Farms & Castles is a deceptively simple and addicting merge game by Square Enix. Yes you read that right, Square Enix.
However, this game is far from the usual puzzle games you have played. It’s a cleverly designed puzzle game that lets you match rocks and trees to create farms and strongholds.
The bigger your granges and forts, the more profits you earn. This guide helps you score more point, free up space and build your empire:
Table of Contents
Tips to Choose the Right Area for Matching Objects
1. Try matching three or more objects in such a way that the combined object is placed on the sides or corners. Remember that the combined object appears on the square where the last object is placed. Placing and matching objects of the same type on the middle of the board isn’t a great idea as the upgraded object in the middle may act as an obstacle for future matches.
2. Place objects of the same type on the second row(s) or column(s) next to each other so that the upgraded object is placed on the extreme left, right top or bottom part of the game board. Make sure you have turned on the grid; this will give you a good idea of your placements. Go to Settings on the top-right corner of the screen and tap on “Always Show Grid”.
3. Another strategy is to divide the game board into two parts (turn on the grid option), where one part can accommodate rocks and the other part trees. This strategy is being used by some gamers, but in my opinion, this won’t be achievable in the long run. Also, game boards are randomly generated with rocks and trees scattered here and there and it may be difficult to ascertain what part will go to rocks or trees. You may try to place rocks in an area that has more objects of the same type or trees in an area with more trees.
Where Should You Place Objects: Strategies You Should Know
At times, you may have trouble deciding what an object’s correct placement is. You may even place it in the wrong square, and repent later thinking had it been placed on the opposite square; there would have been a big match.
Remember that once an object is placed on a square, it cannot be removed (unless you are using a Magical Orb). To help you get out of this confusion, I have a few scenarios that show the right areas to place an object. These are just examples, but you will help you figure out the different placement options exist and how to free more space with few moves:
1. In the above puzzle, I had two options: Placing the bush on Square 1 or Square 2 to get a match. If I had placed on Square 1, then a tree would have been created on it, but then I would have missed a double match. Placing the bush on Square 2 was the correct choice because it would have created a tree as well as a forest in one move and freed up space for other objects.
2. Two objects of the same type may appear on the object menu, although a rare occurrence. Here, there were several possible multiple matches. I could have placed both trees on Square 1 and 2 (L-shaped) or 3 and 4. Both placements would have given me a farm.
I repeat – a new object is created on that square where the third or fourth same-type object is placed.
3. Here’s another scenario, I will leave it to the reader to decide where the rock should go:
4. Once your farm(s) has produced at least 100+ or 150+ food, it’s time to look into the “Free Goods” option (see screenshot below). You may try to buy them earlier, but once food reaches 160, it gives you freedom to buy any item from the list. Save food for the hardest scenario of your puzzle, when the board has few squares remaining:
Additional Tips and Tricks
1. Placing 3 or more bushes next to each other creates a tree. Placing 3 or more trees next to each other creates forest. And placing 3 or more forests side by side creates a farm. Your farm will produce food, with which you can buy bushes, trees, rocks, walls and forests. No matter what the number is, the result will be fixed. So whether you match 3, 4 or 5 bushes, the combined object will always be a tree. Use this to your advantage to ensure the game board has enough space for more objects.
2. You can match objects horizontally, vertically, even L-shaped matches are allowed in Farms & Castles. However, make sure that no other object acts as an obstacle to your matches.
3. Matching 3 or more rocks creates a pile of rocks. Three or more pile of rocks creates a wall and 3 or more walls create a castle. A castle produces gold, with which you can buy Magic Orbs. These Orbs are special power-ups that can help you destroy an unwanted object, transform an object into wood or stone and work as the third object in any match.
4. Of all three magical orbs, the cheapest orb is “Lightening” (200 Gold). Quite useful I would say, especially if there is an object that’s blocking your match. Just tap on the Lightening orb and then tap on that object to remove it from the game board.
5. Combining 3 or more farms creates an upgraded farm that produces more food. Placing 3 or more castles next to each other creates an upgraded castle that produces more gold. Sometimes, you may find a castle or a farm on the object menu. Keep some space on the game board for such special objects.
