Griddots

Color-link puzzles are relaxing on your own. Griddots asks what happens when eight people solve the same one at the same time against the clock. It is our own game: I designed the rules, the modes, the interface and the competitive systems, and built it with React Native, with a Python backend that generates and serves the levels.

Single-player puzzle games are easy to start and easy to abandon. The goal was to keep the satisfying core loop, connect every pair and fill every cell, and add the tension of a live match and a reason to come back every day.

1. 01

   Signal Arena multiplayer

   Everyone gets the same puzzle at the same time on their own board. Each round the grid grows from 5x5 up to 12x12, and anyone who cannot fill it before the timer is eliminated.

2. 02

   Weekly leagues

   Leagues of 30 players, League Points for every round survived, and seven ranks from Orbit to Singularity for the top finishers.

3. 03

   Friend rooms

   Private rooms for 2, 4 or 8 players with a shareable code. Friend matches never affect league standing.

4. 04

   Two puzzle modes

   Classic mode, where paths never cross, and Junction mode, where special cells let selected paths cross and change the logic.

5. 05

   A reason to return

   Three daily challenges, themed Starmap packs from Easy to Expert, stars for efficient solves, hints, undo and reset.

6. 06

   Fair and accessible

   One-handed path drawing, colour-blind options, sound and haptic controls. Simulated opponents fill empty seats and are always labeled.

React Native

Smooth path drawing, animations and a large interface surface from one codebase, with room to bring the game to more platforms.

Python

Level generation and validation are algorithmic work; Python makes it fast to produce and verify thousands of solvable boards.

Game Center

Native identity and online play on iOS, without asking players to create yet another account.