How to Play Ice Breakers:
- You are looking to match 3 or more tiles of the same color on the board.
- Use your left mouse button.
- Click on 2 adjacent tiles (or use a dragging motion) to attempt to swap their positions to make a match.
- The tiles will only swap if there is a resulting match of 3 or more in-a-row.
- On the left of the board there are little indicators that tell you how many of a particular color you need.
- The color indicators will decrease as you make matches. For example, if the red color indicator says 35 and you match 3 red tiles, the red color indicator will decrease to 32.
- If you match more than 3 tiles at a time, the blue meter on the left will begin to rise. When the blue meter gets all the way to the top you'll be awarded a special powerup that you can use to affect the game.
- Your powerups are displayed at the left side of the game. To use a powerup, drag it onto the board with your mouse. Move it to the desired position, and release your mouse to destroy any tiles covered by the powerup.
- All unused powerups carry over to the next level. You also retain your powerups when a level is failed, and you choose to go back one level.
- When no matches remain on the board Ice Breakers will let you know, and reset the board immediately. Then, just continue playing as usual.
- If you are able to empty all color indicators before the meter on the left (the shift) gets all the way to the bottom, the level is completed and you will advance to the next level.
- If the shift gets all the way to the bottom before you are able to empty all color indicators the level is failed.
- When you fail a level you have a choice to make. You can go back to the beginning of the game to improve your skills at the lower levels and build back up. Or... you can choose to go back one level and start from there. Either way, your score will be lost and you must start again at zero.
- There are 35 fun-filled levels of play.
- Ice Breakers should save your game automatically as long as you come back to Richard's Game Reviews and use the same computer. Just remember to click the 'Resume Game' button and do not click the 'Restart From Beginning' button. (If you should accidentally click the 'Restart From Beginning' button you will permanently lose all of your game progress, with no way to get it back. So, be careful about this!)
- You can also play Ice Breakers on full screen mode by using the link below the game. Technically, when you play on full screen, you will be leaving my site. However, since the game will still be on the same server all of your game progress will be saved. So you always have the option of playing on regular screen, or full screen. And you can always go back and forth between both modes by using the back button on your browser without losing any of your saved game. That is, as long as you always use the same computer to play.
Please Note: Before playing Ice Breakers in Full Screen mode, you may want to take a moment, or two, to read my review. Then, after playing your game, simply click the back button on your browser to return to this page.
Ice Breakers Game Options: All game options may be accessed by clicking the 'Menu' button located near the upper left corner of the game screen. After you change your options, click the 'Resume Game' button to continue your game. Here are the main options:
- Click the 'Game Help' button to review a few of the basic rules.
- The music may be turned on or off.
- The game sounds may be turned on or off.
- The game may be restarted from the beginning.
Ice Breakers Playing Tips:
- Try to make matches near the bottom of the board when you can. Matches made near the bottom cause many more tiles to drop down as compared to matches made near the top. As more tiles drop down, this will often create unforseen matches and create chain reactions.
- Watch the color indicators. These will let you know which colors you need to work on the most to complete the level.
- As with all Match 3 games as you gain experience, you will be better able to control the board. For instance, lets say you need to make a purple match. You may first need to make a match above with some other color tiles in order to move one of the purple tiles into position so you can match it with two other purple tiles. Again, as you gain experience with Match 3, these situations will become very easy to recognize.
- If you get stuck for a period of time and cannot find a match, Ice Breakers will show you a move with a yellow arrow that will point to a tile you can move to make a match.
- Try to save your powerups for the more difficult levels.
- Since Ice Breakers is such a difficult game, if you want to try to get as far as you can with the levels, always choose the option (when you fail a level) to go back only one level, rather than choosing to go back to the beginning of the entire game.
Richard's Rating: 5 out of 5.
Comments: The color indicators are what make Ice Breakers different than your typical Match 3 game. Personally, I think it is a rather ingenious concept. If you like Match 3, Ice Breakers is bound to become one of your favorite games.
Other Games: If you enjoyed playing Ice Breakers, you will probably also enjoy playing Ice Breakers: Penguin Pirates.
