Gemstones by Spike Studio

[raw]
made by Spike Studio for Ludum Dare 51 (JAM)

Play Now on Itch.io! https://spikestudio.itch.io/gemstones

Pair gemstones together to get the highest score possible!

If you enjoy the game, be sure to check out my YouTube for when I post a DevLog: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcVCPcXA0nbhnVTwBTZ9XNw

Try to beat my top score of 623,610!

FinalScore.PNG

Ratings

Overall 434th 3.654⭐ 54🧑‍⚖️
Fun 252th 3.764⭐ 55🧑‍⚖️
Innovation 819th 3.047⭐ 55🧑‍⚖️
Theme 1216th 2.029⭐ 53🧑‍⚖️
Graphics 586th 3.625⭐ 54🧑‍⚖️
Audio 232th 3.731⭐ 54🧑‍⚖️
Humor 860th 2.313⭐ 42🧑‍⚖️
Mood 628th 3.398⭐ 51🧑‍⚖️
Given 47🗳️ 83🗨️

Feedback

spacefudge
04. Oct 2022 · 00:06 UTC
Good Fun and a real solid graphics mood
Jekyllina
04. Oct 2022 · 00:33 UTC
i don't understand where is the 10 seconds theme.. but game funny, good graphics
HoneyHop
04. Oct 2022 · 00:41 UTC
I really like the art style in this game and the chill music/SFX. It's a fun new take on a classic game!
Fractal Flower Girl
04. Oct 2022 · 01:39 UTC
This was really fun even though I don't see how it fit the theme. It was cool how each gem had a unique matching pattern, and they looked really fun and sparkly. I got 221,140 and enjoyed that I could keep playing just for fun even after I ran out of moves. Great job!
lavendaggers
04. Oct 2022 · 04:15 UTC
Got hooked on playing this! I didn't quite beat the high score but got close!
LDJam user 300745
04. Oct 2022 · 15:42 UTC
Nice game! Maybe multiple levels introducing the new items will lower the learning curve and shorthenen the plays.
misterstripey
04. Oct 2022 · 17:11 UTC
Hey, I enjoyed playing this on stream! I really wanted to give it another go to see if I could beat my score. You did an incredible job with the music and SFX and I really loved just chilling out with a low pressure puzzler (that actually got quite intense towards the end)
LDJam user 250426
05. Oct 2022 · 04:38 UTC
Refreshing take on the matching/swapping type games! Very relaxing to play, I loved it!
![gemstones.png](///raw/a32/d3/z/523cb.png)
ElmoEinstein
05. Oct 2022 · 04:49 UTC
gotta say fun and great graphics. great gameplay loop too.
Stephen Kyranakis
05. Oct 2022 · 05:18 UTC
Great work on the art! It was a pretty satisfying game.
HerryFabien
05. Oct 2022 · 12:19 UTC
That a great game but clearly not fitting the theme AT ALL !!!
I don't really like the idea that the only move that can change the board is so punished (diminishing combo and remaining move) but it fit a puzzle game where the choice you have must be though out a long time in advance.
BUT that not the theme here it's every 10 secondes so going the direction of a changing board every 10 secondes would have hindered the puzzle aspect for sure but be more dynamics. Maybe having gems do effect at the end of the 10 second or even SOME doing that
CookieRA
05. Oct 2022 · 18:57 UTC
180,000 Points

Good game, but does not fit the theme :)
LDJam user 268647
06. Oct 2022 · 01:08 UTC
- Nice itch page
- in-game tutorial is good, but I wish I could close it without having to follow it
- I wish the gem shapes implied their movement pattern
- Music is calming, the ui and everything felt good. There was nice feedback and polish
- I lost and I didn't really know why at the end, I guess I ran out of moves? I didn't know you could run out of moves. Can you get more moves? This isn't clear
- I'm in two minds if I think the theme fit or not. I understand your explanation and it is nice to see a game that wasn't just "normal game but on a timer"
chitoyuu
06. Oct 2022 · 03:23 UTC
Very, very polished match-3 (or 2) experience, complete with a full-fledged tutorial. Much more than what you'd expect from a jam game. I like the music and sound effects. It was pretty fun!
SofiGnedova
06. Oct 2022 · 03:27 UTC
![БУБУБУ.PNG](///raw/575/a3/z/5276a.png)
An interesting fresh look at games of this kind. I think it will make a good game in the future. There is a lack of a bright wrapper and an easier start.
All sorts of explosions whistles and animation are the basis of this genre. But the mechanics are made interesting. Will it really work out to play it without thinking, but just poking the gems, as in games 3 in one?
You're good. However, I don't even see inspiration for the main theme of the jam.
theslate
06. Oct 2022 · 04:02 UTC
229000 yo! Great game. I matched SO many things. Great chill music. Good job! Keep it up.
LDJam user 4886
06. Oct 2022 · 08:28 UTC
I have to try making a match-x game some day! I like how you introduced new neighbouring rules related to jewel shapes. Nice!
Stefan Laimer
06. Oct 2022 · 08:30 UTC
Really nice little game, great job!

![score.PNG](///raw/b24/22/z/527f9.png)
Jibberwocky
06. Oct 2022 · 08:43 UTC
![CaptureLD51.PNG](///raw/1a1/93/z/527fc.png) Very moreish puzzle game-play surprisingly difficult when you get down to your last couple of moves but otherwise so much fun to just keep clicking the shapes together when you get a nice combo going.
Jaker
06. Oct 2022 · 08:53 UTC
I got 319430 points. Quite chill like the previous commenter mentioned, but I don't see how the theme fits with the game jam. Either way, it's a fun and well-polished game.
Roroto Sic
06. Oct 2022 · 10:00 UTC
i was so close to unlock coal (or meteor ?) !

![Capture d’écran 2022-10-06 115838.png](///raw/d93/94/z/52819.png)
Wendel Scardua
06. Oct 2022 · 13:33 UTC
![Gemstones.png](///raw/bdb/1/z/52860.png)

Got 349k points :)

As I said on some twitch chat elsewhere, I really liked the asymmetric mechanics - and by making new gems unlock during progression it was easy to learn and get used to each one, that's nice.

If you intend to polish this gem of a game after the rating period, some small issues I had:

- sometimes the tutorial progresses by interacting with the board (like the first one, about switching gems), but sometimes we need to click on the pop-up, and it's not clear which is which (so maybe the tutorial pop-ups that need to be clicked should have a "close" or "next>>" button?)

- at some point in the middle of my playthrough there were two pop-ups at the same time, and one was in front of the other so I couldn't read the second one (and they both closed together).

Also, not an issue per se but maybe you should consider adding support for mobile/touch devices :)
Jonrei
06. Oct 2022 · 15:41 UTC
Got 24100 points. Great chill music :)
saintchristopher777
06. Oct 2022 · 18:52 UTC
Nice matching game! Art is good, and the music chill. These games always have that addictive quality too. Great work!
José Bonilla
06. Oct 2022 · 19:34 UTC
Really nice game, super polished, nice mechanics, nice graphics. I just feel the theme was really forced in and that is being reflected a little bit in my grades, but otherwise super cool game. Love games with tutorials, although I felt the explanations were not as clear (I spent some time until I got the hang of it). Make a mobile version and I'll play it!
Budda
06. Oct 2022 · 19:38 UTC
Solid game. I think there might be an issue with the random seeding of new gems in some cases? By the end I had a loop of three moves that I could just do over and over to farm points, and the same gems would spawn every time.
woahitsjeff
07. Oct 2022 · 01:59 UTC
Love the time put into the itch.io page. It looks really nice! This take on the match-three genre was very neat. Easy to get lost in time!
nardandas
07. Oct 2022 · 02:36 UTC
![Capture.PNG](///raw/b9a/3/z/52a0b.png)

I played this a lot. Really addicting game.
🎤 Spike Studio
07. Oct 2022 · 10:14 UTC
@nardandas that is the highest score I’ve seen so far, wow! I will be putting this on steam after the jam, so be sure to watch for that :)
Cedric86
07. Oct 2022 · 18:59 UTC
Very chill puzzle game. Git a bit hooked. I don't really understand the use of the theme but disregarding that good game. Well done.
Oh and you went all out on your itch.io page. Nice. :D
Charzy
09. Oct 2022 · 11:29 UTC
Fun game, and an incredible pun on the theme (that I didn't get until the end screen explained it to me)
wheybags
13. Oct 2022 · 10:33 UTC
![Screenshot 2022-10-13 123139.png](///raw/c57/b/z/53196.png)

Fun game! Took me a while to realise that I needed to avoid "movements" as much as possible.