Batu Ta Batu

[b]batu ta batu[/b] would be a pretty cool matching game, not your typical match-3 variety, but [b]mostly broken controls make it largely unplayable[/b]. the store page says keyboard supported (as if it should be a feature in a pc game), but it just means the game sometimes reacts to keypresses somehow. picture this. there's a 2x2 grid with a yellow, a red, a blue and an orange square (or batu), surrounded by walls (called corners here for some reason) of the same colors. top left is the yellow square, red is top right, red wall to the left, orange wall to the right. select red, push it to the left, so yellow and red switch places, [b]red gets absorbed by the same-colored wall[/b], yellow gets a new square next to it, [b]merging into a yellow rectangle if the new tile is also yellow[/b]. small squares can't be moved if a bigger one is in the way, but the bigger can be, to swich place with smaller ones next to it. later on grids get bigger, of course, and movement and matching become trickier and trickier. another thing to consider is that [b]corners or walls can have multiple colors[/b]. only one is active, but they can be switched whether you're stuck for moves or not. sometimes tiles appear with [b]bombs[/b], acquired by pushing said tile towards its own corner, and if you ever want to get rid of a shape, explode it out of the way. depending on the game mode, bombs might keep recharging if you don't make a move, no need to luck into one spawned randomly. so far so good, but [b]here come the issues[/b]. the game doesn't care if you've never seen a controller in real life, let alone have one plugged in, it [b]only provides controller prompts, no rebinding, no way to check what button does what[/b], so I had keep pressing random keys to figure out that [b]left trigger is left ctrl[/b] on the keyboard, which is used to switch the color of a wall/corner, pressed together with a direction. speaking of direction, wasd is used to move the cursor around, arrows to push batus around, and [b]you'd expect menu navigation to work with both, but nope[/b]. with wasd I could only go right, not left, up or down, and even the arrows were iffy, sometimes willing to move in the direction I wanted to, sometimes ignoring my commands. the biggest control issue regards [b]right trigger, no idea how to make it happen reliably[/b]. it's for using bombs, so one could say it's relatively important, but methodically pressing every key did nothing. the [b]tutorial can't be skipped, nor anything else be done until it's finished[/b], so I did some less methodical button-mashing and somehow the bomb exploded. I've narrowed it down to right alt, space and enter, and some sort of combination of pressing and/or holding one or more of them, but space and enter mostly do the same thing and right alt might not even be used for anything. needless to say, [b]this is a gamebreaking issue[/b] in and of itself. enter and space are otherwise used for selecting things, but [b]space brings up settings[/b] as well, because of course it does. 100% of my triggered bombs happened with the settings in the way, so space is my most likely suspect for right trigger. somehow. [b]bringing up the menu doesn't pause the game[/b], and the developers thought it'd be a capital idea for [b]esc to quit the game immediately, no matter what's going on[/b], potentially losing progress on the current level. but hey, they didn't have to spend precious development time on adding an exit button to the game. how very unacceptably lazy. took me a while to realize [b]backspace is used to go back to the previous menu[/b] to select another game mode or something, but I still [b]don't know how the statistics screen can be brought up[/b]. there are [b]10 game modes, but only endless is unlocked at the start[/b], have to farm coins for the rest. most modes cost 1000 each, for a total of [b]7500 coins to unlock everything[/b], but other modes give coins as well, and pay better than endless mode, though I'm sure with properly working controls and some skill you could get thousands there easily. replays give coins just like the first time, so farming quick and easy levels is an option. [u]endless mode[/u] is as the name suggests: start with a 3-minute timer, matching adds more time, bombs recharge if you don't move for a while, game over when the time runs out. no idea how coins are calculated though. I wanted to check out everything, but didn't bother with broken controls, so I only have info about a few more modes. [u]less batus than[/u], unlocked with 250 coins, has 10 levels with various grid sizes. the point is to reduce the number of batus from the starting amount to the required one, no bombs here. if you can do it before the timer runs out, good for you, but it doesn't matter much, only a bit more coinage. [u]remove a color[/u] for 500 coins wants you to get rid of a certain amount of certain colors on 10 levels of increasing size, with a recharging bomb if necessary, but color counters also keep recharging if you're not quick enough. [u]full grid[/u] for 750 coins needs grids to become a single color on 10 more levels of increasing size, rechargable bomb available. and I assume most, if not all, of the rest involve a timer in a more or less crucial capacity as well, but [b]there's no timer toggle[/b], have to stare at a clock even if it doesn't make too big a difference. [b]multiplayer[/b] is for 2 or 4 players, local or online via steam remote play, but I couldn't try it, [b]the game wouldn't even let me select it[/b]. maybe it needs a controller plugged in or something. the presentation is very nice, [b]absolutely fantastic music[/b] with track select and shuffle, separate volume settings, brightness, saturation, contrast, controller vibration, various languages, but [b]no windowed mode[/b] toggle and alt+enter only makes a non-resizable window. it would be a fun game, and it's not like keyboard couldn't work well enough, it's just that [b]the developers were incredibly lazy[/b]. with keyboard prompts, rebinding, or at the very least a static image showing what's what, and properly working 'right trigger' and menu navigation, plus other issues fixed, it would be very much recommendable, but a disclaimer on the store page saying 'controller recommended' is always easier than putting effort into your own game. contacted the devs weeks ago, haven't heard back, so they must really care. [b]don't give any money to these hacks.[/b]

hayatımın en iyi 11 dakikasıydı kısa diyenler kısa görmemiş. I am real batu and I approve...

Batu Ta Batu is a colorful puzzle title developed by EZSD and published by 2Awesome Studio that revolves around a deceptively simple but strategically demanding tile-merging mechanic. At first glance the game appears to follow the structure of traditional sliding puzzles, but it quickly reveals a deeper layer of planning as players attempt to combine and maneuver blocks across compact grids. The concept is built around connecting blocks of the same color and guiding them across the board toward their designated sides. While the rules are easy to grasp within minutes, mastering the system requires patience, foresight, and careful manipulation of the puzzle space. The game’s title loosely reflects the idea of joining pieces together, which perfectly summarizes the central mechanic that drives the entire experience. The basic gameplay loop takes place on a grid-based board filled with colored tiles that can slide in specific directions. Players move these tiles in order to merge identical colors into larger blocks. Once merged, these larger pieces become more powerful but also more difficult to reposition, adding a strategic risk to every move. The challenge comes from maintaining enough flexibility on the board to continue combining tiles without trapping them in awkward configurations. Because the grid space is limited, each move has consequences that may influence several future steps. A decision that appears harmless at first can later prevent a necessary merge or block the path of another piece. As players advance through the game, the puzzles become progressively more complicated. Early levels provide relatively open grids where players can freely experiment with merging mechanics and understand how the pieces interact with one another. As the difficulty increases, the layouts grow tighter and more restrictive. Blocks must be arranged with greater precision, and larger merged pieces become harder to maneuver through the limited space. This progression encourages players to think several moves ahead, carefully considering how each action will affect the entire board. One of the features that helps maintain variety is the wide range of gameplay modes available throughout the game. Instead of relying on a single puzzle format, Batu Ta Batu introduces multiple variations that change the rules or objectives of the puzzles. Some modes challenge players to solve puzzles as quickly as possible, introducing a sense of urgency that contrasts with the more thoughtful pacing of the standard mode. Others remove time pressure and instead reward efficiency by tracking how few moves are used to complete a board. Additional variations impose special restrictions, such as limiting the number of blocks that can exist simultaneously or requiring players to construct particular combinations before finishing the puzzle. Another element that expands the gameplay experience is the inclusion of an endless mode. In this format, the objective is no longer simply solving a fixed puzzle but surviving as long as possible while continuing to merge blocks and accumulate points. As the board gradually fills with new tiles, the challenge intensifies and forces players to maintain complete control over the grid. This mode highlights the strategic depth of the mechanics, as players must constantly adapt their approach to prevent the board from becoming overcrowded. Multiplayer support adds an additional layer of enjoyment by allowing multiple players to participate in puzzle competitions. Up to four players can compete locally, either racing to solve puzzles faster than their opponents or attempting to achieve higher scores within the same time limit. Because the core mechanics are easy to learn, multiplayer sessions are accessible even for players who are unfamiliar with puzzle games. At the same time, experienced players can still find satisfaction in optimizing their strategies and outperforming their friends. The visual design of Batu Ta Batu adopts a clean and colorful style that keeps the puzzle board easy to read. The tiles themselves are presented with bright colors and simple shapes, ensuring that players can quickly identify which blocks should be combined. Background environments are themed around different artistic and cultural inspirations, adding subtle visual variety without distracting from the puzzle itself. This minimalist aesthetic serves the gameplay well, as the clarity of the board is essential for making quick and accurate decisions. The audio presentation complements the relaxed nature of the puzzles with a selection of background music tracks that vary depending on the game mode. Some tracks are calm and meditative, encouraging players to take their time while solving more thoughtful puzzles. Others feature a faster tempo that matches the pace of timed challenges or competitive modes. Sound effects for sliding tiles and merging blocks provide satisfying feedback, reinforcing the sense of progress as players successfully combine pieces and clear space on the board. Despite its engaging mechanics, the game may not appeal to everyone. Players who prefer narrative-driven experiences or visually elaborate worlds may find the minimalist presentation somewhat modest. Additionally, the increasing difficulty of later puzzles can become demanding, especially for players who struggle with spatial reasoning or long-term planning. However, for puzzle enthusiasts who enjoy testing their strategic thinking, these challenges become one of the game’s most rewarding aspects. Overall, Batu Ta Batu stands out as a thoughtfully designed puzzle game built around a clever tile-merging mechanic that gradually reveals surprising depth. Its variety of game modes, competitive multiplayer features, and endless challenges ensure that the experience remains engaging long after the initial puzzles are solved. By combining accessible rules with progressively demanding levels, the game manages to appeal to both casual players and dedicated puzzle fans looking for a satisfying mental challenge. Rating: 6/10

Sencillo a la par que adictivo. Tuve la suerte de hablar con su desarrollador Erik Zubiria y os lo dejo por aquí si queréis aprender alguna cosilla más sobre el juego. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHa-8hhm5vQ&ab_channel=Gamelur