Plonk
Adventure is the puzzle side of Plonk: 100 hand-tuned levels, each with its own goal and move limit. These tips come from the way the levels really work, so you can stop guessing and earn more stars.
How Adventure works
- There are 100 levels in 10 chapters of 10, from Tomato Town to Crown Summit. Each level unlocks when you finish the one before it.
- Every level has one goal and a move limit. Each piece you place is one move.
- You win the moment the goal is complete, even with moves to spare.
- You lose if you run out of moves, if none of your pieces fit, or if a bomb's timer reaches zero.
- Stars depend on how many moves you used: the level card shows the cut-offs for 3 and 2 stars, and any win earns at least 1.
- You earn 10 coins per star, plus 30 the first time you clear a level. Replay a level later to raise your stars.
The five level goals
| Goal | What counts | Levels with this goal |
|---|---|---|
| Pop lines | Every row or column you clear | 33 |
| Collect gems | Gems on blocks that pop | 19 |
| Score points | Your score for the level | 18 |
| Break ice blocks | Ice cracked by a pop or by Smash | 15 |
| Pop blocks of one color | Only blocks of that color, when they pop | 15 |
New things arrive gradually: ice blocks first appear in level 15, color goals in level 16 and bombs in level 22, each with a short explanation the first time.
Gems, ice and bombs
- Gems sit on blocks already on the board. A gem is collected when its block pops, whether a line clear, a bomb blast or Smash removes it.
- Ice covers a block. The first pop through it breaks the ice (that is what counts for an ice goal), but the block stays behind, so it needs a second pop to clear. Ice shows up in 28 levels.
- Bombs carry a timer of 10 to 20 moves that drops by one after every move. Pop the bomb's row or column to defuse it. It then blasts the 3×3 area around it, sets off any bomb in that area and adds 150 points.
- Timing a bomb. The timer counts down after your move's clears, so popping the bomb's line on the very move it would have reached zero still saves the level.
- Color goals. Pieces in the goal color are dealt more often on these levels, and only blocks of that color count when a line pops.
Tips for hard levels
- Read the card first. Check the goal, the move limit and the 3-star cut-off before you place anything.
- Play for the goal, not the score. On a gem level, a line that pops two gems is worth more than a bigger clear elsewhere.
- Deal with bombs early. A bomb ends the level outright, so clear its line while the timer still gives you room.
- Use bombs as tools. A blast also pops gems and cracks ice in its 3×3 area, so a bomb next to your targets can do two jobs at once.
- Plan two pops for ice. On an ice goal one pop per block is enough, but the block stays, so leave a way to clear it later.
- On score levels, clear lines together. One line is 80 points, two at once 320, three 720, and each combo step adds 40 per line. FEVER is a Classic-only feature, so it won't help here.
- Keep the board open. "No room" ends a level just like running out of moves.
Undo, New pieces and Smash
| Booster | What it does | Free at start | Price after that |
|---|---|---|---|
| Undo | Takes back your last move. The move doesn't count, so it doesn't cost you stars. | 3 | 30 coins |
| New pieces | Swaps the pieces still in your tray for new ones. | 2 | 50 coins |
| Smash | Breaks one block you choose without using a move. It also breaks ice, removes a bomb and collects a gem on that block. | 1 | 60 coins |
Undo only goes back one move, and not after New pieces or Smash. When a booster has run out and you don't have the coins, you can choose to watch a short video for one (up to 2 per game).
If you lose, a second chance costs 100 coins or a short video: +5 moves if you ran out, +5 on bomb timers if one went off, or 3 rows cleared if nothing fit. Stars still count every move you made.
Quick answers
How many levels does Plonk Adventure have?
100 levels in 10 chapters of 10. Each one unlocks when you finish the level before it.
How do stars work in Plonk?
Stars depend on how many moves you used to reach the goal. Each level shows its cut-offs for 3 and 2 stars, and any win earns at least 1 star.
How do you defuse a bomb in Plonk?
Pop the bomb's row or column before its timer reaches zero. The bomb then blasts the blocks around it for 150 bonus points. Smash on the bomb also removes it.
How does ice work in Plonk?
The first pop through an ice block breaks the ice, which counts toward an ice goal. The block stays on the board and needs one more pop to clear.
Do I need to pay for boosters in Plonk?
No. You start with free Undo, New pieces and Smash uses, then buy more with coins you collect by playing. When you can't afford one, you can choose to watch a short video instead.
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Try it yourselfPlonk is free on Google Play.