Welcome to ZapTheMatch!

How Scoring & Zaps Work

In ZapTheMatch, every click counts! Your performance in the game is measured through two main factors: accuracy and speed. The better you do, the more zaps you earn — and these zaps aren’t just for bragging rights!

**Zaps** are the game’s primary currency, representing your overall performance and progress. Here’s how your zap score is calculated:

Step 1: Base Score

Each game level (Easy, Normal, Hard, Legendary) and grid size has a *base score* assigned. For example, if you’re playing an Easy level with a 5x5 grid, your base score is 60. The base score increases with higher difficulty and larger grids.

Step 2: Performance Multiplier

The second factor in the calculation is your response time compared to the average response time for that grid and level. If you complete the game faster than the average, you’ll earn a performance multiplier. The faster you are, the higher the multiplier, up to a cap of 2.0 times. Slower performance results in a multiplier closer to 0.25, but don’t worry, this won’t lower your score too much.

Step 3: Accuracy

The third component is your accuracy. If you manage to click on all the right images and avoid errors, you’ll receive a higher accuracy ratio. Your accuracy is weighted and affects your final zap score. The higher your accuracy, the better your final score!

Step 4: Final Score Calculation

Combining these factors, your zap score is determined by the following formula: const zapScore = Math.round(baseScore * normalizedMultiplier * timeBonus);

- The base score comes from the difficulty and grid size. - The performance multiplier adjusts your score based on how fast you completed the game. - The accuracy multiplier adjusts your score based on how correct your selections were. - If you complete the game faster than the average response time, you get a small time bonus (15% extra); if you are slower, there’s a penalty (15% reduction).

Zaps aren’t just a reflection of your performance; they also unlock new content! As your zap score increases, you’ll open up new levels and games to challenge yourself with, making every game a step toward bettering your skills and advancing through the game.

As you continue playing and accumulate zaps, your rank will change, giving you a continuous incentive to improve your gameplay.

And if you're proud of your score? Don’t forget, you can share your rank or game results with friends directly from the result screen or from the zaps section (at top left). It's a great way to show off your achievements and challenge others to beat your score!

How Games and Levels Unlock

One of the most exciting aspects of ZapTheMatch is how you progress through different levels and games. As you improve your skills and earn zaps, new challenges and levels unlock for you. Here's how it works:

Unlocking the First Games

When you start playing, the first two games on the Easy level are unlocked for you to enjoy. These initial games are designed to ease you into the gameplay and allow you to practice your image-matching skills. Once you've completed both of these games by passing all the grids within the expected response time, you'll unlock the next set of games.

Level Progression and Unlocking New Games

After passing the first two games on the Easy level, the next two games (the 3rd and 4th) will be unlocked for you to play. But there's more! Once you pass these two new games and accumulate enough zaps, the final game of the Easy level will be unlocked. This last game is the ultimate challenge for the Easy level, and completing it opens up the next level.

Moving on to New Levels

Once you clear the final game in any level, the process repeats for the next level. The first two games of the next difficulty level will be unlocked for you to play. The same unlocking pattern follows for every level — passing two games unlocks the next two, and eventually, the final game of that level.

Marking Games as Passed

To mark a game as passed, you need to clear all the grids within the expected response time and accuracy. Each game consists of a series of grids, and each grid must be completed quickly and accurately. As you complete the grids, a small pass indicator (a dot) below each game will change from gray to green, indicating that you've successfully passed that grid in the game. Once you've completed all the grids within the expected time, the game is officially marked as passed.

Tracking Progress

As you play, you’ll see a progress indicator next to each game. When you click on the Game dropdown, you'll notice that each game has three small dots beneath it. Initially, all three dots will be gray, indicating that the game hasn't been completed yet. When you pass a grid and complete it within the time limit and accuracy, the corresponding dot will turn green. The more green dots you see, the closer you are to unlocking new levels and games!

So, whether you're racing against time, improving your accuracy, or aiming to unlock the next game, there's always something to look forward to in ZapTheMatch. The journey of unlocking new levels and games adds an exciting layer of progression to the game, making it even more rewarding as you advance.

Mood-Based Gameplay: See How You Perform

In ZapTheMatch, you can optionally select your mood before starting a game to track how it impacts your performance. Whether you’re feeling happy, excited, or sad — this feature lets you explore how emotions influence your reaction time and accuracy.

Your mood is recorded along with each game attempt, and over time, you can observe which moods help you perform better. It’s a fun way to learn about yourself while enjoying the game!

If you’ve played a specific game and grid combination in different moods, the results after that game will show a quick comparison highlighting your current mood's performance compared to other mood/s.

Your Gameplay History

Want to analyze your performance and see how you're progressing? The floating History button at the bottom right of the screen gives you access to a detailed breakdown of your gameplay, grouped by level, game, and grid.

Your historical data will include:

• Total plays for each game/grid combination.
• Average response time for each game/grid combination, so you can see if you're getting faster or slower over time.
• Average accuracy for each game/grid combination, so you can see the average accuracy you are keeping.
• Total score accumulated for each game/grid combination in all the plays.
• Average scores across different moods, so you can compare how you perform when you're feeling different emotions.

This section gives you a complete overview of your habits and progress — helping you track improvements or challenge yourself to beat your own records.

For those who like a fresh start, the history panel also provides options to clear all gameplay history and reset your zap score to zero. Use it when you want to wipe the slate clean and start again!

Play Seamlessly on Any Screen

ZapTheMatch works flawlessly across all screen sizes — whether you’re playing on a desktop, laptop, tablet, or mobile phone. The layout is carefully designed to adapt to your device, ensuring both performance and comfort.

On smaller screens like mobiles (typically in portrait mode), the game automatically adjusts the layout to suit visibility and ease of play. In this mode, grid options include 3x3, 4x4, and 5x5, offering a compact but highly engaging experience.

On larger screens such as desktops or tablets, the layout adjusts accordingly, and players can choose from 4x4, 5x5, and 6x6 grids — giving more visual space and a higher challenge level.

Everything is handled automatically — you don’t need to switch settings. Just open the game and play, with the interface optimized for your screen.

How Your Mood Affects Your Response Time

Did you know that your mood can significantly impact how fast and accurately you respond to challenges? Studies in cognitive psychology show that when you're in a positive mood, your brain is more flexible and alert, leading to quicker reaction times.

On the other hand, stress or negative emotions can cloud your focus and slow your reflexes. This is why elite athletes often use mood regulation techniques like music, meditation, or positive self-talk before a big game.

The same principles apply to everyday tasks or games like ZapTheMatch. Try playing in a calm, focused state and you might notice a big difference in how fast you respond to visual cues!

A Game for All Ages

ZapTheMatch is designed to be enjoyed by players of all ages — from young children building their focus to adults looking to test their reflexes and memory. The rules are simple, the visuals are clean, and the gameplay is intuitive, making it suitable for everyone.

The game contains no ads during gameplay, no external links, and no login or account creation — providing a safe and distraction-free experience, especially for younger users. All user data stays on the device, ensuring full privacy and control.

Whether you're a parent playing with your child, a teen looking for a fun brain challenge, or an adult enjoying quick mental workouts, ZapTheMatch adapts to your pace and preference — no pressure, just pure play.

Social Sharing & Friendly Challenges

Every game in ZapTheMatch ends with a personalized result screen — showing your score, response time, accuracy, and mood (if selected). You’ll also find a handy “Share” option that lets you proudly show off your best scores or challenge your friends to beat them!

Sharing is available directly from the results screen after a game, or from your Zap Rank popup, where you can view your current performance level and progress.

With a single click, you can invite others to test their reflexes, compete for higher zap scores, or just have fun comparing moods and reaction times. No sign-ups, no apps — just instant, friendly fun.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)