Learn About Match 3 Games

What are Match 3 Games?

Match 3 is a generic style of video or computer game, in which the player attempts to rearrange shapes or objects in a playing field in order to get three or more identical objects connected (sometimes in a row, otherwise just sharing a side), at which point they disappear and grant the player points. This rearrangement is done by exchanging the places of two tiles at a time, and, in recent variations, it is made more difficult by limiting the player to one move before “clearing” pieces. This means that a swap of two objects must result in a connection of three or more identical objects, or else the swap reverts itself.

The simple game concept works in Match 3’s favor. However, even though the games are easy to learn, all Match 3 games incorporate strategy, which is one reason they have maintained popularity with casual gamers. If a section of objects is cleared, the objects above take their place. The space at the top of the screen that would now be empty is instead filled with fresh pieces. If falling objects create new chains of three or more identical objects, those new chains clear, become points for the player, and again are replaced. Chains can continue indefinitely, and the strategies of getting a board overpopulated with one type of object and clearing objects from the bottom of the screen are worthwhile in nearly every version.

The History of Match 3 Games

The idea behind match 3 games can be seen in games like Columns (1989) and Tetris Attack (1996). Columns was a Tetris-style game, in which segments of three, vertical objects (generally different objects, though some sets could contain two or three of the same objects) would fall from the top of the screen downward. The player’s role was to cycle the objects as they fell and determine a landing point that would make a 3-or-greater series of objects likely. Objects could align vertically, horizontally or diagonally, and the third variant is what made Columns unique. Tetris Attack for the Super NES allowed only horizontal and vertical connections, and objects could only be rearranged in connected, horizontal pairs. Once rearranged, however, objects held their new position until cleared or moved again.

Bejeweled, created in 2001 by PopCap, is the longest standing in the modern incarnation of the Match 3 style.  The game started out as a free online game but due to its popularity, PopCap polished it up and released it as a shareware download.  The game’s massive popularity and financial success helped kick off the Casual Games revolution online and spawned sequels and many copies.

Iwin’s Jewel Quest (2004), expanded on Bejeweled’s Match 3 concept by incorporating a play mechanic used in PopCap’s Alchemy game.  Players need to make matches and when they do, parts of the game board behind those matches turns to gold.  The entire game board must be turned to gold before completing the level. Jewel Quest (and its sequels) feature a series of more than 100 levels per game, all connected by a geographical region, style, and adventure story. Players advance the story one puzzle at a time, giving a sense of completion and progress.

Puzzle Quest (2007) introduced an interesting variation to the Match 3 game model. The game involves an adventure story where you control a hero, travel through the land and accomplish tasks. When the hero battles enemies, the player and the computer engage in “combat” through the Match 3 system on the same game grid by taking turns. Each type of object matched and cleared becomes an attack or a statistic boost to help defeat the other player. This model has represented a new innovation on the classic match 3 system, and it allows players who may be interested in traditional adventure role playing games to experience them without all of the time that is normally necessary to play them and a new way to fight battles.

Who Will Like These Games?

Match 3 games are ideal for casual gamers. The typical match 3 game takes only minutes to learn and the games themselves require very little time-commitment. Game play usually only involves mouse clicking so a high level of coordination necessary in other games is not needed here.

Match 3 games are known for how catchy they can be.  They also promote pattern recognition skills as players need to be able to spot potential matches on the game grid.  There is also strategy in what you choose to match as that can cause chain reaction matches to produce bigger point totals.

If you are looking for a game that is easy to learn, difficult to master, and doesn’t require huge amounts of time to play, we can eagerly recommend you try out Match 3 games!