How to play Gem Drop
Object:
Arrange identical gems in groups of 3 or more to keep them from overflowing the screen.
How to play:
Drop the gems one at a time into the playing area. A gem can be grouped with its
neighbors to the left or right, or up and down (but not diagonally). Once a group
of three or more gems is formed, it evaporates. Any gems that were above the group
move down into the vacated spaces.
To drop the gems click on the column where you want to place it. Be quick, otherwise
the gems get impatient and drop by themselves, wherever they happen to be. You can
drop gems one right after another, without waiting for them to reach the bottom.
If you are close to running out of room, look for the Black Gem with a sparkle.
This special gem will evaporate all of the gems identical to the one it lands on. If
it doesn't land on a gem, it simply disappears.
Special Options:
You can pause the game by pressing the P key on your keyboard. To resume
your game press the P key again. You can
also disable all sound using the S key, or just the music by pressing
the M key. You can turn them back on using the same keys.
Bonus Points:
The real trick to Gem Drop is to learn how to earn your bonus points. The points
you can earn go up exponentially based on the number of gems in a single group,
and by arranging "cascading" groups. A "cascade" is when one group is formed as
the result of another group evaporating. Creating elaborate chain reactions to
send your score through the roof.
One more hint, the white diamonds are worth the most points. Arrange a large group of
white diamonds to group together on the second or third cascade for maximum points.