Space Decor: Island is a brand new match-3 renovation game from developer Zymobile Limited. The game offers a pretty straightforward take on the classic match-3 experience which doesn’t stray far from the often beaten path.
You follow the main character, a nameless redecorator who travels around the world to restore exotic islands. To access the renovation part of the game, players will need to solve match-3 puzzles so they can earn cash and start upgrading the locations.
Similarly to other match-3 titles, Space Decor: Island is quite intuitive. Those of you who haven’t experimented before with this particular game genre, well, you won’t have any trouble figuring out how to play this game. All you need to do is swap to match-3 or more similar tiles to crush them until you reach the level objective.
In Space Decor: Island, each puzzle has a different goal attached to it which you need to achieve before running out of moves (listed in the left part of the display). After each successfully completed level, players are rewarded with Gold coins which is the currency needed to unlock the renovations.
The preliminary levels in Space Decor: Island are pretty simple to beat, but as you advance to the upper ones, things will become a lot more complicated. The game will routinely serve up levels which feature multiple special elements (unique tiles with distinct properties) which greatly complicates your task of solving the puzzles.
For those who find themselves stuck and unsure of what to do next, we’ve put together a Space Decor: Island beginner’s guide which aims to help you find alternative solution. We invite you to browse through our list of general tips and tricks and hopefully you’ll find something you haven’t tried yet.
1. Apply The Classic Match-3 Strategies
When playing a game like Space Decor: Island you should be aware of all the classic match-3 strategies that make hitting your goal much easier. In this section we’re going to remind you what they are, so you can start using them immediately.
Target Larger Matches
Creating matches of 3 pieces is the foundation of every match-3 game out there, Space Decor: Island included. But if you wish to progress faster and have a better chance at hitting the level objective, targeting larger matches of 4 pieces and above is the way to go.
Larger matches are needed to make Boosters which are effective aids that can help you get rid of a larger quantity of tiles in one go. The more of these power-ups you make, the better. Although do keep in mind that making a Booster costs one move, and activating it will claim another. To avoid wasting unnecessary moves, make sure you really need to use that Booster.
Anyway, the idea to take home is this – don’t rush to make the first match you spot on the board. Take a better look, perhaps there’s a larger one hidden in there. On top of creating power-ups, larger matches will also crush a greater number of tiles in one go. So will be a win-win for you.
Know The Level Objective By Heart
Remember the level objective while playing a puzzle. If you’ve lost sight of it, go ahead and re-check it. This is very important because sometimes the objective will be surprising. Let’s say you’re trying to solve a puzzle that has several special elements on the board (including as Crates). You’d be tempted to think that at least one of the goals would be to destroy these crates. But that’s not always the case. The objective in this case could be solely to collect a certain types of tiles.
Knowing your objective prevents you from spending moves in vain, which is something to keep in mind always. Left over moves at the end of a level are covered into extra Coins, so the more extra moves you have the better.
Ignore The Game’s Suggestions (Most Of The Times)
If you take more than a few seconds to decide which match you should create next, the game will quickly provide you with a suggestion. Our recommendation is to do your best to ignore them and use your own reasoning to make the next match.
That’s because these suggestions might not have your best interest at heart. You need to use your moves wisely and so if a match doesn’t help you inch closer to the level objective, then it’s not worth making it. Whenever you spot a suggestion, ask yourself if it’s helpful to your purposes or not. Don’t just match for the sake of matching, you won’t get far this way.
Match At The Bottom
Whenever possible, try and match at the bottom of the board. This allows for a quick reshuffling of your tiles on the board. New tiles will start falling in from the top of the board, creating cascades that might end up accidentally producing Boosters.
It’s not always possible to match at the bottom, though. Sometimes the board is blocked by obstacles, so you’ll need to focus on getting these barriers out of the way before proceeding to apply this strategy. Depending on how the level configuration looks like, don’t forget to match towards the bottom.
Replay Hard Levels
Some levels might need special attention from your part. It’s not always possible to beat a puzzle from the first go. If that happened to you, you’re not doing anything wrong. The trick is just not to get discouraged and to just try again.
Don’t worry about wasting lives by doing so, the game offers ample chances of winning unlimited lives through its reward system, so most of the times this shouldn’t be an issue. If you stumbled upon a really tough one, then make sure you go in for a rematch whenever you have an Unlimited lives Booster at your disposal. This might mean waiting until the next day, when a bunch of freebies become available.
Loading up a level again will have the effect of reshuffling the tiles on the board, so you can try a different strategy this time around. For example, you can begin by matching on a different part of the field. There’s the randomness factor to consider as well, so if you feel like you weren’t particularly lucky regarding tile arrangement in the past, loading the level again will present you with a different tile layout.
If you’ve tried replaying a level a few times without much success, maybe it would be a good idea to take a break from the game and work on something else for a while. Then upon your return, you’ll have a brand new outlook on the puzzle.
2. Play The Booster Game
Boosters are mainstays of all match-3 games, and naturally they are present in Space Decor: Island as well. You get all the classic ones that work as you’d expect them to. Boosters can be formed on the board by matching big, but they can also be added before a level stars. Those from the first category include:
Rocket: match 4 tiles a horizontal or vertical line to make a Rocket. These power-ups can have different orientation and so depending on how they were created can destroy a whole row or column of tiles.
Bomb: match 5 tiles in a L or T shape and create a Bomb. The power-up can destroy all elements in 3 x 3 tile radius upon activation.
Missile: players can craft a Missile by making a 4 tile match in a square. When set off, the Missile will destroy tiles in its vicinity in a “+” pattern and then fly off and nuke one extra tile (it’s usually part of the level objective or a special element).
Rainbow: the product of matching 5 tiles of the same color in a row. When swapped with a tile, the Rainbow will destroy all the tiles of the same color from the board.
Boosters are great for removing multiple elements at once, but what if you need even more power? Try creating Booster combos. Whenever you can, craft Boosters next to each other. Then swipe them to make them work together.
Booster combinations are very powerful and can help you progress a lot faster. For example, mix a Bomb with a Rocket and you’ll be able to clear three columns and rows at the same time. In addition, all combinations you can do with a Rainbow power-up are super effective. This is because the Rainbow replicates the second Booster all over the board causing mass explosions. It’s usually all it takes to finish off a level without additional complications.
3. Get The Free Gems After Each Level
Space Decor: Island is quite generous with its ad offers. Case in point, the game gives you the option to watch a quick ad in exchange for getting free 5 Gems after each successfully completed level. Now, we know that ad watching can become quite irritating if done excessively. However, if you want to be more relaxed as you advance in the game we suggest that you take up these offers whenever possible.
Gems are resources that you can use to buy extra moves and a bunch of other stuff. We’re going to talk more about how you should utilize them in a later section, but right now it’s important to remember this: get those free Gems! Don’t opt for the other option which is to get Coins. The sum is really small and you’ll earn a lot more simply by beating puzzles the regular way. Stock up on Gems and you’ll be grateful you did so, when the hard levels start popping up.
4. Use Pre-Level Boosters For The Really Hard Challenges
Pre-level Boosters are quite similar with the regular Boosters which you can make yourself by creating matches on the board. There’s, however, one notable distinction. You don’t have to craft these pre-level Boosters. Instead, you win some by playing the game and unlocking progress rewards, or through events and other similar occurrences.
Players need to activate these Boosters before a level starts. There are three flavors to choose from including the Rocket + Booster, Double Missile, and the Rainbow. Should you select one of those before going into a level, you’ll start the puzzle with that specific Booster already formed and waiting for you on the board.
During really though challenges, we believe it to be in your best interest to activate all of them. Just be careful how you judge a puzzle’s difficulty. Make sure you’ve applied all the basic strategies we’ve outlined above, especially replaying levels, before you deem the level unpassable.
If you are too generous regarding your pre-Booster usage, you will run out of them way too fast. It’s possible to buy back more of these power-ups, but that you’ll have to spend Gems, a large amount of them. So in order to avoid depleting your precious stone reserve, use them as sparingly as possible.
One thing to keep in mind is that not all levels in Space Decor: Island allow you to activate pre-level Boosters, so for some challenges you might not have the option to rely on their strength. In such cases, you should make sure to use the other tips and tricks in this guide.
5. Close To Hitting The Level Objective But Not Quite There Yet? Here’s What To Do
Now let’s say you’re getting super close to hitting the level objective, but you have only a few moves left. What do you do? You can maximize your chances at beating the puzzle by using one of these methods.
First, take a look on the right side of the display and you’ll see a set of tools. These are additional aids which you can be used when things get rough and activating them will not waste one of your precious move.
Hammer: use the Hammer to break obstacles or collect targets.
Mallet: destroys an entire row and column of tiles.
Swapper Glove: swaps elements near the target.
Like pre-level Boosters, tools cost Gems. Fortunately, you can also win some organically by playing the game and grabbing the progress rewards which become available as you unlock more renovations around the islands. With this in mind, we should also point out here that you shouldn’t neglect the renovation part of the game. Some players like to focus on the match-3 aspect, and leave the story in the background, but unlocking new areas and islands gives you access to gifts which contain the much needed Boosters and tools.
What if you don’t have any more tools and you don’t want to use any more of your Gems? Try this instead. Scan the board until you find a Missile combination and then use the Booster. It will target precisely one of the elements in your level objective that you didn’t manage to get to so far. Just keep in mind that you need to have at least a couple of moves left under your belt in order to apply this trick. If you still have 7 moves and 2 elements you need to destroy, then you will be able to finish off the level in 4 moves!
6. Use The Ads To Your Advantage
Space Decor: Island is quite generous when it comes to its ad offers. We already noted above that you can get some additional bonuses after each successfully completed level – be it Coins or Gems.
In addition, there are other ad offers you should take into account. For example, if you failed to finish off level for the first time around, the game will offer you the option to play the Lottery in exchange for watching an ad. By doing so you can win 5x moves for free or get your hands on some extra Gems (which can be used to buy moves). The next time you replay the level and lose, you will have to pay with Gems to spin the wheel again. Don’t neglect the free opportunity and you’ll will be able to solve levels a lot faster.
Moreover, some in-game events will give you the chance to win an extra gift by beating select levels. In such situations the game will ask if you want to upgrade your prize. If you agree to do so, you’ll be able to score extra Boosters.
Each day you can also select a free prize, but if you watch another ad, you can pick another. These gifts consist of Boosters, tools and Unlimited lives. So it’s definitely worth using these ads to your advantage, even if no one likes to have their gameplay interrupted by pesky ads.
7. Spend Gems Only When You’re Absolutely Sure You Can Finish A Level
If you’ve exhausted the free Lottery opportunity or if they got too expensive for you, you can choose to spend some Gems in exchange for those 5 extra moves.
Just be careful not to use the Gems and then realize you needed more than 5 levels to hit the goal. It would a total waste of resources. So before making the last move, check the board and make a mental note of how many moves you require to clear the customs.
If you have too many elements left that need to be dealt with, we advise that you abstain from using the Gems. Instead try and use a pre-level Booster or some other tactic we’ve discussed in this guide. You can also take a break and come back to the challenge with a fresh set of eyes.
8. Play During Events
Space Decor: Island is riddled with countless events that offer a great opportunity for winning prizes of all shapes and sizes.
Check the right side of the display, and if there’s an event going on, do your best to make some time and play. It will be worth it. To give you an idea of what events can do for you, during Set Sail if you successfully beat levels in a row you will get rewards at the start of new puzzles. Meaning you’ll have a few Boosters waiting for you on the board.
Multiple events might be going on at the same time, so make sure you check all the new icons that pop up on the screen as not to miss on the goodies being offered.
9. A Quick Look At How To Tackle The Game’s Most Common Special Elements
Most puzzles in Space Decor: Island contain some sort of special element that has to be either destroyed or collected. The most complex ones feature multiple such items, each with their own unique properties. In this section, we’re going to look at how you should approach these elements in order to increase your puzzle solving rate as much as possible.
Before we look at individual items, though, it’s worth noting one thing. Players can interact with the majority of special elements by matching in their vicinity. What that means for each element varies, but all in all if you spot a new type of item on the board, chances are matching next to it will impact it in some way.
Let’s explain what we mean by that. With simple elements like Boxes or Chains, one round of matching will be enough to remove them from the board. These items can appear in several other instances too, like for example, as Sealed boxes and Double chains which need two matches in order to be destroyed. Boosters are great tools to eliminate multiple of these pieces in one go, so if you have a Rocket or a Bomb or anything else don’t hesitate to use them, especially in combination.
A lot of special elements in Space Decor: Island will behave like that. But not all. For example, Donuts function a little bit differently. While they will be obliterated by good old matching, they are swappable elements, unlike the Boxes and Chains which are unmovable. Once again, Booster cocktails work wonders on this sort of elements.
Be careful on which elements you use Boosters on, though. For example, Cookies will hinder the flight of the Rocket, so we don’t advise using it on these elements. But Bombs and Missiles will work just fine, and so will the Rainbow.
Another interesting element you’ll encounter in Space Decor: Island is the Button. Buttons are usually connected to other Buttons which basically form a fence, thus blocking parts of the board for you. It’s quite important that you prioritize removing these Buttons before thinking of anything else.
To do so, spot the Buttons that have fewer stitches and match next to them. If a Button has 2 stiches, for example, match twice. It only takes removing one button to remove all the group. So target the loosest Button and you should be rid of the whole chain fast and easy. You can also use Boosters if you want, especially the Rocket which can eliminate a full line of Buttons in one go.
Vases are a unique element in the sense that they aren’t really effected by matches. What you need to do when you’re playing a level with Vases is to create a path for them towards the bottom of the board. Vases need to fall through in order to be collected, and so if you spot a Rocket on the same column as your special element, you should definitely use it. It will clear the direct path for the pieces to fall at the bottom. Other Boosters are of great help too, removing the obstacles blocking their path.
Sometimes you’ll need to get rid of a layer of tiles to release the Totem – an element leaving underneath. These pieces can be highly elusive, as they are hidden from view. Which is why you need to make sure to match on all parts of the board, so you can uncover their location quickly and efficiently.
Other elements will produce an item. For example, the Bird cage releases a Parrot when you match next to it. Most of the times, access to these cages will be blocked by other tiles and elements, so to get to them you’ll focus on getting rid of these obstacles first. Don’t waste your moves doing something else. Obviously, Boosters work just fine on Bird cages, as they do with most of these elements.
And this concludes our Space Decor: Island beginner’s guide. We hope you’ll find our tips and tricks useful and that they will help you prepare to take on the toughest challenges in this game. If you have any other strategies, we might have missed please let us know in the comment section below!
Nathalie
Monday 26th of July 2021
Im stuck..cant unlock chapter 6..i have 5626 coins..