Best match-3 games in 2024

Sometimes, a simple mechanic is all you need to wind down, and match-3 games offer this better than any genre available for the best Android gaming phones. The gameplay loop of matching colored blocks is popular enough that creative innovation is required to keep things interesting, not to mention it’s a malleable genre that can fit with literally any context or art style. So, the sky is the limit.

Match 3 games are ideal for smaller screens, which makes them perfect on Android, with simple inputs and mechanics that only require minor adjustments, making them accessible to one and all. But where should one start? Well, this is why we’ve gathered our favorite match-3 games in today’s roundup, offering some of the Play Store’s finest games for lining up blocks to topple your high score, perfect for killing time and keeping the cogs turning while you wait.

What is a match-3 game exactly?

Match-3 games follow the same basic rules as Connect 4, requiring the player to switch the positions of certain graphics to form lines, which break to yield points. Achieve the required score to win! These graphics can take the form of blocks, squares, or circles, depending on the specific art style and context of the game.

Some apps provide power-ups and in-app purchases to make the game easier. These titles are very good at positive reinforcement, frequently rewarding single movements with multiple indirect matches and special moves; match-3 games are great at making you feel clever!

1 Angry Birds Match

An enjoyable spin on a classic formula

Angry Birds Match is a match-3 game centered around lining up colored objects to fulfill a quota of specific items; based on the world of Rovio’s classic series. Matching certain formations of blocks will spawn classic Angry Birds characters, each with its abilities to aid you in racking up the quota. Angry Birds Match also includes a pet collector feature that lets players use the accrued currency to purchase cute baby birds, which can be personalized and customized to their heart’s content, at the expense of more currency. While the Angry Birds connection is purely cosmetic, Angry Birds Match evokes the same gameplay inclinations of the original destructive title, encouraging players to exploit specific character move sets to efficiently smash things up.

2 Mundus – match 3 puzzle games

Prepare for a fantastical journey

Given the set formula of match-3 games, developers often focus on additional gameplay aspects to create a lasting impression, leaving the core gameplay as is. Case and point, Mundus, a match-3 game with a plot about shamanism and traveling to different universes. This concept frames the various backdrops surrounding the game’s grids, showing vibrantly colored scenes accompanied by mysterious ethereal music.

The game manages to pull off a bright, cartoonish aesthetic without coming over as garish or overbearing. Add to that perfectly enjoyable match-3 gameplay, and the whole thing comes out on top as an excellent experience.

3 Pokémon Shuffle Mobile

The definitive Pokémon match-3 experience

As the name implies, Pokémon Shuffle is a match-3 mobile game themed around the iconic franchise. You are required to match tiles in pursuit of catching Pokémon, with every move you have remaining at the end increasing the odds of capture success.

These Pokémon can be applied to your character as passive buffs to increase your scores. The games themselves provide a satisfying challenge without becoming annoying, and the mechanics above are explained well so that anyone can jump in. Pokémon Shuffle adapts the Pokémon experience to match-3 gameplay well.

4 Lily’s Garden – Design & Relax

Transform your dreary house into a cozy home

Lily’s Garden – Design & Relax provides an addictive match-3 experience, requiring players to refurbish Lily’s dilapidated childhood property. Complete match-3 challenges to earn currency and customize your various renovations, both floral and structural.

The gameplay is exceedingly simple; the blocks break quickly and gratifyingly, increasing your score based on their color; without even needing to be in a row! Power-ups make things easier and far more satisfying, blowing up entire grids with a single input. If you’re looking for an easy and rewarding match-3 experience, Lily’s Garden – Design & Relax works wonders.

5 Puzzle Quest 3 – Match 3 RPG

A dynamic fantasy-filled match-3 experience

Something more involved than your generic match-3 game, Puzzle Quest 3 recreates a Western turn-based RPG and pairs it with match-3 gameplay. You face off against an opponent by matching tiles within a time limit, the colors of specific tiles representing different actions to take during combat.

While this sounds a bit farfetched, in practice, it works quite well. Limited moves are usually the source of tension in these games, and so adding a time limit feels like an evolution of that concept. The aesthetics just add to this, working hard to recreate a genuine RPG experience with clean and efficient art design. If you’re already a fan of the best Final Fantasy games on Android, Puzzle Quest 3 is a must.

6 Monster Busters: Hexa Blast

Climb the tower and reap your rewards

Monster Busters: Hexa Blast provides hexagonal match-3 gameplay framed around climbing a tower, with each floor adding something new to that floor’s level. Match the hexagonal blocks and take advantage of explosive power-ups to complete level-specific challenges, from meeting a certain block quota to breaking obstructive blocks, earning score bonuses for every move you don’t use.

The score at the end of each level provides currency, which can be spent on extra lives, power-ups, and more. Monster Busters: Hexa Blast feels incredibly satisfying to play, managing to be challenging without over-complicating things.

7 Gunspell 2 – Puzzle RPG

Go treasure hunting in this stunning match-3 title

Gunspell 2 continues the trend of match-3 games adding turn-based RPG content to extend the gameplay, but with an artful and detailed visual design that distinguishes it amongst the crowd. This game is the first to utilize hexagonal tiles, which enables diagonal matching, a not insignificant difference for skilled players.

Special props should be given to the avatar designs, which are all beautifully detailed and a joy to look at while playing. As expected, you match tiles with colors that correspond with certain attacks until you win. Additional power-ups and special tiles give the gameplay added complexity, as you have to master them to excel.

8 Marvel Puzzle Quest: Hero RPG

Unite your favorite heroes and save the world

The MCU offering a match-3 game based around the franchise seems perfect, given its huge roster of heroes and storylines. Marvel Puzzle Quest takes full advantage of this, letting you recruit dozens of characters, including different incarnations of the same character from the Marvel universe.

The inclusion of high-profile characters doesn’t change the formula much; however, you still match tiles to attack and occasionally use a character-specific super move to deal extra damage. The game’s appeal hinges on your partiality to the MCU itself, grinding to unlock your favorite characters being the primary motivation besides dominating a leaderboard. But if you are a fan, this one has a decent presentation and represents the genre well.

9 Puzzle & Dragons

Evolve and grow your own dragons

Rounding off with one last RPG-based match-3, Puzzle & Dragons offers a stellar group turn-based combat experience based around familiar match-3 gameplay. One standout feature of this title is the ability to place any tile anywhere on the board (I know, crazy).

The character designs look amazing, with unlockable party members offering stylized and lovingly crafted 2D sprites. The difficulty curve is smooth and reasonable, with its “easy to learn, hard to master” nature being stated on the store page. Overlooking one or two crashing issues, we have a versatile game with just enough content to keep players coming back.

10 DC Heroes & Villains: Match 3

Pick a side and join the fight of good versus bad

DC Heroes & Villains: Match 3 presents the same conceit as Marvel Puzzle quest, sending the user on a mission to save the world alongside classic DC characters, via matching tiles. As seen in previous action-based match-3 games, you match colored blocks on a grid to deal damage to enemies; which enemy you damage corresponds to which side of the grid you make the match on.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a game in the DCEU without some classic heroes and villains, hence the appearance of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman; not to mention named villains like Two-Face and Darkseid to swell the enemy ranks. The heroes come into gameplay in the form of special attacks that deal a huge chunk of damage to all enemies, which is pretty essential in some of these fights. DC Heroes & Villains is a treat for DC fans, letting you collect various famous characters from victories and a strong title for newcomers with its solid gameplay and great presentation.

You can’t get more chill than the best match-3 games

When weighed against the Play Stores’ best puzzle games, match-3 apps stack up for their causal engagement and subtlety addictive arcade-style gameplay. Plus, they tend to be pretty small files, meaning less strain on your favorite budget Android phone. Commutes and boring waits are so much easier with these cathartic puzzle apps, and there’s always more to find on the Play Store. Never suffer a boring moment with these fantastic match-3 games!