Devlog #1: Sorting Skulls in the Fog - The Beta is Here!

Welcome to the Graveyard Sort-Out Beta!

I’m thrilled to launch the first playable prototype for Graveyard Sort-Out, my new endless color-sorting puzzle game. I built this game to be a cozy, yet endlessly challenging take on the genre.

Try it out!

What You Get in the Prototype

The current prototype is focused purely on validating the core sorting mechanic. I’ve designed the game for thoughtful play:

• Core Mechanics: Experience the satisfying basic color-sorting logic using Kay Lousberg’s charming low-poly skull assets and smooth animations.

• The Endless Flow State: This is the feature I’m most curious about your feedback on! The moment you clear a level, the skulls instantly and continuously reshuffle. There’s no menu, no break; just a continuous flow of puzzle solving.

• The Weekly Puzzle Seed: To ensure competition is fair, the level arrangements are generated using a fixed weekly seed. This means every single player in the world is currently playing the exact same sequence of puzzles this week.

• Atmosphere: I added custom spooky BGM, sound effects, and basic VFX to bring the midnight graveyard to life.

Looking Ahead: Future Features

If the core loop is fun and stable, here are the major features I plan to implement next to deepen the strategic challenge:

1. The Tomb Mist Mechanic

I’m introducing an atmospheric mechanic that will raise the difficulty. I’ll call it the Tomb Mist.

• The Challenge: The colors of skulls below the top skull will be partially obscured by a dark mist.

• How to Clear: The hidden colors will only be revealed once the skull directly above them has been successfully moved.

2. Column of Destiny (Target Column Bonus)

I plan to add a subtle strategic scoring element.

• The Feature: Before the level starts, I will highlight a specific color skull on at least one of the plots. If you successfully fill that entire plot with skulls of that matching color, you receive a significant bonus score.

3. Universal Competition (Leaderboards & Achievements)

My ultimate goal is to make Graveyard Sort-Out highly competitive and rewarding, no matter where you play.

• Universal Leaderboards: I am designing the backend now to support a single, universal leaderboard. Whether you submit your high score from the browser or Android, you will be competing against everyone else globally.

• The Weekly Reset: Because every player is solving the same puzzle sequence each week (due to the weekly seed), the leaderboards will auto-reset every week. This ensures a fresh, fair competition every week, making skill and consistency the ultimate deciders!

• Universal Achievements: Achievements will also track across platforms, giving you permanent recognition for difficult milestones!