Don’t expect match 3 to get better with the whole coming back
Edit: sorry for the typo in the title. Was suppose to read get better with the hole gone!
So they put out the push saying they are getting rid of the middle box this week, but keeping the extra peace. So I asked Google ai how adding an extra piece will effect a match three game. I just gave it a 6 x 8 grid and I counted 7 icons on the board now. I didn’t even mention the one missing from the top and bottom row. Here’s what it told me:
An 8x6 grid is quite tight, so adding an extra icon will noticeably disrupt the game's flow.
Here is how the balance shifts on an 8x6 board:
Grid Bottlenecks
Low tile count: An 8x6 grid holds only 48 total tiles.
Crowded spaces: Every new icon type drastically thins out the remaining colors.
Dead ends: Matches will become rare, causing frequent "no more moves" board shuffles.
The Balancing Sweet Spot
4 Icons: Very easy, fast-paced cascade combinations.
5 Icons: The ideal standard for an 8x6 grid size.
6 Icons: Very difficult, requiring precise player choices and item boosts.
7+ Icons*: Nearly unplayable without constant automatic board shuffles*.
Recommended Adjustments
Drop rate: Make the new icon appear less often than the core colors.
Spawn items: Increase the spawn rate of line-clears and bombs.
Goal targets: Lower the number of items needed to pass the level.
So yeah. It’s not gonna be better it looks like.