Instructions
GOAL
The object of the game is to transform the entire board into purple by placing TILES on every square. When you turn a whole board to purple, you win.
Game Elements
How To Place Tiles
Discarding Tiles
The Discard Counter
Rows And Columns
Stones
Bombs
Scoring
GAME ELEMENTS
TILES are spiffy symbols that come in different shapes and colors. You place these on the board to change the square underneath to purple. Tiles must be placed next to an existing Tile, and they must match all adjacent Tiles in either their shape, their color, or both.
STONES are grey blocks that act as "wild cards." Any type of Tile can be placed next to a Stone, and a Stone may be placed on any empty Board square.
BOMBS are exciting. You can place them on any existing Tile to destroy it.
The DISCARD COUNTER is located on the right sidebar. It increments whenever you discard a Tile and decrements when you place a Tile successfully. When the Discard Counter exceeds 3, the game will end.
HOW TO PLACE TILES
When you start your first game, you will see a grey Stone in the center of the board. You will place your first Tile next to this Stone.
After that, you will receive a series of randomly chosen Tiles that you must place on the board.
Remember:
Tiles must be placed next to another Tile already on the board.
Tiles must match the shape or color of all Tiles they're placed next to.
Placing a Tile on a square changes that square to purple. The square remains purple even if the Tile is later destroyed. When the entire board has been changed to purple, you've won the game.
DISCARDING TILES
Sometimes you won't be able to place a Tile anywhere on the board. At this point you'll have to discard the Tile.
You can discard any Tile by right-clicking your mouse.
THE DISCARD COUNTER
Every time you discard a Tile, the Discard Counter will increment. When the Discard Counter exceeds 3, the game is over.
You can decrement the Discard Counter by successfully placing Tiles on the board. Every time you place a Tile, the Discard Counter will decrease by one.
ROWS AND COLUMNS
You will have to clear Tiles from the board in order to successfully change every square to purple. The easiest way to do this is by creating a complete row or column of Tiles.
Whenever you complete a full row across or a column up and down, all the Tiles in that line will disappear from the board. The squares beneath will remain purple.
STONES
Sometimes you will receive a grey Stone instead of a Tile. The Stones are wild cards. Any type of Tile can be placed next to a Stone.
Be careful with Stones! They can be crucial in solving a difficult board, so use them with caution.
BOMBS
Sometimes you will receive a Bomb instead of a Tile. The Bombs can be used to destroy any Tile already on the board. Just click on the target Tile to destroy it.
Bombs can be useful in clearing areas that have gotten tangled up with too many Tiles.
SCORING
Here's the formula used to figure your points:
Placing a Tile on green square:
5 pts -- Placing a Tile on a square with 1 adjacent Tile
15 pts -- Placing a Tile on a square with 2 adjacent Tiles
30 pts -- Placing a Tile on a square with 3 adjacent Tiles
50 pts -- Placing a Tile on a square with 4 adjacent Tiles
Placing a Tile on a purple square:
1 pt -- Placing a Tile on a square with 1 adjacent Tile
2 pts -- Placing a Tile on a square with 2 adjacent Tiles
3 pts -- Placing a Tile on a square with 3 adjacent Tiles
4 pts -- Placing a Tile on a square with 4 adjacent Tiles
Clearing a row or column:
5 pts -- Clearing a row or column that has previously been cleared
50 pts -- Clearing a row or column that hasn't been cleared before
250 pts -- Clearing a row and column simultaneously
Completing a level: 500 pts
This instruction guide is an edited version of Alchemy's instruction guide.
Alchemy is copyrighted by PopCap Games. I probably don't have permission to be using their documentation.
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