Street-San Francisco Bay-San Francisco Zoo

When you get back from San Francisco, come join us at my new Nature-themed forum at thewoodsforum.booards.net Show less

I don't recommend this game.

+21points

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