Match Three
Swap touching gems to line up three or more, with cascades that multiply your score and a board that never deals an impossible position.
How the scoring rewards patience
- A three scores 30. Every gem beyond three adds a bonus on top, so a five is worth 80 rather than 50.
- Cascades multiply. Gems that fall in and match again pay double, then triple, and so on. Almost all of a big score comes from chains, not from single matches.
- That is why it is usually worth clearing from the bottom — everything above it drops, and each drop is a fresh chance at a chain.
- The board is built so it never starts with a match already on it, and it always holds at least one legal swap. If a move ever runs the board dry, it reshuffles the same gems rather than dealing new ones.
- Only swaps that create a match are allowed. Tap two touching gems to try one.
How to use
- Swap two adjacent gems to make a line of three or more.
- Matched gems clear and the board falls to fill the gaps.
- Look for moves that set up cascades.
- Work from the bottom of the board upward.
Frequently asked questions
What is a cascade?
When gems falling to fill a cleared space happen to form another match, which clears and drops again. Cascades usually score far more than the original match, so setting one up deliberately is worth considerably more than taking the first match you see.
Why should I play from the bottom up?
Because clearing low on the board makes everything above it fall, which creates new arrangements and often triggers cascades. Clearing at the top only refills from off-screen and changes nothing below, so it wastes the board's potential.
Does the board ever run out of moves?
It should not — a well-built implementation checks for available moves and reshuffles when none exist. Being presented with a dead board is a bug rather than a challenge, and this one avoids it.
Is there strategy or is it just spotting matches?
There is real strategy, though it is easy to miss. Choosing between several available matches based on what falls afterwards, saving a setup move for later, and clearing toward an objective rather than for immediate points all separate good play from fast play.
Where did the genre come from?
Shariki, written by Eugene Alemzhin in 1994, is generally credited as the original. Bejeweled brought the format to a mass audience in 2001, and the mechanic has since become one of the most commercially successful in games.
Why is it so compelling?
A short feedback loop, a clear visual reward, and cascades that occasionally deliver far more than expected. That last part is a variable reward schedule, which is genuinely effective at holding attention — and worth being aware of, particularly in versions built around purchases.
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