About

Elematter is a turn-based puzzle strategy game from the JS13K game jam. You manipulate elemental forces — fire, water, earth, air — to solve board-based puzzles where elements interact according to simple rules: fire beats air, water beats fire, earth beats water, and so on. The interplay of these relationships creates surprisingly deep tactical situations in a compact format.

Each puzzle is a small board state that must be resolved in a set number of moves. Placing elements in the right sequence triggers chain reactions that clear the board. The minimalist presentation keeps focus on the logic.

Perfect for a focused 5-minute session — puzzles are self-contained and completable quickly, with a satisfying chain-reaction payoff when the solution clicks.

How to Play

• Place elemental tiles on the board according to the rules of each puzzle.
• Elements interact when adjacent: stronger elements defeat weaker ones based on the elemental cycle.
• Plan your placements to trigger chain reactions that clear required tiles.
• Complete each puzzle within the allowed number of moves.

Tips

• Think backwards from the desired end state to plan your sequence.
• Identify which element clears the most tiles and work toward enabling it.
• Chain reactions multiply your efficiency — one well-placed tile can clear five.

History

Elematter was built for the js13kGames competition, which restricts entries to 13 kilobytes of JavaScript. It represents the elemental puzzle subgenre — games where a small set of interaction rules between tile types generates complex tactical situations. The elemental rock-paper-scissors structure dates back to early strategy games and remains a reliable framework for creating emergent complexity from minimal rules.