# Groovetile

> Play Groovetile online: slide grooved wooden tiles to build a path from start to goal and roll the ball home. Route it over every star for three stars.

- Play in the browser: https://yesthisgame.com/groovetile/
- Category: Original Games, Puzzles
- Made by: Yes This Game (an original game written by the site)
- Price: free, no download, no sign-up
- Inside the game: no ads, works on phones, tablets and computers, progress saved in the browser
- Guide: [Sliding Tile Puzzle Tips: 3 Stars Cost 2.5x the Moves](https://yesthisgame.com/blog/sliding-tile-puzzle-tips.md)

## In short

Groovetile is a sliding tile puzzle. Slide grooved wooden tiles one square at a time to join a path from the blue start tile to the red goal, roll the ball home and route it over the star tiles for three stars.

**How to control it:** Press Play, choose a pack and a level. Drag wooden tiles into the empty squares to connect the grooves from the start tile to the goal. The level ends as soon as the path is complete; pass over all star tiles for three stars. Use Hint to see the finished path.

**Groovetile** is a sliding tile puzzle: slide grooved wooden tiles into the empty squares until they form one path from the blue start tile to the red goal, and the ball rolls home.

## How to play

1. Press Play, open Level Pack 1 and pick a level. The first level is open; each one you finish opens the next.
2. **Slide:** drag a wooden tile toward an empty square next to it. It moves one square.
3. **Build the path:** line up the grooves from the start tile to the goal tile. Grey tiles with screws are fixed.
4. **Finish:** as soon as the path is complete, the ball rolls along it and the level ends.
5. **Stars:** the level gives one star for every star tile the ball rolls over, up to three.

## What you see on screen

- **Start screen:** the Groovetile title, the Play button and a sound button.
- **Packs and levels:** four level packs with a star count, then a grid of numbered levels.
- **The board:** a square board with wooden tiles, empty squares, the blue start and the red goal.
- **Bottom bar:** Restart, the level list and Hint with the number of hints left.
- **Level completed:** up to three stars and buttons to replay, go to the list or play the next level.

## Tips

- Plan the whole star route before you close the path. The level ends the moment the path is complete, so on levels 3 and 4 the shortest finish gave no stars at all.
- Expect three stars to cost more moves. On levels 1 to 5 the shortest finishes took 14 moves in total, the three-star routes 36.
- Clear space first. Most three-star solutions start by sliding tiles into an empty corner to make room, then build the path.
- Read our [sliding tile puzzle tips](https://yesthisgame.com/blog/sliding-tile-puzzle-tips/) for the numbers behind these tips.

## Frequently asked questions

### How do I move a tile?

Drag it toward an empty square next to it. Each drag moves it one square. Fixed tiles with screws do not move.

### When does a level end?

Immediately when the grooves form a full path from start to goal. The ball rolls and the level is complete.

### How do I get three stars?

Make the finished path run over every star tile. A shorter path that skips stars still finishes the level, with fewer stars.

### What does the hint do?

It shows the whole finished path in green on the board. You start with five hints.

### Is my progress saved?

Yes, your stars and unlocked levels are kept in your browser on this device. Nothing is sent anywhere.

### Is Groovetile free to play?

Yes. You can play it in your browser on Yes This Game with no download and no sign-up.