NEW9
Counterpoise
by ZotaGame0 likes6 plays
A block puzzle on a seesaw: fill rows and columns on an 8×8 board to crack crystal charms free, while every block you drop tips the scale.
What is Counterpoise?
Counterpoise is a balance block puzzle game where you drop gem pieces onto an 8×8 board that sits on a pivot, clearing full rows and columns to free lucky charms locked in crystal. The twist is weight: a block on an outer column pulls the board 3.5 toward its side, one beside the middle only 0.5, and any drop that leaves the tilt past 16 simply will not go in. Forty short levels across Mercury, Venus, Earth and Jupiter hand you the same pieces every try, so you can plan a perfect run.
Updated
How to play Counterpoise
Goal: Free every charm on the board by clearing a row or column through each crystal, without ever tipping the scale past 16.
- Grab one of the three pieces in the tray and drag it onto the board, or tap the piece and then the cell where it should go.
- Complete a whole row or column to clear it; any crystal in that line breaks and its charm is saved.
- Watch the tilt bubble on the rail: blocks far from the middle push hard, blocks near it barely move the board.
- When all three tray pieces are placed, a fresh set of three drops in, always in the level's fixed order.
- Free the last charm to win, and use fewer pieces than par to collect all 3 stars.
Controls
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| Drag from the tray | Place a piece on the board |
| Tap a piece, then a cell | Place a piece without dragging |
| 123 | Select a tray piece |
| Arrow keys | Slide the selected piece over the board |
| EnterSpace | Drop the piece |
| Esc | Deselect the piece |
| R · L | Restart · open the level list |
Tips & tricks
- Dump bulky pieces on the two middle columns: each block there adds just 0.5 tilt, against 3.5 for a block on the edge.
- Need to stack an edge? Finish that edge column in the same drop: tilt is measured after the clear, so the heavy blocks vanish first.
- Keep clearing at least every other drop: the third drop in a row without a clear wipes your combo back to zero.
- Aim a clear so the bubble stops within 0.5 of centre: that clear scores double, on top of the combo multiplier.
- A level always deals the same order, so if you fail, note which shape comes third and leave a hole that fits it.
Frequently asked questions
How much does each block tip the board in Counterpoise?
It depends only on the column. Blocks on the two outer columns add 3.5 tilt toward their side, the next columns in add 2.5 and 1.5, and the two middle columns add 0.5. Blocks on opposite sides cancel out, and the total must stay at 16 or less in either direction.
How are points scored for clearing lines in Counterpoise?
One line pays 100, two at once pay 300 and three pay 600, and each block you place adds 1 point. A combo multiplier and the balance bonus raise the line points further, emptying the whole board adds 500, and each charm you free adds 250.
When does the combo reset in Counterpoise?
On the third piece in a row that clears nothing. Every placement that clears at least one line adds to the combo, and the multiplier grows by 0.5 each time, from x1 up to a cap of x4. One or two quiet drops between clears keep the chain alive.
Can a move that overloads one side still work in Counterpoise?
Yes, if it clears lines. The tilt limit of 16 is checked after full rows and columns vanish, so a piece that completes a crowded edge column is accepted even though its blocks alone would tip the board. While you hold a piece, the level vial on the top rail previews where the bubble would end up.
Why does a Counterpoise level end with pieces still in the tray?
There are two ways to get stuck. No room left means none of the three pieces fits in any gap. The board would tip means a piece does fit somewhere, but every possible spot pushes the tilt past 16. Spreading weight evenly early on avoids the second ending.
How many charms do Counterpoise levels ask you to free?
Between 1 and 5 per level, sealed as a Clover, Horseshoe, Ladybug or Star. Par runs from a single piece in the first lessons to 8 pieces in the hardest boards, and the 40 levels are grouped into four planet chapters of 10.
