Match 3

Match-3 games ask you to line up three or more identical objects, from gems and fruit to sweets and other tiles. Most use swaps between neighbouring pieces, while this collection also includes rotating squares and moving entire rows. Choose a timed puzzle, a collection challenge or a contest against the computer.

Classic tile swapping

Start here to learn the basic idea. Look along rows and columns before moving: the piece that completes a match may be one square away.

• Tropical Fish Store — find lines of three, four or five identical figures and work through the levels. It offers a starting point for spotting longer combinations.
• Amazing Fruits — swap neighbouring fruit to line up three or more of the same kind and remove them from the board.
• Sushi Swap — match sushi icons by exchanging adjacent pieces. Study their positions before choosing a swap instead of clicking through tiles at random.

Matches against the clock

These games divide your attention between the board and the timer. Successful matches keep a run going, so try to spot another available move in advance.

• Jungle Jewels — swap neighbouring gems and clear lines of at least three matching pieces. Clearing a group adds time for your next combination.
• Candy Match — clear identical sweets and earn points. Completed matches add seconds while the timer keeps counting down, making the pace part of the challenge.

Goals and computer opponents

Here, matches serve a particular objective. Read the task first: a high score does not always mean that the required job is finished.

• Snow Queen 2 — match frozen flowers in threes and collect the items shown on the left. Complete the collection to move to the next level.
• Bubbles Puzzle — take turns with the computer. After your combination, the opponent gets a move, so consider the board you leave behind.
• Civibattle — combine a matching puzzle with strategy. Matches earn money and materials, which you then use to buy soldiers and construct buildings.

Different ways to make a line

Building a line of three does not always mean exchanging two individual pieces. These games change how you move objects around the board.

• Royal Treasures — slide rows and columns to match gems and charge the central pearl. A charged pearl lets you shuffle the pieces.
• Food Roll — rotate a square to bring the missing figure alongside a matching pair. Check all its corners before choosing the turn.

Useful habits to practise

• Check the level goal first. Matching a required item may matter more than making an unrelated long line.
• Look for groups of four or five as well as threes when the game's rules allow them.
• Recheck nearby squares after each move: the available combinations may have changed.
• Against the computer, consider its next turn; against the clock, keep another possible match in mind.

Match-3 questions

Do all these games use the same controls?

No. Alongside adjacent swaps, some use rotating squares or sliding rows. Read the controls on the selected game's page for its exact actions.

Which game has a computer opponent?

Bubbles Puzzle uses alternating player and computer turns. It provides a different challenge from trying to score as much as possible before a timer expires.

Is every game a race against time?

No. Objectives vary: you may watch a timer, collect specified items or plan around an opponent's move. Check the individual description before starting.