[xiaoma]

In 2011, I did the "tetris with a shop" that I'd always wanted as a kid-- one where you buy the blocks to use. It's a flash game and I've thought about how easy it would be to port to JavaScript, but the gameplay mechanics need some work and I've been so bogged down generating enough freelance business leads to stay afloat since moving to SF that I gave up on it.

http://www.kongregate.com/games/Xiaoma/block-merchant

[tensaix2j]

Good game, but i m stuck at merchant page where i have $0 coin but it insisted me to purchase at least 4 pieces.

[xiaoma]

Terrible pieces are free, good ones cost gold. Did you find a way through buying and selling to actually get less than 4 and not have money? I'm pretty sure I disallowed the player from selling below 4.

Edit: Even though it's been a while, I did spend about a month making that (it was before I'd ever had a programming job) and I'm interested in feedback. My thought on it now is that the game concept is broken. It's what I always wanted as a kid, but the problem is this:

If you start with the good pieces, why ever buy bad pieces? But if you start with the bad pieces, most players will get crushed and that 5% who can do well enough buy good pieces then do even better and then crush the game. It's inherently unstable, kind of like those old 4X games with stupid AIs that cheat on harder difficulty settings. They'll destroy you if they catch you early, but once you gain parity, you'll steamroll them with little challenge.