Homescapes is another hit from Playrix Entertainment and follows the exact style of Gardenscapes. If you're new to the game or struggling to advance, check out some handy tricks and tips below that can help you reach the highest levels!
1. It is possible to restart levels without losing lives
It is possible to restart levels without losing health if you have not made any moves. Although the tactic is not necessary in the early levels of the game, it is very useful in the later stages, especially in the Hard and Very difficult stages. That way, you can lose a few seconds to choose a start with good combinations available in the first few moves. Also, any booster packs you've accumulated with wins remain with you.
2. Prioritize combinations at the bottom of the screen
Whenever you run out of good moves available and need to "open the game", make combinations, preferably vertical, at the bottom of the screen. This will cause many more pieces to move, more opportunities to appear, and potential chain reactions to take place. Do this whenever you can't craft a useful power-up or progress towards a level objective. Remember: avoid matches at the top of the screen!
3. Make matches during the chain reaction
Unlike most match 3 games, Homescapes lets you make moves while chain reactions take place. This means that as more pieces fall and are automatically matched, you can hurry up and make any advantageous combinations you see in the mess. The tactic is not easy and requires a lot of attention and speed, but in more difficult stages an extra power-up can be your salvation.
Remembering the previous tip, focus on making combinations at the bottom of the screen and be careful to create power-ups in the middle of chain reactions!
4. You can make moves to empty squares
Another difference between Homescapes and other games of the genre is the possibility of moving pieces to empty squares, as long as this forms a combination. The tip may seem simple but players who have come from Candy Crush or any other game may not expect it. To make these combinations, you must start moving the piece to the empty square, not the other way around.
5. On your last move, take a good look at the whole screen!
Do you know when you have very little left to beat the level, but there's only one move left? Whenever this happens, review the entire screen before playing. That's because when you lose, you can pay 900 coins to receive 5 extra moves. It turns out that 900 coins is a lot in Homescapes and it's no use paying if you're not absolutely sure you'll pass the level. So the time to find out whether or not it's worth paying that amount is before you make the last move.
6. Understand well each obstacle in the game
Homescapes is full of obstacles that are unlocked as you progress through the levels. Each one has its own characteristics and is weaker or more resistant against certain power-ups. Check out below how to deal with each of the main obstacles in the game:
Currents
Unlocked at level 6. Hold pieces in place even if there are empty spaces underneath, thus preventing others from passing through. They can be destroyed by any power-up or simple combinations involving the trapped pieces. Chains need 1 or 2 hits to be destroyed, depending on the number of chains around the piece (as in the image above).
Jelly
Unlocked at level 12. Can hide parts, power-ups or cherries inside. May need up to 6 hits to be destroyed. The image above shows, from left to right, the strongest jelly to the weakest. They can be destroyed by any power-up or nearby combinations, that is, it is not necessary for the explosion to touch the jellies.
Cookies (cookies)
Unlocked at level 31. May need up to 3 hits to destroy. The image above shows, from left to right, the strongest to the weakest version. Cookies can be destroyed by any power-up, but prevent Rockets from passing through them. Don't invest in Rockets in the cookie levels!
Paredes
Unlocked in level 71. They prevent pieces from moving and cannot be destroyed with combinations, only power-ups. Walls also cannot be targeted by Paper Planes (after they are triggered) but can still be destroyed by the explosion caused by them.
Foams and Oil
Unlocked at levels 91 and 476, weak and strong Foams, as well as jellies, can be destroyed by any power-up or combo, even if they are only nearby (no need for the explosion to touch the Foams). The difference is that Foams are scattered throughout the level whenever you make a move that doesn't destroy at least one. The weak Foam (blue) only needs one hit to be destroyed while the strong Foam (purple with bubbles) needs two.
Ice
Unlocked at level 131, it completely prevents the frozen piece from moving, but still drops as others below are destroyed. It can be destroyed with any power-up or combination involving the frozen pieces. Ices may need up to 2 hits to be destroyed, as shown in the image above.
Turntable
Unlocked at level 576. Gramophones spread musical notes across the screen after 3 hits received, either with combos or power-ups. Musical notes need to be collected according to the objective of the level. Pieces that contain musical notes will change color with each move you make.
Cobweb
Unlocked at level 676, Cobwebs prevent trapped pieces from moving, but still allow them to drop as the ones below are destroyed. Any power-up that is inside the Web cannot be triggered until it drops to the bottom block or the Web is destroyed. They also cannot be destroyed with combos, only power-ups, and may require up to 2 hits, as in the image above.
Ice Bomb
Unlocked at level 956, Ice Bombs appear with a countdown that decreases as you play. If you don't destroy them with power-ups or combinations involving the bomb's color and the number reaches 0, the Ice Bomb will explode and freeze all the blocks around it.
See also:
The best tips for beginners in Gardenscapes!
