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Summary
Sorting mechanics up the ante from more basic matching mechanics. As with
matching, players have a natural affinity for sorting, especially if the characteristics
being sorted are obvious and highly legible. They also offer players a system that
directly rewards moves. The state of the game is entirely embodied in the array of
pieces on the game board. Players can scan the game board and understand the
state of the game. If the pattern is simple, reading that state is easy. As the pattern
and number of pieces involved grow, legibility suffers. Depending on the game you
are making, this can be good or bad.
Fortunately for designers, sorting allows for more complicated patterns than
straight matching and thus more diverse gameplay ...