Cat Lines Native

Android-first Expo / React Native match game where animated cat breeds replace the usual colored balls on a compact 5x5 board.

The current project is a playable vertical slice focused on tactile swaps, fast board reads, and stylized cat-themed presentation.

Current Feature Set

• 5x5 game board optimized for mobile play
• tap-to-select and swap for neighboring tiles
• matches across horizontal, vertical, and both diagonal directions
• cascading refill after resolved matches
• multiple distinct cat breeds with animated idle motion and blinking
• audio, icons, stickers, and gameplay helpers kept inside the same Expo app workspace

Tech Stack

• Expo
• React Native
• TypeScript
• react-native-svg
• expo-audio
• expo-linear-gradient

Scripts

• npm install — install dependencies
• npm run start — start Expo dev server
• npm run android — bump build metadata and open the Android app
• npm run ios — bump build metadata and open the iOS app
• npm run web — launch a web preview
• npm run stickers:telegram — export Telegram-ready PNG stickers from the cat tiles
• npm run bump:build-meta — update build metadata before native runs

Local Run

1. cd /Users/valeryazartsov/catlines-native
2. npm install
3. npm run android

Core Gameplay

• select a cat tile with one tap
• tap a neighboring tile to swap positions
• lines of 3 or more matching cats are cleared
• valid lines can be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal
• new cats cascade in after each resolved match

Telegram Sticker Pack

npm run stickers:telegram generates a static sticker pack in assets/telegram-stickers.

• stickers are exported as transparent 512x512 PNG files
• the set includes all cat tiles, including the super cat
• text labels are omitted so the cats read cleanly at sticker size
• assets/telegram-stickers/pack.json stores metadata, recommended emoji, and upload order

To upload the pack into Telegram:

1. Run npm run stickers:telegram.
2. Open @Stickers and create a new static sticker pack.
3. Upload PNG files in the order listed in uploadOrder inside assets/telegram-stickers/pack.json.
4. Use the recommended emoji from the same pack.json entry for each sticker.

Next Ideas

• special cats, boosters, and combo modifiers
• a dedicated level-select and progression layer
• richer match effects, haptics, and sound feedback
• hand-drawn or skeletal animation assets instead of fully procedural art

Changelog

Project-level updates are tracked in CHANGELOG.md.