PopCats: Merge the Cats

A merge board with a defined win condition, which is rarer in the genre than it should be: the game ends when you connect the two largest animals, so there is something to reach rather than a number to inflate indefinitely.

Each form on the ladder has its own small character, and the game treats that as part of the reward — you meet them by making them. The board fills as you play, so the real skill is keeping space free for the merges you are setting up rather than taking every match the moment it appears.

Points feed a leaderboard for anyone who wants the run measured.

1. Connect two identical animals to make the next size up.
2. Keep open space on the board for future merges.
3. Work both large forms up in parallel.
4. Combine the two biggest to finish the board.

Resist merging every pair you see — a board with no free space loses to one with fewer matches and room to move.