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10 best match-three games like Candy Crush Saga on Android
Candy Crush Saga is one of the most popular match-three games of all time. It boasts hundreds of millions of downloads, a strong pop culture influence, and more. However, it’s not the only match-three game in the world and there are many others with some unique mechanics. Thus, if you like the match-three style but want to try something a little bit different, we have you covered. Here are the best match-three games for Android!
Of course, we recommend Candy Crush Saga and King’s other match-three games (Google Play link) if you want the classic match-three experience. We also recommend checking out the best bubble shooter games for Android here since it also uses match-three style game mechanics.
The best match-three games for Android
10000000
Price: $2.29
10000000 is an older match-three game that still gets updates in 2018. It’s also one of the few match-three games without a freemium price tag. Players start with no money. The goal is to earn enough money to escape and that cost is ten million. The match-three element comes into play in the combat. You match three shapes together to deal that kind of damage to the opponent. It actually adds a strategy element because you may want to save that massive melee combo you spotted on a stronger opponent. Anyway, the game runs for $2.29 with no additional in-app purchases or ads. It’s a diamond in this genre.
See also: The best retro games for Android
Aqua Blast
Price: Free to play
Aqua Blast is a reasonably good match three game with an underwater theme. The game revolves around its match three game but you can also do some other stuff. Players create an underwater fish sanctuary alongside the core game play loop. You get the usual stuff like limited time events, power ups, and the usual stuff. However, the developers tend to not be so heavy-handed with it. It definitely has flaws, but the premise is solid and it should continue to get better over time.
Gunspell
Price: Free to play
Gunspell is a match three RPG. The core game mechanics are similar to any other match three game. You just solve the puzzles to defeat opponents instead of just clearing a level. Players progress through the game’s story by beating puzzles and opponents. You can also find various weapons, items, and spells to level yourself up and deal more damage. It’s similar in premise to 10000000 and people who like one will probably enjoy the other as well. There is a second Gunspell game, but it needs a little more polish before we can recommend it people.
Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells
Price: Free to play
Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells is one of the newest match-three games on the list. It’s by Zynga so it’s a developer most people should be familiar with. The game has you solving match-three puzzles while progressing through a story based in the Harry Potter universe. There is the usual parade of cameos from series favorites and the usual mechanics, like abilities to help progress. The game seems to be really good so far and we hope Zynga keeps it up. The developer also has a few other match-three games from other movies and franchises if you want to check them out.
Indy Cat Match 3
Price: Free to play
Indie Cat Match 3 never achieved viral success like Candy Crush Saga. However, it’s still a really good match-three game. Players match shapes, complete levels, and collect various cat-themed artifacts to progress through the game. There is a little bit of a storyline, but it’s not overly deep. Overall, the experience is goofy, fun, and inoffensive. It’s good for both adults and kids. It is a freemium game like most titles in this space.
Pokemon Shuffle Mobile
Price: Free to play
Pokemon Shuffle Mobile was the first official Pokemon game on mobile. It disappointed some people that it was a free to play match three game. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad match three game, though. Players match three icons as usual. Completing a match allows your Pokemon to attack. The first Pokemon to fall is the loser. The developers plan on adding more events and Pokemon in future updates. We’re not sure how far off those updates are.
See also: The best Pokemon games for Android
Puzzle & Dragons
Price: Free
Puzzle & Dragons was one of the first really good match-three games mashed up with an RPG. Players assemble a team of monsters and embark on a journey to explore dungeons and beat up bad guys. The match-three portion is integrated into the combat system so the more combos you pull off, the bigger the hit. The game is a bit older, but manage to continue to grow over its many-year run. There are 2,000 monsters to collect, various recipes for evolving them, and even a co-op mode to play with friends. It’s free to play so you may eventually get pressured to spend some real money. Otherwise, it’s a solid RPG match-three game.
Puzzle Quest (multiple games)
Price: Free to play
Puzzle Quest is a popular series of match-three puzzle games. There are several games in the franchise, including some with pop culture themes. For instance, there is a Magic: The Gathering Puzzle Quest and a Marvel Puzzle Quest. There were more but they’ve slowly diminished over time. The mechanics are slightly different in each game to coincide with the theme. However, at their core, they’re actually fairly typical match-three combat games. Players match three (or more) shapes and it performs an action like attacking. They’re all freemium games as well.
See also: The best puzzle games for Android
Sugar Blast
Price: Free to play
Sugar Blast is a match-three game by Rovio, developer of Angry Birds. This isn’t Rovio’s first attempt at a Candy Crush clone, but this one is definitely the developer’s best effort yet. It features a boatload of levels, simple mechanics, and some classic match-three mechanics. Balls fill the level and you clear them by matching up three. There are power-ups and other free-to-play stuff in the game. However, it doesn’t seem to bug too many people. You don’t really start seeing complaints until you get around the 200-level mark and then the game starts getting unreasonably difficult.
Triple Town
Price: Free to play
Triple Town isn’t as popular as some other match-three games. It probably should be because it’s pretty good. Players in this game grow a city full of bears. Growth occurs by matching the various tiles together. It’s a neat, family-friendly concept. Additionally, this game has another advantage that other games in this genre don’t have. You can purchase unlimited turns and remove any play time limitations. It’s not necessarily cheap, but the ability to remove that limitation is rare in any freemium game.
If we missed any of the best Android games like Candy Crush Saga, tell us about them in the comments. You can also click here to check out our latest Android app and game lists.
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