itch.io

Thanks for your question!

I did think about adding a “quit” option during the puzzle. However, it’s intentionally not available in the mini-game.

The reason is mainly design-related: if players are allowed to quit before the timer ends, they will almost always exit the puzzle the moment they feel they might fail, just to avoid the consequences of defeat. That removes tension and defeats the purpose of having a timer in the first place.

One possible alternative would be to add a kind of “forfeit” button that immediately triggers a loss (like surrendering). However, in practice this doesn’t add much to the experience and reduces the emotional engagement of the challenge.

The mini-game is meant to create tension and commitment, so once it begins, the player sees it through to its outcome — success or failure.

For the best player experience, I also recommend avoiding overly complex setups. For example, a 3×3 grid with a 60-second to 2-3 minute timer feels balanced and fair. A 4×4 grid can already be significantly more difficult and may frustrate players depending on your audience and game design. It’s important to tune both grid size and timer carefully to keep the challenge fun rather than punishing.

P.S. If this feature is essential for your project, I can consider implementing a quit option.