Bomb, Laser, Ice, Water, and Lightning Systems

Advanced levels change the decision order by adding bombs, lasers, ice, water, and lightning to the tray queue. The key question is no longer only “Which color do I need?” but also “Which risk must be handled first?”

Bomb: complete the tray before the countdown ends

A bomb timer runs when its row is visible or approaching the visible area. The ticking accelerates near the end. If the tray is not resolved in time, the explosion causes failure. Treat its color as urgent and temporarily reduce unrelated releases.

Hand Clear cannot be spent on an active bomb tray. The protection prevents a wasted right. Resolve it through normal play or through a compatible special clear.

Water: finish before the tray fills

Water creates a second type of timer. The tray fills as time runs down, and a completed fill causes failure. Identify its color early, create track space for it, and avoid sending large unrelated groups while the timer is active.

Ice: break durability in layers

Frozen trays have durability rather than behaving like normal open targets. Progress breaks the ice in stages, and removing nearby trays can also help melt adjacent ice. Do not ignore a frozen color until the track is full, but do not devote every move to it while other columns become blocked.

Lightning: clear the same color across the scene

When a lightning tray completes, every eligible tray of the same color can be targeted across all columns and queued rows. Active barrier locks may protect some cells. Lightning is especially valuable when its color appears repeatedly throughout the level.

Laser: clear the same horizontal row

A laser removes eligible trays on the same row across multiple columns. Before triggering it, inspect that row for bombs, water, or high-value targets. Good timing can remove several difficult objects in one event.

When several special objects share a cell

Some level designs combine special objects. The game maintains an internal trigger order, and large clear effects can safely disarm bombs or water on affected trays. Completing such a tray may transform the entire board, so allow the animation and row shifts to settle before releasing another large group.

A useful priority order

1. The bomb or water timer closest to zero.
2. Lightning that can remove many repeated colors.
3. Laser with strong value across its row.
4. Ice blocking future rows.
5. Normal trays without time pressure.

This order is flexible because barriers and track congestion can change the situation. Its purpose is to prevent timed hazards from being forgotten while you sort ordinary colors.