On the day the server was launched, the resources I saved through offline AFK reached level 180, and it took me another three days to clear the main line. Today I compiled the actual measurement data. This game looks casual, but the efficiency gap between speed running and slow grinding can be two or three times wider. Let's talk about the conclusion first: if you want to pass the level efficiently, don't stick to three stars. Set your goal on “passing the level + high special effects”. The benefits will be much higher than pursuing perfection.
The core mechanism will be explained first: when eliminating blocks, give priority to finding combinations that can produce special effects. Two adjacent blocks of the same color are interchanged to trigger match four or match five, which is more than 4 times more profitable than a single match of three. It has been measured that a fireball special effect (match four) can blow up 9 surrounding blocks. When combined with the chain triggering of lightning (match five), half the screen of obstacles can be cleared in one operation. So don't rush to eliminate the edge blocks. Scan the array of blocks in the center area first. If you have the opportunity to make a match of four or five, lock it immediately. It's definitely not a loss.
Regarding the use of props, I recommend that you must bring "bomb" and "transposition" when you clear the level. These two are life-saving straws when you get stuck. But note: Unless the level is very time-limited, don't let it go at the beginning. The optimal triggering time is when there are only the last three levels of the obstacle area and the number of steps is within 10 steps. At this time, the props have the greatest benefit. I have done a comparison and found that placing bombs at the beginning wastes at least 30% of the output, because the block arrangement has not yet been unfolded and key obstacles cannot be exploded.
Let's talk about the level star issue. In the game, the gold coins rewarded by three stars are twice as much as those for passing the basic level. However, in order to make up for the three stars repeatedly, the time cost outweighs the gain. My play style is: I only play each of the first 200 levels once. After getting one star, I immediately go to the next level. Anyway, the gold coins can be replenished by flying house management and offline output. But there is one exception - if there is a "Star Bottle" prop in the level, collect it first. After collecting three star bottles, you can synthesize a rainbow bomb, which is the key to clearing monsters in the whole screen. If you encounter this prop in any level, it is worth playing again.
Don't ignore the decoration part of the flying house. When upgrading furniture, give priority to flight height and accelerator. These two attributes directly determine the increment of offline income. I have tested it with a trumpet: when the flight altitude is raised from level 5 to level 8, the offline gold coin output increases by 12% per hour. Although it seems small in the early stage, after accumulating to 200 levels, the difference in output per hour allows you to buy props three times to extend your life when you get stuck. This is the key to persisting to the end.
Finally, let's talk about a detail that most novices don't know: the “Cracker Fish” activity entrance in the lower left corner of the interface has two free challenges every day, and the rewards are free steps and double bonuses for specific levels. It is recommended that every time the main line reaches a level bottleneck, kill the Cracker Fish first. The double bonus you get can last for 30 minutes, which is just right for breaking through high-level levels. This is considered a version benefit. If you don't take advantage of it, you'll be at a huge loss.
Attached is a reference for the speed pass route that I have actually tested: from levels 1 to 100, just use basic eliminations, and focus on collecting star bottles to upgrade the flying house; from levels 101 to 250, start paying attention to the five match combinations, and use props to get a gold rating; after level 251, use them first in each level Visual inspection is used to confirm whether the lightning effect can be triggered within 15 steps. If not, just change the strategy and focus on the reorganization of horizontal columns instead of hitting vertical obstacles - as the game progresses, the cost of vertical elimination is twice as high as that of horizontal elimination, which is a pitfall in numerical design.
Okay, these are probably the ideas for speedrunning. The core is just one sentence: Treat every operation as an investment, and prioritize the combination that maximizes returns. Even a little detour is better than just spending money in vain. My current score is 503 levels, which took 11 hours and 47 minutes (the last level was completed three times). This data was obtained based on the above playing method. If you follow my approach, it will take an estimated twelve and a half hours to clear more than 500 levels, which may be faster. If you have better routines, please come back and discuss them. I will update my playing methods at any time. 🔥