PearMe is a small memory and matching game available free from the iTune App Store. Like other iPhone memory games, pearMe displays a number of face down cards challenging players to match cards by turning two over at a time. In pearMe, if the two cards match they are grouped and moved to the lower right hand corner of your screen. If the cards don’t match they a flipped back over and the player must choose two cards again.

There is something different and kind of wonderful about pearMe. Unlike many of the other memory and match games, pearMe can use pictures from your iPhone as the matching criteria. It’s a small change from other games but one that has a huge impact. Instead of trying to match a generic looking animal face, I’m trying to match a picture of Aunt Gertrude blowing out her birthday candles or my little niece learning to walk. It’s really cool and an absolutely fabulous way to show off your iPhone.

I wish I could give pearMe a higher score. It’s a great little game, effectively meshing memory with memories. Unfortunately, I have to try and stay unbiased while looking at pearMe’s features, graphics, sound, playability and production level. On those accounts peaMe has lots of things it could do better.

PearMe has two basic features. Players can change the number of card pairs and change the pictures used for pairs. Changing the number of pairs is easy and gives you options from 3 to 42 pairs. Changing the pictures used to make the pairs is a little more difficult requiring players to delete the default pictures and then select one-by-one pictures from their iPhone.

The graphics of pearMe consist of a white rectangle with a question mark and there is no sound whatsoever. Of course, your pictures make up some of the graphics in the game and I’m sure those are wonderful.

The major problem with pearMe is its menu system. When you change any option the game does not take into account those changes right away. Initially, I thought you had to restart the game every time you made an option change but, after a little testing, I discovered you could press the the copyright button to reset the game and load the current options. The only way to access the menu options is via the tiny “i” icon similar to the ones seen in the lower right corner of most widgets. I don’t mind using the little icon but, in pearMe, when you make a match the pictures are moved to the lower right, covering up the menu icon.

PearMe is a great little game. It’s quick to load, fun to play and a great way to show off both your iPhone and family. I found it had a lot of replayability because it centers around something I’m interested it. . .my family. I really wanted to give the game a higher score but it’s menu shortcomings prevented me from doing so. Hopefully the developer is still working on this game, with a little polish pearMe could be fantastic.

By: Aaron Robbins