Tripleopolis: Launching my debut puzzle game
Jun 03, 2024
I’m not usually one to make “I’m excited to announce” posts, but… I’m genuinely excited to announce my debut game, Tripleopolis, is now live on the Apple App Store. (Android version is still working it’s way through the Play Store processes). Tripleopolis is a fun and addictive match-3 puzzler focused on the long game where players build their city.
If you’re a fan of puzzle, indie, or strategy games, here’s why I think you’ll love Tripleopolis:
– Simple, yet addictive gameplay.
– Designed and developed from scratch. No game engines, toolkits, themes, or templates.
– There’s absolutely no ads… I hate ads.
– Early feedback has been extremely positive.
The Journey
You may have seen me post about Tripleopolis previously. I created the first prototype as a Progressive Web App (PWA). For those unfamiliar, a PWA is essentially a website that functions like an app. This initial version allowed me to experiment with various gameplay mechanics and refine the core concept. The game revolves around merging tiles to build a city, drawing inspiration from much-loved puzzle games and adding a few unique twists.
Development from Scratch
As a designer and developer, I wanted to build Tripleopolis entirely from scratch. I avoided using themes, templates, outsourcing, frameworks, toolkits, or libraries to ensure complete creative control and a unique final product.
An important decision was to exclude advertisements from the game. Ads often make apps look cheap and disrupt the user experience. Instead, Tripleopolis offers players 100 free moves per day, with the option to unlock unlimited moves via an in-app purchase.
Challenges and Features
Tripleopolis includes several challenges to keep the gameplay engaging. Lightning strikes can destroy organic tiles, requiring players to clear the board and adapt their strategies. Pesky foxes move around the board and can be trapped for coin rewards. These coins can be used to purchase helpful items within the game… You don’t want the game to be too easy, right?
Moving Forward
As Tripleopolis continues to evolve, feedback and suggestions from players will be invaluable. This game represents not only a significant development project but also an opportunity to explore the potential of combining creativity and technology in new ways. I’ll be posting future updates on my blog and in my newsletter.
You can get the game right now on live on the Apple App Store, and if you could leave a revew – 5 stars of course 🙂 – that would be hugely appreciated.