Software: Slicker

Slicker

Slicker is a single-player board/puzzle game. It requires at least an 800x600 display; aside from that it should run on any computer that has Sun Java 6 or greater installed.

version 1.0.1 build 3 (Java Web Start program; 340KB)

Also available: Java source archive (625KB)

Get Java from Sun if you don’t yet have it. Java is a free download available for Windows, Solaris, Linux and Macintosh OS X operating systems.

Note on updates: In theory, if you are connected to the Internet when you start Slicker Java will automatically check for updates and upon finding one will offer to download it the next time you launch Slicker. I have not found that this works consistently. If you want the update and haven’t been offered it, launch Slicker by clicking the graphic near the top of this page until you get the dialog box asking whether to download the update.

Changelog

version 1.0.1 build 3

This version corrects an error which caused the number of tiles remaining to be displayed incorrectly if more than nine tiles were left at the end of the game and adds the number of games played to the bottom of the score panel.

How to play Slicker

Slicker begins with 112 tiles, 14 each of 8 different kinds, placed randomly on a 16 by 8 board subject to the constraints that there are always two blank spaces in each row and one in each column. Above the board is an information bar showing the number of slide/singleton moves remaining, the number of points scored on your last match, and your total score so far.

Click on a tile which adjoins at least one matching tile to remove the entire set of adjoining matched tiles. You score 1 point for the tile you clicked plus 2 for the second tile in the set, 3 for the third tile, and so on. You also add to your available slide/singleton moves according to the following schedule: one additional move for every tile more than three in a set of four or more; one additional move for a set of three; one additional move for a set of two only if you have no slide/singleton moves remaining.
Click on a singleton tile (one that does not adjoin any tiles of the same kind) to remove it. You can do this only if you have at least one slide/singleton move left. You do not score any points, and you use up one available slide/singleton move.
Click and drag a tile to slide it, and any adjoining tiles it pushes, horizontally or vertically. You can do this only if you have at least one slide/singleton move left. You do not score any points, and you use up one available slide/singleton move.
Right-click while the left mouse button is still down to cancel the move you were making.
Right-click after the completion of a move to undo that move; right-click again to redo it.
You receive a bonus of 60 points at the end of the game if you have removed all the tiles.

At the end of the game, Slicker displays your score, your last five scores, your best five scores, and a rating based on all the games you’ve played. Each score or rating is associated with a tile: