Match-3 special tiles

[Phil Steinmeyer]

OK, for your typical match-3 style game, there are usually various special tiles. Just trying to catalogue them here so I can figure out which ones I want to use:

Locked (immoveable, usually unlocked by matching into a 3-in-a-row)
Exploder (destroys adjacent when matched)
Row/Column Exploder (wipes an entire vert/horiz. row when matched)
Color Exploder (zaps all of same color when matched)
Wild card (can be matched to any group)

What else is there?

[sparkyboy]

Well depending on the theme, certain tiles when matched give a little bonus to the player i.e. A clue, a new piece of the jigsaw etc.
When I eventually get started on my project, tiles like these will be playing a very, very integral part in the game.;)

All the best


Mark.

[clilian]

Hi, here's another one (I haven't seen it in any game though)

- bomb tiles : they explode if you don't get rid of them quickly enough, and create an avalanche of new tiles...

Lilian :)

[z3lda]

- bomb tiles : they explode if you don't get rid of them quickly enough, and create an avalanche of new tiles...

I think that is in jewels of atlantis. Not sure though. But i've played a bit of match three swap tile games recently and I think I saw that in one of the games i've played.

[Phil Steinmeyer]

I'm also noticing that most match-3s only have a limited number of special tile types - usually only 2 or 3 tops. My personal preference is for greater variety (introduced slowly over the course of the initial 5-10 game levels. But maybe I'm too hard core and simpler is better...

[Sharkbait]

Here's one I used for Atomixer that I call the Morph Atom. It basically stays there when matched but changes colour until a 'final' colour is reached and it disappears. It can be used a puzzle solving element (sharing among tripple matches) or as a 'negative' powerup if the aim of the game is to clear the board (several matches are needed until it is finally removed).

[Anlino]

A power-up that destroy bricks on random,
a power-up that changes the shape/color of tiles nearby,
a power-up that raises the score(hardly imaginative, but should be added to the pile just as well).

Now tell us, Phil, what are you working on?:)

[soniCron]

Now tell us, Phil, what are you working on?:) It's a massive multiplayer online first person real-time sim with role-playing elements set in a futuristic world populated by dragons. This is just for the mini game.

[Anlino]

It's a massive multiplayer online first person real-time sim with role-playing elements set in a futuristic world populated by dragons. This is just for the mini game.

Of course it is:)

No really, the reason behind the question was the collection of prototypes Phil posted earlier. It would be interesting to know which one of them became the lucky one, if any of them.

[Phil Steinmeyer]

The game I'm working on was one of the prototypes.

But I'm not tellin' which. At least, not yet :)

[Grey Alien]

I've got 8 special tiles in Easter Bonus, 2-3 not mentioned in your list: paintpot (maybe), paintbrush and star. I introduced them pretty quickly actually because I wanted people to see them early on in the demo to realise that it wasn't just match-3 with nothing special. I also had a whole stack of special tiles listed in my to do that I didn't have time to add.

[terenctb]

Hmm...I have about 8 too.

TimeBomb - which reduces X from your timer.
Bonus - which gives you a match/score bonus
jackpot - which blows up all bonus tiles on screen

and then some of yours.

My basic worry right now is visual/audio clues that accompany the special and visual/audio rewards. I hate to 'extend' my help/tutorials to explain every single special, that would make me broke paying artists for more assets.