Cross-Link

Constellation Connecting in Cross-Link

Draw lines and map the night sky in Cross-Link, an elegant line-connection game that challenges your geometric deduction. The game board represents a cosmic star field with glowing nodes. Your objective is to connect specific stars to form constellations based on a reference map. However, the golden rule of Cross-Link is that no two lines are allowed to cross each other. Players searching for a soothing, stellar Puzle will find Cross-Link to be a beautiful and intellectual exercise that runs smoothly on both desktop and mobile screens.

Design of Astronomical Line Games

Cross-Link was developed by remarkablegames for the Gamedev.js Jam. It takes the mathematical concept of planar graphs—graphs where edges do not intersect—and translates it into an atmospheric space-themed game. The visual design is striking, featuring neon blue lines, glowing stars, and deep cosmic backgrounds. By focusing on simple line interactions, the developers created a game that is relaxing to watch yet requires rigorous logic to solve.

Line-Crossing Rules & Logic

Each puzzle displays a set of stars with numbers. The numbers indicate how many connections that specific star must have. You click and drag from one star to another to draw a link. As you draw, the game checks if the new link crosses any existing connections. If it does, the move is blocked, or the crossed line is severed. To solve the map, all stars must have connections matching their target numbers, and the entire network must remain free of intersections.

Star-Map Clearing Tips

• Start with High-Number Nodes: Connect stars that require 3 or 4 links first. They have fewer options and dictate the layout of the rest of the board.
• Keep Lines Short: Connect adjacent stars rather than drawing long lines across the board. Long lines are highly likely to block future links.
• Utilize Outer Perimeter: Route connections along the outer edges of the star cluster to leave the central space clear for complex linking.
• Undo Often: If you find your lines blocked, undo the last few connections and try a different routing path.

Constellation Controls

• Mouse Drag / Touch Swipe: Connect two stars by dragging a line between them.
• Right-Click / Double Tap: Delete an existing connection line.
• Clear Button (On-screen): Remove all lines on the board.
• R Key: Restart the current level.

Key Features

• Beautiful galactic art style with glowing vector stars and smooth line animations.
• Relaxing ambient synth music that complements the solving process.
• Dozens of levels with increasing grid complexity and node counts.
• Fully responsive touch controls optimized for mobile phone browsers.