diff --git a/Assets/GameVariables.asset b/Assets/GameVariables.asset
index 813415d..6691cf5 100644
--- a/Assets/GameVariables.asset
+++ b/Assets/GameVariables.asset
@@ -53,20 +53,9 @@ MonoBehaviour:
     scoreValue: 10
   width: 7
   height: 7
-  bombColors:
-  - type: 0
-    color: {r: 0.02800417, g: 0, b: 1, a: 1}
-  - type: 1
-    color: {r: 0, g: 1, b: 0.056184053, a: 1}
-  - type: 2
-    color: {r: 1, g: 0, b: 0, a: 1}
-  - type: 3
-    color: {r: 1, g: 0.9118239, b: 0, a: 1}
-  - type: 4
-    color: {r: 0.9601507, g: 0, b: 1, a: 1}
-  bombDelay: 0.75
-  bombSelfDelay: 0.25
+  bombDelay: 0.5
+  bombSelfDelay: 1
   bombRadius: 2
   dropHeight: 2
   gemSpeed: 0.00625
-  scoreSpeed: 1
+  scoreSpeed: 3
diff --git a/Assets/Scripts/Models/Gem.cs b/Assets/Scripts/Models/Gem.cs
index 3fa3366..cbcefe8 100644
--- a/Assets/Scripts/Models/Gem.cs
+++ b/Assets/Scripts/Models/Gem.cs
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ namespace Services {
         public int ScoreValue => this.scoreValue;
         
         private GemType colorType;
-        
         public GemType MatchColor => this.type == GemType.Bomb ? this.colorType : this.type;
         
         public Gem(GemType type, Vector2Int position, int scoreValue, GemType? colorType = null) {
diff --git a/Assets/Scripts/Services/BombService.cs b/Assets/Scripts/Services/BombService.cs
index 335b139..b4b0ea8 100644
--- a/Assets/Scripts/Services/BombService.cs
+++ b/Assets/Scripts/Services/BombService.cs
@@ -17,8 +17,14 @@ namespace Services
             if (matchPositions == null || matchPositions.Count == 0)
                 return Array.Empty<Vector2Int>();
             
-            HashSet<Vector2Int> candidates = new HashSet<Vector2Int>();
+            
+            return matchPositions.Distinct().ToList();
+        }
 
+        // This is the old implementation wherein any adjacent matches will detonate the bomb
+        private List<Vector2Int> DetonateThroughAdjacentMatches(IReadOnlyList<Vector2Int> matchPositions) {
+            HashSet<Vector2Int> candidates = new HashSet<Vector2Int>();
+            
             foreach (Vector2Int p in matchPositions)
             {
                 candidates.Add(p + Vector2Int.left);
@@ -26,7 +32,7 @@ namespace Services
                 candidates.Add(p + Vector2Int.up);
                 candidates.Add(p + Vector2Int.down);
             }
-
+            
             return candidates.ToList();
         }
 
diff --git a/Assets/Scripts/Services/GameBoardService.cs b/Assets/Scripts/Services/GameBoardService.cs
index 71fc820..345283d 100644
--- a/Assets/Scripts/Services/GameBoardService.cs
+++ b/Assets/Scripts/Services/GameBoardService.cs
@@ -193,15 +193,6 @@ namespace Services {
                 matchPositions.Add(pos);
             }
 
-            foreach (Vector2Int pos in matchPositions.Distinct().ToList()) {
-                Gem gem = GetGem(pos);
-                if (gem == null) continue;
-                if (gem.Type == GemType.Bomb) continue;
-
-                this.scoreService.ScoreCheck(gem.ScoreValue);
-                DestroyMatchedGems(pos);
-            }
-
             IReadOnlyList<Vector2Int> bombCandidates = this.bombService.CollectTriggeredBombs(matchPositions);
 
             List<Vector2Int> initialBombs = new List<Vector2Int>();
@@ -217,7 +208,40 @@ namespace Services {
             }
             initialBombs = initialBombs.Distinct().ToList();
 
-            await this.bombService.DetonateChainAsync(initialBombs, InBounds, GetGem, DestroyAtAsync, this.gameVariables.bombRadius, this.gameVariables.bombDelay, this.gameVariables.bombSelfDelay);
+            // If a bomb is part of the match, do NOT destroy matching pieces immediately.
+            // Let the bomb's manhattan-distance explosion destroy them in sequence.
+            if (initialBombs.Count > 0) {
+                await this.bombService.DetonateChainAsync(
+                    initialBombs,
+                    InBounds,
+                    GetGem,
+                    DestroyAtAsync,
+                    this.gameVariables.bombRadius,
+                    this.gameVariables.bombDelay,
+                    this.gameVariables.bombSelfDelay);
+
+                await MoveGemsDown();
+                return;
+            }
+
+            foreach (Vector2Int pos in matchPositions.Distinct().ToList()) {
+                Gem gem = GetGem(pos);
+                if (gem == null) continue;
+                if (gem.Type == GemType.Bomb) continue;
+
+                this.scoreService.ScoreCheck(gem.ScoreValue);
+                DestroyMatchedGems(pos);
+            }
+
+            await this.bombService.DetonateChainAsync(
+                initialBombs,
+                InBounds,
+                GetGem,
+                DestroyAtAsync,
+                this.gameVariables.bombRadius,
+                this.gameVariables.bombDelay,
+                this.gameVariables.bombSelfDelay);
+
             await MoveGemsDown();
         }