Super Color Lines is a fun and addictive puzzle game that has been popular for over 20 years. The goal is to form lines of five or more balls of the same color to clear them from the board and score points. It’s simple to learn but requires logic and strategy to master. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to play Super Color Lines.
Super Color Lines was created by Alexey Pajitnov, the same developer who made the famous Tetris game. The first version was released in 1992 for the Amiga computer. Since then it has been ported to many platforms over the years, including mobile devices.
The game takes elements of other classic titles like Tetris, Puyo Puyo, and Columns and combines them into a unique and entertaining experience. Like Tetris, pieces fall from the top and you must position them strategically on the board. Similar to Puyo Puyo, by connecting pieces of the same color together you can trigger cascading chain reactions. And as in Columns, matching vertical, horizontal, or diagonal lines will make them disappear.
One of the keys to Super Color Lines is that it’s easy to learn but difficult to master. Anyone can pick it up and understand the basic mechanics quickly. But as the blocks stack higher and higher, you’ll need strong critical thinking skills, quick reflexes, and a bit of luck to keep going. This blend of simplicity and complexity is part of what makes it so addictive.
So if you’re looking for a colorful, casual game that’s mentally stimulating, Super Color Lines is a great choice. Let’s get into the details of how to play!
Gameplay Basics
Super Color Lines takes place on a square grid board that’s 10 blocks wide by 20 blocks high. The columns are labeled A through J from left to right. The objective is to form solid lines of 5 or more adjoining balls of the same color. This will eliminate them from the board and earn you points. Here are the basics of gameplay:
- Colored balls continuously fall randomly from the top of the board.
- You can move each ball left, right, down, or rotate it before it settles in place.
- When a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal row of 5 or more balls of the same color are connected, they disappear.
- The balls above fall down to fill the gap, with new balls appearing at the top.
- The game ends when the board fills up and no more moves can be made.
The goal is to clear as many lines and score as many points as you can before the game ends. With 10 different colored balls, things can get hectic quickly! Let’s look at some tips and strategies next.
Tips and Strategies
Super Color Lines is easy to learn but tough to master. Here are some helpful tips and strategies to improve your game:
Act Fast But Think Ahead
Speed is important – you need to make decisions quickly as balls are constantly falling. But don’t just react in the moment, try to think several moves ahead. Set up combinations and cascades to maximize points.
Target Larger Lines First
Prioritize making lines of 5 balls over smaller 2-4 ball sequences. The larger the line cleared, the more points earned. 5 balls earns 100 points, while 4 balls only earns 40 points.
Create Combos
When you can, set up chains where clearing one line automatically clears others. This exponentially increases points earned. With proper setup, 1 move can score 1,000+ points!
Pay Attention to Stack Height
Keep an eye on how high balls are stacking – build up too high and your options will be limited. Try to keep things even by clearing lines across the whole board.
Use Both Horizontal and Vertical Lines
It’s easy to only focus on horizontal lines, but vertical and diagonal lines are just as valuable. Open up space by clearing columns too.
Save Special Balls
There are special silver and gold balls that can be used strategically. We’ll cover them soon. Resist using them right away – save them for when you really need them.
Reload If Things Get Tricky
Don’t feel bad about reloading the board if it gets too cluttered. It’s better than letting the game end completely.
Special Ball Types
In addition to the 10 colored ball types, there are two special balls that give you useful abilities:
Silver Balls
Silver balls act as wild cards. They can match with any colored ball to help you complete lines. Try to maneuver them into clogged areas to open things up.
Gold Balls
Gold balls eliminate all balls that are the same color as the adjacent balls when used in a line. This is great for clearing piles of one color quickly.
Use these balls wisely to strategically blast through tricky formations. Don’t waste them early on single lines – save them for when you really need their abilities.
Scoring
Clearing colored lines earns points in Super Color Lines based on the size of the line:
| Line Size | Points Earned |
|---|---|
| 2 balls | 10 points |
| 3 balls | 30 points |
| 4 balls | 40 points |
| 5 or more balls | 100 points |
Bonuses:
- +100 points – Clear two lines simultaneously
- +300 points – Clear three lines simultaneously
- +500 points – Clear four or more lines simultaneously
- +100 points – Use silver ball in a line
- +200 points – Use gold ball in a line
The more lines you clear simultaneously, the higher your bonuses. Removing 5 lines at once earns 700 points total!
Game Modes
Super Color Lines typically has two main game modes to choose from:
Endless Mode
Balls keep falling endlessly until the board fills up. The goal is to survive as long as possible and earn the highest score you can.
Time Attack Mode
You have a set time limit, like 2 or 5 minutes, to score as many points as you can. Clear lines and combos quickly to maximize your score before time runs out.
Some versions may also have additional modes like Challenge, Versus, Relax, or Survival modes. These provide different ways to play and test your skills.
Playing Tips
Here are some final tips to improve your Super Color Lines skills:
- Pay attention to the next 3-4 balls at the top so you can plan ahead.
- Learn to quickly spot lines and combinations in your peripheral vision.
- Stay calm when the board fills up – look for hidden lines to bail yourself out.
- Balance offensive and defensive moves. Don’t just focus only on scoring.
- With practice, you can learn to control the board and manipulate the pieces to maximize combos.
- Study professional replays online to pick up new strategies and patterns.
It takes time to get really good at spotting opportunities and chaining together huge combos. But anyone can have fun playing Super Color Lines at a basic level. Just relax, focus, and keep an open mind – you’ll be clearing lines like a pro with practice.
Conclusion
That covers the basics of how to play Super Color Lines! With simple controls and rules but complex strategies, it’s an addictive puzzle game for all ages. Quick thinking is required as the speed ramps up, keeping your brain engaged. Play in Endless mode for a high score challenge, or Time Attack for fast-paced action.
Use special silver and gold balls wisely to blast through tough jams. Look for combinations and cascades to maximize your points. And stay alert to stop the board from filling up completely.
It’s a classic formula that still feels fresh after 20+ years. If you like Tetris, Columns, Bejeweled, Candy Crush or other matching puzzles, give Super Color Lines a try. Let the bright balls hypnotize you into a state of concentration and flow. Just don’t blame us if you can’t stop playing!
