 Faerie Fragments: Obstacles
by maivry
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Welcome back! In a previous article, I went over the basic match-3 mechanics of Faerie Fragments, where you help Luxinia and her friends restore New Faerieland! If you missed it, click on my name and find it listed as A Beginner's Guide to Faerie Fragments. In this issue, we'll dive deeper into the challenges you can face in those match-3 levels. As soon as you get comfortable with the basic match 3 mechanic, obstacles are introduced. These are tiles that you have to match alongside or explode somehow to clear space and fulfil level objectives. I'm here to help you know what to expect from them, depending on the obstacles in question. Each level has one to three types of objectives that you must clear in order to beat the level. You have a preview of how many of each objective must be cleared before you start the level, and while you're playing, they're shown on the left side. The counters will go down until you have fulfilled an objective and earned its green check! After the first few obstacles are introduced, you'll have the opportunity to tackle them multiple times in increasingly challenging levels. The general pattern is a few normal levels (Green), a Hard level (Purple), a few more normal levels (Green), and a Very Hard level (Red). The first 50 levels are all Green, except levels 39, 45, and 49, which are Purple. After that, all levels that end in 5 are Purple, and all levels that end in 9 are Red. Additionally, there are Gift levels (Gold), which are a lot of fun! These appear every 20, 30, or 50 levels as you progress through the game. Gift levels are both a reward for successfully rising to challenges and a segue to learn about a new obstacle. Now, I want to take a moment to acknowledge that "obstacle" and "objective" are similar terms that I'll use somewhat interchangeably. Most obstacles in a given level are the objectives, but they don't have to be. Perhaps there is a layer of Boxes that are hiding the true objective, or perhaps there is a stream of Hearts falling onto the board, but you only have to clear a certain number of them. Just take a peek at the summary on the left side of the game board as you play to know what's what.
Obstacles In general, for all obstacles, being hit by a match or a power-up causes one damage. Often you will have to damage them a couple of times before they'll clear… or several times! I call this going through stages. Each obstacle has an animation it must go through before it progresses to the next stage, and can be hit again. The animations of many obstacles are basically instantaneous, in which case every hit will count. One major characteristic of obstacles is what I call the match type. Most obstacles will take damage when you match adjacent - that is, next to it. The colour may have to match the obstacle in a few cases. Some obstacles only clear by matching them together, while others are in the background and you have to match upon them. All of these can be damaged with power-ups instead, but some obstacles require power-ups. Finally, some obstacles require reaching the board edge - this is a special variation, because no amount of damage can be done to them directly! Another characteristic of obstacles is how they’re positioned on the board. Some are fixed - they can't move, and you have to clear them in order for coloured tiles to flow freely. Others are swappable like any tile and may fall onto the board, seemingly without end. There are even a couple that flow subject to gravity, but can't be swapped. Finally, obstacles can be layered with a different type of obstacle underneath. You may clear a layer of Boxes only to discover a new objective underneath - or maybe a set of colored tiles ready to match themselves into a power-up! On the other hand, as I mentioned a moment ago, some obstacles are in the background. You must clear all other obstacles above them before you can make matches and clear the background obstacles. Boxes  Introduced in Level 6.
Match Type: Adjacent
Position: Fixed
Get used to this particular obstacle, because you'll be seeing it a lot! Boxes are the most basic objective. They're not complicated, but they can have a lot of stages.
Constellations  Introduced in Level 9.
Match Type: Upon
Position: Background
Constellations are tricky and mysterious. Levels with them are full of Clouds with Constellations hidden throughout. You can see parts of a Constellation as you uncover it, and when you clear the Clouds the Constellation spaces will explode. When you find all the Constellations, any remaining Clouds will explode. Constellations have fixed sizes and locations, so some levels are designed so the final explosion helps clear other objectives.
Paintings  Introduced in Level 13.
Match Type: Adjacent
Position: Fixed
Embrace your artistic side by filling in these works of art! This objective is truly unique, as Paintings go through stages based on the number of spaces hit, rather than just the number of hits. I.e., one or two for an adjacent match 3, two for each Missile, up to four for a Bomb, etc.
Gold Coins  Introduced in Level 20.
Match Type: Adjacent
Position: Swappable
These are only seen on Gift levels. For each one you clear, you'll earn a Gold Coin to keep! It's impossible to lose Gift levels, but better matching and combos means more Gold Coins in your pocket.
Ukuleles  Introduced in Level 21.
Match Type: Adjacent
Position: Fixed
Get ready for some harmony, because Ukuleles will automatically trigger neighbouring Ukuleles to strum notes. This characteristic makes them seem simple, but a big lineup can be quite formidable. Nova+Butterfly is particularly powerful against them in levels where they call for enough notes to write a symphony.
Hearts  Introduced in Level 31.
Match Type: Adjacent
Position: Swappable
Hearts are a simple obstacle, but don't become smothered by them! Levels are commonly designed so that more of these will fall into the play area when you clear them.
Jetsams  Introduced in Level 41.
Match Type: Adjacent Colour
Position: Fixed
Only a matching colour will do the trick to coax a Jetsam out of its comfy Fishing Pond. This is the first objective that requires specific colours. Power-ups will clear Jetsams in clockwise order - red, yellow, blue, and finally green.
Chocolates  Introduced in Level 51.
Match Type: Adjacent
Position: Fixed
You never know what to expect with these boxes of Chocolates! When going from a larger size to a smaller size, the smaller Chocolates will replace randomly coloured tiles. The unwrapped final Chocolates then explode the four surrounding tiles when cleared. Most power-up combos are not effective at getting Chocolates through multiple stages because of the animation timing and replacement process, so it's best to open large boxes early. However, Nova+Butterfly is effective at clearing them up at any stage because Butterflies will take extra time to find their target.
Faeries  Introduced in Level 61.
Match Type: Power-ups
Position: Fixed
You know you're in over your head when you're the one who has to rescue Faeries! Petrified Faeries are the first objective that requires power-ups to clear them.
Lawn Rolls  Introduced in Level 71.
Match Type: Adjacent/Upon
Position: Swappable/Background
Lawn Rolls unpack into 3x3 Grass tiles, but the Grass is only counted once if they overlap. So while this objective can be as high as 999 in a given level, that number can go down fast. Even so, they commonly fall onto the board in patches. Don't neglect yard maintenance!
Wheat Fields  Introduced in Level 81.
Match Type: Adjacent
Position: Fixed
Wheat is a common crop - I mean top - layer, as it often covers one or two other objectives. If there aren't objectives underneath it, Neopets tiles and even power-ups can fall through them or out of sight.
Bottled Butterflies  Introduced in Level 101.
Match Type: Board Edge/Adjacent
Position: Swappable/Fixed
Bottled Butterflies are one of the most gracious “obstacles” you will find. When cleared, they act like a Butterfly power-up, but without the explosion. Wonderful! When Butterfly Boxes are introduced later (451), it is sometimes best to leave them in the Box for a little while if your matching area is small, as the Bottles can get in the way.
Colour Boxes  Introduced in Level 121.
Match Type: Adjacent Colour
Position: Fixed
These are the same as Boxes but with a colour requirement. Sometimes, matching Neopets are under the boxes, allowing a cascade of matches. Now that's a fun unboxing!
Curtains  Introduced in Level 141.
Match Type: Adjacent
Position: Fixed
These unveil all sorts of surprises. They can be any length, horizontally or vertically, across the board, and each tile they cover is effectively a stage. Curtains usually cover up other objectives, which are not subject to gravity until they're revealed. Missiles, with or without a Butterfly, are really great against them.
Acorns  Introduced in Level 161.
Match Type: Power-ups
Position: Swappable
Hate to break it to you, but these will drive you nuts. In many ways, they are similar to the humble Heart, but with a catch: they require the use of power-ups.
Puzzles  Introduced in Level 181.
Match Type: Indirect/Matching
Position: Fixed/Swappable
Puzzles are a unique objective since you can't use power-ups on them directly. Instead, Puzzle Packs are matched just like Neopets, and fill in Puzzle boards as they're matched. They can be targeted by Nova Rods or even by power-ups added at the start of the level. The Puzzle boards have a long animation to clear, so objectives (or other surprises!) underneath are almost never affected by simultaneous matching or explosions.
Fortune Cookies  Introduced in Level 201.
Match Type: Adjacent
Position: Swappable
A couple matches will define your fate. There are two versions of the final stage when these Fortune Cookies break in half - either they will or won't have a visible Fortune Slip inside. You only need to clear ones with a Fortune Slip, so some levels do not require you to clear them all.
Toy Boxes  Introduced in Level 231.
Match Type: Board Edge/Matching
Position: Swappable
Toy Boxes come in two colours with friendly Neopet tiles inside. Most of the time, they are Pink Unis, but sometimes they'll be teal Korbats. When a Toy Box reaches the board edge, it will open up and randomly distribute its coloured tiles - either replacing existing coloured tiles, or filling up empty spaces. They operate like any other coloured Neopet, so if you can open multiple Toy Boxes at once, they can automatically make matches and power-ups to further clear the board. Don't delay opening Toy Boxes, since you'll need to match all their Neopets to fulfill the objective!
Honey  Introduced in Level 261.
Match Type: Upon
Position: Background
Honey may be sweet, but it can make a sticky mess! You need to match on at least one Honey tile with each move to prevent it from spreading to an adjacent tile, but you have to clear any obstacles on top of it before you can clear the Honey. Swapping with a Butterfly is an easy way to target a Honey tile that has obstacles falling back into place.
Cookies  Introduced in Level 301.
Match Type: Adjacent
Position: Swappable
There's always room for dessert… to fill the board! Cookies are a unique and challenging obstacle, since they cut Missiles short, including Missile+Bomb. Other Bomb combos will go a lot farther to crumble them up.
Mystery Bombs  Introduced in Level 351.
Match Type: Adjacent Colour
Position: Fixed
The real mystery is whether these are meant to help or hinder. Mystery Bombs cycle through colours in rainbow order: red, yellow, green, and blue. Fuses count down the number of coloured matches needed to set off the Mystery Bomb, which will set off a board-wide explosion. It can be worth triggering the final fuses with separate moves if there are multiple Mystery Bombs, since they can only target existing tiles.
Negg Crates  Introduced in Level 401.
Match Type: Adjacent
Position: Fixed
If only I could use these for points at the Neggery… Negg Crates come in all shapes and sizes. You can sprout Neggs one by one, but the whole Crate won't be removed until the Neggs are all sprouted. Bombs are very helpful against these since it is hard to get the corners otherwise. If you really want to tackle them like a champ, use a Mega Wand on a whole line of them. Negg Crates will not clear until all other animations on the board have stopped.
Ice Blocks  Introduced in Level 501.
Match Type: Matching
Position: Flows but doesn't swap
No one wants to be frozen! Neopets inside Ice Blocks can be matched, but they can only be moved indirectly. Matched Neopets aren't removed until the Ice Blocks are gone, and do not trigger neighbouring objectives. Nova Rod combos do not transform icy Neopets into power-ups, but do damage the Ice Blocks. If a match falls onto the board all at once, it can match repeatedly through the stages.
Gold  Introduced in Level 551.
Match Type: Power-ups/Adjacent
Position: Flows but doesn't swap
Uncovering these would be a lot more exciting if they weren't too heavy to move! If the Gold is buried, it will require power-ups. Only the final stage can be matched adjacent.
Lights  Introduced in Level 651.
Match Type: Adjacent
Position: Fixed
Lights are organized into numbered sets - you can clear them one by one, but the next sequence won't light up until the previous one has been finished, and no amount of matching or power-ups will phase unlit ones. The next sequence won't light up until other animations on the board have stopped. The good news is they are the light at the end of the tunnel, that is, the main story levels!
I hope you have found this overview illuminating, and that you'll be able to tackle the challenges that lie ahead of you. If you have any further questions, feel free to shoot me a neomail or keep an eye on upcoming issues. Happy matching!
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