welcome to
NEW KID IN PUZZLE TOWN
sQuaricon ™
intro
sQuaricon Game Series is a chain of 5 skill-based, meditative, logic and pattern-matching puzzles on the squared gameboards*: sQ3, sQ5, sQ7, sQ11 and sQ13 connected by the same game board mechanics.
Players' mental model is constantly updates starting from the basical time-killer playground (sQ3) to more and more meditative, strategy and skill-demand models
Player's progress pathway is given by the growing gameboards in Regular and ZEN playing modes, and playing modes with obstacles or tours
Tournaments are main trump for the competion minded gamers - the sQuaricons have full online PvP and multi-player capability, which is probably an uncomparable advantage for the game economy and monetization
By its gameplay scope the sQuaricon games are on a halfway between 1010! simplicity and Two Dots' reach visuals
*Gameboard sizes are of 3x3, 5x5, 7x7, 11x11 and 13x13 fields
Title illustration a la RUBIK author: Vedran Sknjug
Pass the sQuaricon™
sQuaricon 3
Connect 'em all!
Tic Tac Toe > Lo Shu > sQuaricon3
likely the third-ever constructed game on the basic 3x3 gameboard, besides the XO and Lo Shu
.
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sQuaricon 3 - redesigned
Be it hybrid-casual!
Tik Tak 3
sQuaricon-3 (aka Tik Tak 3) is a simple yet tricky pattern-matching puzzler that visually completes the trio set of its (only two ever) famous 3x3 predecessors Tic Tac Toe and Lo Shu
Inside the sQuaricon™ Game Series the player's learning curve starts from the 3x3 gameboard, which is the both: an onboarding game and the 1st step on her/his Mastery Path
The Game's Mastery Path expands by its 4 Playing Modes, Tournaments and PvP
sQ3 suits hybrid-casual and casual players
code: Tomislav Klepac
Competion/lookalike games - try it:
1010!, TETRIS, WORDS, Tic Tac Toes, Lo Shu, BLOCK BLAST!, Roll the Ball, RUBIK CUBE, TWO DOTS, SUDOKU, ZEN Match, Collect Em All,...
The strong PvP/PvE/Local appeal
For competitive players, the best dynamical part of the game is its broad PvP-appeal that frees up a space to compete with a new, dynamic game mechanic.
Local On-Tablet duels could delight visitors to comment on the player’s style :) or suggest a better move.
The Guild players will have the special privilege - the co-op options
Synchronous PvP-PvE-local
sQuaricon-3 complements Match-3 PvP
sQuaricon-3 complements today's Match-3 PvP(*) games paradigm:
sQuaricon-3 Concept has new GB mechanics against the current Match-3 concept
PvP/Multiplayer synchronous/asynchronous/Local-tablet modes give a chance to the player to master her/his skillfulness in multiplayer sessions on multiple devices...
Actually, cross-platform playing mode (the match is going on the server) means e.g., the player on iOS can play vs. the player on any other possible platform...
(*) Try Match Masters, BlastMasters, Cat Force, Duel Summoners, Pirates&Puzzles...
Code: Ivan Strok, 2022
Sounds-Music: Goran Bastinac
Left illustration: HC, Player vs. Bot prototype 2022
sQuaricon™ 5 Regular mode
(TAP to see)
sQuaricon 5
(REGULAR mode on demo gameboard trailer)
Casual Logic Game for Passionate Players
The skillful player solves it in 20-30 moves for 1-4 minutes
There are cataloged almost 3M starting positions and 5+ game-playing modes with the moves-notation as simple as in chess, which makes the game sessions' synchronization ideally small for synchronized PvP matches even on a slow internet connection
Code: Gordan Sikic, 2008, 2013, 2023
NOTE: All illustrations here are low-fi graphics, except where the artwork is specified
Above: sQuaricon3 and sQuaricon5 game sessions in the depths of the sea
From Hybrid-casual to Mid-core
sQuaricon games scope?
sQuaricon Game Series fits to several game categories:
Hybrid-casual (sQ3), simple meditative yet dynamical puzzler - mobile, tablet
Casual (sQ3, sQ5, sQ7), meditative puzzler with elusive visual content - mobile, tablet, PC
Mid-core (sQ3, sQ5, sQ7, sQ11, sQ13), puzzles with possible Saga-type narrative of - tablet, PC, consoles
sQUDOKU - refreshing ancient mechanics and rules (sQ11, sQ13...), redesigned for superfans of SUDOKU - mobile, tablet, PC
sQuaricon Game Series as the prototype has published in several PC versions back in 2008.
sQuaricon™ 7 ZEN mode
sQuaricon 7
Elusive Motion
(ZEN mode on demo gameboard trailer)
From Casual to the Mid-core Game for superfans
A skillful player completes the session in 30-40 moves for 4-10 minutes in the regular playing mode. (in ZEN mode it is 10-14 moves and 1-2 minutes)
The whole game session can be noted (similar to chess) in a small text.file - ideal to share and watch other players in synchronous or asynchronous mode
The kaleidoscope-like animation adds value to the player's experience
Testimonials:
"I like this elusive motion" (Gabe Carter, Oberon Media)
"The game should start from the Japanese market" (Tom Sloper, Sloperama)
illustration: prototype 2009.
sQauricon Design & Construction
Gameboard, Mechanics, Genres, PX, motivation to play
The sQuaricon™ game is an original IP pattern-matching games series, bringing a NEW KID IN PUZZLE TOWN.
Originality and novelty are among the favorite words in the games, however rarely seen. Here the innovation and out of crowd approach are obvious.
o GAMEBOARD - is of any p x p* size. Moves are recorded in the same way as on a chessboard - with recalculation of the relative position in the modular space, so it is easy to organize and monitor synchronous or asynchronous PvP/PvE/Idle competitions.
o ENTIRE GAME SESSION could be sent as a short text message, or shared on a social network. Recepient(s) will have oportunity to upload it directly to the game and play against reached score.
o LEADERBOARD OPTION! The players will have LB option to find their position and follow the progess inside the complete the sQuaricon community
o PLAYER's MASTERY PATH - Player can progress on Mastery Path in 20 game modes and 9 tours. Starting positions are counting in millions, so, players have unique chance to never be borred
o sQUDOKU™ - is using same basical rules as SUDOKU game but with original GB pattern
o SINGLE PLAY PX - the solo player has available the relyable Hint algorithm with AI Bots
o PvP/PvE/Local PX - sQuaricon Series contains a strong competitive/cooperation appeal, which could be the main creative direction and the market trump in the farther game development
Series has been prototyped (2009, the 1st PC version has published on CNET)
sQuaricon 11 Regular mode
sQuaricon 11, squaricon 13
Superfans' game: sQuaricon 11, 13
On average you will play 200+ moves, for 45+/- minutes, and ... You are there.
If playing e.g., a sQ13 Tour - take a weekend :)
Tablet, PC, consoles game for Superfan League.
Big screen - Big excitement
illustration: prototype 2009.
SINgle - Tournaments
sQuaricon gameplay modes?
The game-design pack offers 5+ distinguished game scopes that could significantly enrich the overall players' experience:
thanks to its thinky gameboard pattern and mechanics the sQuaricon Game Series is provoking the match and logic games' players to taste it
sQuaricon 3 - as of its short sessions and simple tasks - belongs to hybrid-casual up to casual category
Mastery path starts on the smallest possible gameboard of 3x3 fields as a new experience of solving simple yet new problems for casual players,
For experienced logic-games' players, sQ3 is the first step in learning tips, tricks and systems to solve more and more complex gameboard
Video author: Igor Puskaric
sQudoku™ 11, 13, 17
for superfan of SUDOKU
The traditional SUDOKU game is popular all over the world. Here, we are adding a bit of innovative gameplay as the numbers are already on the board and you have to achieve that equality of the sums in every row and column...
For Master skill levels the gameboard will grow to sQUDOKU™-7, 11, 13,17... The subscription business model applies here.
PvP, Leaderboard, and Leagues are self-evident!
Watch platforms
sQ-3 fits a wide range of screen sizes, from iOS/Android watches to PC...
Casual Puzzle for all screen sizes
In 2016 we published the Memo Tiles, one of the first-ever games for Apple Watch. So, as seen in the sQuaricon-3 illustration (left) simply arranged sQ3 gameboard may add some elegance to the small watch screens.
sQuaricon™ Games Company
sQuaricon is a single-game company with a unique mission to advocate the sQuaricon ©2006 as an original IP* and new game paradigm for the gaming world.
It took years to find a way of transforming an innovative Combinatorial Mean concept to the brainteaser, meditative and pattern-matching series of games.
The breaking point happened after a video-talk with Amy Jo Kim (2016) and latter accessing her 8 weeks GameAcademy Summer Masterclass 2019. This deeply changed my understanding of how the games are connecting with players, what are their habits and motivations and how to find the hottest fans (superfans) to include them into development process.
Contact: squaricon@squaricon.com
Header image: sQuaricon 3, Mob prototype, 2020
(code: Vedran Skrnjug)
listen my PLAYLIST
(to warm up your combinatorial skills try to solve this Latin square puzzle from the XVIII century)
Redesign in progress
background: Lenko Tomic Matulovic
background: Lenko Tomic Matulovic
Tondo Jigsaw 2014
The first project on the Unity platform with one original game concept of the rounded Jigsaw puzzle.
Above: art Marko Umicevic (2014), code in house
Download Android version
Rollin' Tiles 2016
above: art Peter Simon, (2016), outsourcing; The Knights of Unity
Download from Play.Google
sQ3 MVP Core Team 2024
Art Direction
Mr. Marko is a Fine Art Historian and Photographer. His latest work in games was on Rollin' Tiles that got exceptional attention from Chillingo's Developer relation director Levi Buchanan: "Really like the art direction and the clean UI"
Goran Bastinac
Music/Sounds for all sQuaricon Titles
Mr. Goran has a very rare and surprising talent to recognize dramatic moments even though the game scene is not fully visualized yet; moreover, he has a lot of useful ideas and shares them unselfishly.
Igor Puskaric
Game art ,concept and animation
Mr. Igor is a 2D and 3D Artist who specializes in digital art including hand painting, and organic and hard surface modeling. Everything from stylized art to photorealistic assets.
Lenko Tomic Matulovic
2D/3D Artist
Mr. Lenko is a 2D and 3D Artist who specializes in digital art including hand painting, and organic and hard surface modeling. Everything from stylized art to photorealistic assets.
Davor Umicevic
Community Manager
Mr. Davor has strong analytical skills to actively follow the changes in trends and preferences among the players' community. He will ensure smooth communication with the audience and superfans.
Gordan Sikic
Freelancer SW Engineer at Toptal
Mr. Gordan is programming the sQuaricon Game Series.
Goran Umicevic
Game Design, CEO
Mr. Goran is specialized in brainteasers, logic puzzlers, and pattern-matching games with 15+ Years of learning and practicing in game design, now applying the Game Thinking method in the development improved on Amy Jo Kim's 8 weeks Game Thinking Masterclass 2019 (gamethinkingacademy.io).
n-Queens Problem
He is an inventor and producer of the sQuaricon™ Game Series, which is at its core an original modular board algorithm for solving the prime-numbers' part of n-Queens problem.
(more on tiny.cc/CombMean)A wonderful Art Concept by young Czech graphic designer Jaroslav Procka, 2017.
* The term "the original IP" refers to the original intellectual property that forms the foundation and core concept of the game design. In this context, IP refers to the unique and creative elements that make the game distinct and protectable under intellectual property laws, such as copyright and trademark.
Having a well-defined original IP provides a clear direction for the development team and helps in communicating the game's vision and identity to stakeholders, such as publishers, investors, and players. (ChatGPT)