10 ways to score higher in Hexi Pop
Each of these tips comes straight from how the game counts points and deals pieces. New to the game? Start with the rules, then come back.
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Look in all three directions
Every cell sits on a row and two diagonals. Before you drop a piece, check all three lines through the cells it will cover. The diagonals are the ones people miss.
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Set up double clears
Popped cells are multiplied by the number of lines you clear in one move. Finishing a nine-cell row on its own is worth 45 points. Finishing that row and a nine-cell diagonal with the same piece pops 17 cells for 170 points. Leave one shared cell open where two nearly full lines cross.
Your combo survives two quiet moves
The combo only resets after three moves in a row without a clear. You don't have to pop something every turn; you have to pop something at least every third turn. Use the moves in between to build bigger clears.
Use short lines to keep a combo alive
Lines at the edge of the big board are only 5 cells long; the middle ones are 9. When your combo is about to run out, a short edge line is the cheapest way to keep it going. Save the long middle lines for when the multiplier is high.
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Don't leave single holes
A lone empty cell surrounded by filled ones can only take a single-cell piece, and it blocks all three lines through it. On Hard there are no single-cell pieces at all, so a hole there can only open up again when a line next to it pops.
Place the awkward piece first
New pieces only arrive once all three are down, and the round ends when none of the remaining ones fit. Play the piece with the fewest possible spots while the board is still open, and check the big one has a home before you use up space with the small ones.
Remember pieces don't rotate
A straight piece that runs along a diagonal will never lie along a row. Keep some open space in all three directions so that whichever way a piece points, it has somewhere to go.
Big pieces aren't a penalty
Every cell you place is worth 2 points on its own (3 on Hard), before anything pops. Filling the board with a big piece isn't wasted, as long as it leaves room for the next one.
On Easy, plan with the next set and save your undo
Easy shows the three pieces coming after your current tray, so plan two sets ahead. You get one undo per round and it only takes back your last placement, so use it right after a bad drop, not three moves later.
On Hard, keep a long line open
Hard's board has 37 cells and its lines are only 4 to 7 cells long. A five-cell straight piece fits only along the five middle lines of its own direction, and only when one of them is empty enough. Keep one of those lines clear, or a long piece can end your round with space still on the board.
Put it into practice
Easy mode is free to play in your browser. For Medium, Hard and your full round history, get the app.
Ready to pop?
Free on iPhone. Android is on the way.
