Start with the rule, written in four lines
Core covers one mechanic, so the most useful thing you can do before checkout is write that mechanic down tightly enough that nobody can read two games into it. Four lines are enough: what the player does, what a legal move is, what winning looks like and what happens when they are stuck.
Everything else in the brief hangs off that card. If you find yourself writing a fifth line ("and some jars are frozen", "and there is a timer on hard levels"), you are describing a second rule, and that is the first thing to decide on before you buy.
The screen list
The blueprint lists every screen, which is where most scope arguments are settled before they start. A typical Core sort puzzle needs these:
| Screen | What it does | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Loading and splash | Logo and load | Kept short |
| Consent and privacy | Ad consent where required, privacy link | Required for ads in many regions |
| Home / world map | Shows level path, current level, play button | One theme |
| Gameplay | Board, undo, restart, hint button, level number | The core of the build |
| Pause and settings | Sound, music, vibration, restore purchases | Standard |
| Level complete | Stars, coin reward, next level | Interstitial may follow this screen |
| Stuck / out of moves | Undo, restart, rewarded hint offer | Rewarded ad flow lives here |
| Shop | Jar styles and remove ads | The two IAP products |
| Rewarded ad prompt | Clear offer before the ad plays | Player always chooses |
| Collection | Owned jar styles | Optional; can merge with the shop |
Monetization and content inside the price
- One rewarded-ad flow, usually a hint when the player is stuck
- Interstitials only at natural breaks, such as after a level-complete screen
- Up to two IAP products, for example remove ads and a jar-style pack
- Up to 100 levels in one theme, generated and checked as described in the sort puzzle cost and studio comparison
- Original 2D art, icon, sound and the store screenshot set
- Local save; no accounts or cloud features
Google's AdMob guidance recommends showing interstitials at natural transition points and placing them so players do not tap them by accident. A sort puzzle has an obvious transition after every level, and the hint offer is the natural home for the rewarded ad.
Sources: [S13]: Google AdMob, Interstitial ad guidance (opens in a new tab)
What counts as a revision and what counts as a change
Core includes unlimited refinements inside the approved blueprint until first submission. The line is easy to see once the rule card and screen list exist.
| Request | Treated as | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Make the jellies rounder and the palette warmer | Revision | Same art set, new direction |
| Levels 30-40 feel too hard | Revision | Reordering and retuning the curve |
| Move the hint button to the left | Revision | Same screen, layout change |
| Swap the candy theme for an ocean theme | Revision before art approval; change after | Replaces the whole asset set |
| Add frozen jars on hard levels | Scope change | A second rule with new art, tutorial and QA |
| Add a daily challenge | Scope change | A new mode and calendar |
| Add a leaderboard | Scope change | Needs a backend and accounts |
What you supply and what the studio supplies
A fixed price works because both sides know their part before the clock starts. For a sort puzzle the client side is short, and most of it is decisions rather than files.
| Item | You | DFY Games |
|---|---|---|
| Theme and audience | Pick the theme and say who it is for | Turn it into a visual direction in the blueprint |
| References | Two or three games or images you like, and why | Use them as a guide to feel and readability; nothing is copied |
| Rule card | Approve the four-line rule | Draft it with you if you only have the idea |
| Art, sound, icon | Feedback at the art checkpoint | Original commissioned assets |
| Levels | Play the sample and say where it feels wrong | Generate, solve, order and test the set |
| Store listing | Company details, privacy contact, approval of copy | Title direction, keywords, screenshots, description |
| Developer accounts | Open and pay for Apple and Google accounts in your name | Packaging, console checklist and submission support |
Developer accounts take the longest to sort out, so open them early. The build target of 10 business days starts after payment, a completed intake and blueprint approval, and store review afterwards is controlled by Apple and Google.
When your brief no longer fits Core
A brief usually leaves Core in one of four ways. Each has a clear next step, and at kickoff you choose: trim the idea to fit, upgrade for the difference, or take a full refund.
| Signal in the brief | Where it goes |
|---|---|
| Two or more puzzle rules or blocker types | Advanced Game + Launch ($2,999) |
| Several themed chapters with their own maps | Advanced Game + Launch |
| Daily challenges, events or a soft-currency booster economy | Advanced Game + Launch |
| Leaderboards, accounts or cloud save | Advanced where the architecture allows |
| Player-made levels, licensed characters, weekly live content | Custom quote |
If the idea is still at the napkin stage, the game idea quiz suggests a package from a few answers. When the rule card fits in four lines, you can choose your package and start or read more about the sort puzzle build.
A Core-fit check you can run in five minutes
My sort puzzle fits Core if
- The rule card has four lines and no "and also"
- Every level could be described by the same few numbers (colors, jars, spare jars, depth)
- There is one theme and one map
- The screen list matches the sample above, give or take one screen
- Monetization is a rewarded hint, between-level interstitials and at most two purchases
- Nothing needs a login or a server
- I can name one person who will approve the blueprint within a day
Frequently asked questions
How many screens does a $499 sort puzzle have?
Usually around ten: splash, consent, map, gameplay, settings, level complete, stuck, shop, rewarded prompt and collection. The exact list is fixed in the blueprint.
Can I have two mechanics in the Core package?
No. Core covers one mechanic polished deeply; a second rule such as blockers or timed levels moves the game to Advanced.
Which in-app purchases fit Core?
Up to two simple products, typically remove ads and a cosmetic pack. Bundles, offers and a soft-currency economy belong to Advanced.
What does unlimited revisions cover?
Any refinement inside the approved blueprint until first submission, such as art direction, difficulty tuning and layout. New rules, modes or integrations are scope changes.
What happens if my idea turns out bigger than Core?
At kickoff you choose to trim it to fit, upgrade for the difference or take a full refund.
Sources
- [S13] Google AdMob, Interstitial ad guidance
Written and reviewed by the DFY Games team. Published ; facts checked . Prices and store rules change: check the linked sources before you rely on a figure.