Project

Affinity Rush

Fast-paced, single-player arcade puzzle game focused on pattern recognition, spatial reasoning, and quick decision-making

The core gameplay revolves around interacting with geometric figures by launching them across the board. Shapes obey simple physical rules, bouncing off the edges of the playfield according to reflection angles, allowing players to predict trajectories before committing to an action. This creates a skill-based system where planning, timing, and spatial awareness are essential to success.

Affinity Rush features two primary interaction mechanics: combination and destruction. When two compatible shapes collide in normal mode, they merge into a new shape, increasing the player’s combo counter and extending the remaining game time. Combos act as a risk–reward mechanic, encouraging players to prioritize complex combinations in order to build multipliers and prolong the match. Higher combo values directly increase the final score gained from future actions.

Alternatively, players can activate destruction mode during a shape’s movement, causing colliding shapes with valid affinities to be destroyed. Each destruction grants points based on the level of affinity between the shapes—congruent, similar, or affine—with higher conceptual difficulty yielding greater rewards. The final score for each destruction is multiplied by the current combo value, tightly coupling the two systems and rewarding efficient, high-level play.

A key feature of the design is the Rush System. Each successful combination fills a Rush meter, and once it reaches a randomly determined threshold, the game enters Rush Mode for a short duration. During this phase, all shapes can be destroyed regardless of affinity, and each destruction grants a fixed high score. Rush Mode functions as a payoff mechanic for skilled players, providing moments of intense scoring opportunities while maintaining overall balance.

The game also includes subtle predictive tools, such as visual previews of trajectories and indicators showing which type of shape will spawn next, allowing advanced players to plan multiple moves ahead. Due to procedural elements and randomness in spawning and Rush thresholds, no two matches play the same, reinforcing replayability and competitive score chasing.

Overall, Affinity Rush is designed as a compact but deep arcade experience, where mastery emerges from understanding abstract relationships, optimizing timing, and managing interconnected systems under constant time pressure.