Shuffle Blocks is a new casual game from Bad Bumble, which is currently
in production and we hope to have available by the end of the year.



 At the heart of the game, it’s a word game, but unlike any other word game you have seen or played.  Depending on your style of play, it can feel more like an arcade puzzle / strategy style of game as the game board can by moved around by the player to help form longer words which score more points and bonuses for the player and the actual board it self can change itself during the course of the game (click on the image to see a full size screen grab from an early demo).
 


The game contains so many elements and strategies for the player to discover and learn.  It definitely pays for the player to think ahead and plan your moves carefully.       But this is only half of the game, as the game also has a strong role playing game element to it, where the player can increase their skills and powers.  There’s also a strong trading element in the game which the player can get involved in to help them earn a bit extra money in the game.


  We believe that all these elements make Shuffle Blocks a unique gaming experience that can not be appreciated without first playing the game itself first hand.  We have aimed at making Shuffle Blocks a deeply entertaining gaming experience for the player, which will keep revealing new things and strategies for the player to learn and develop, while still keeping the game easy and fun to play.  We know that no two players are the same, so we have designed the game so that it can be players at a steady, relaxing pace or at the same time, head on against the clock, going all out for glory and the beauty of the game is that both styles of player can still complete the game.


  The game is based in a fantasy world where islands float and the only way to travel is via flying ships.  Because of this, trading roots have been set up between islands to supply and trade goods with each other and this has turned into a flourishing business.

Unfortunately, it’s not always the most peaceful of places to be as sky pirates have been know to attack trade ships for the good they carry, so it can be a dangerous job if the trade ships are not careful.

 The game revolves around you helping Gogo to earn a living by which ever means best suits your style of play.  This could be travelling from island to island delivering goods or trading your own goods between islands or even hunting sky pirates for the cash bounties on their heads if you are brave enough, or a mixture of all these things.  The game will be quite open ended for the player if that’s how you wish to play the game.

  As already mentioned there’s a fair selection of items for the player to buy and trade between islands, to help the player earn some extra money on top of the delivery jobs you do.  Each island has they own wants and needs and a good player will pick up on this and milk that market for as much cash as they can.  Each island also produces unique items, which helps to expand the trade markets and if you can get in on it early enough you can make a small fortune over night, but of course prices go up as well as down, so you will need to be careful as you could lose your shirt if you are not careful.

  Players can also pick up special items that will help them during their adventure, but it will cost them to get these items or they will have to perform special missions.


In this part of the world, the main sky pirates are the Red Buzzards.  For the most part, they keep themselves to themselves, but when they do attack, you need to be able to defend yourself or run like crazy.  Most of the time, they attack by themselves, but they have been known to attack in groups, especially the larger trading ships.  
 

  It best to keep away from the rougher areas if possible if you can, it’s just that the better paying jobs mean travelling these dangerous routes.  It’s wise to keep to the safer routes until you get your ship upgraded to help defend yourself against these filthy Sky Pirates. 

 

  Your ship was given to you by your late uncle who disappeared several years ago.  She’s not the greatest ship in the skies, but she has a lot of protencil if you are willing to spend some money on doing her up.

  The ship can be upgraded in several different areas that can greatly effect the gaming experience for you.  In fact, with the right upgrades you may even find new and hidden islands to explore.

 

I hope this has sparked some interest in the game for you and if so, please join the mailing lists and we will e-mail you when ever there is any new news to report.

We promise to keep the list totally private and never pass any information on to other parties as no one likes getting spam e-mail.



 Please note that this game is still in production, and as such the graphics shown are not 100% complete yet.

Please help to support Independent gaming by telling your friends about this game as word of mouth can really make a huge the difference for small Indie developers.