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Gem Match

Match-3 puzzle: reach 1,200 points in just 25 moves.

Easy

Score: 0 / 1200Moves left: 25

Reach 1200 points in 25 moves. Click a gem, then a neighbour to swap.

About Gem Match

Gem Match is a match-3 puzzle with a target and a deadline, which changes the flavour of the genre completely. The board is an 8×8 field of gems in six types, and swapping two neighbours to line up three or more of a kind clears them, drops fresh gems in from above, and — the heart of the game — can trigger cascades, where the falling gems form new matches on their own and score again at a multiplied rate.

The numbers are tight by design. Every gem cleared pays 10 points, multiplied by the cascade chain it clears in: a simple opening match pays face value, but the third chain of a cascade pays triple for every gem. You need 1,200 points in just 25 scoring swaps — an average of 48 points per move, meaning plain match-3s alone will not get you there. The game is won by engineering moves that keep falling, and by treating match-4s and match-5s, which clear more gems per move, as the prizes they are.

Two kindnesses keep a run alive. A swap that makes no match is refused and does not spend one of your 25 moves, and if the board ever runs out of possible matches it reshuffles itself for free — you can also reshuffle manually at any time, free, when you simply do not like what you see. A progress bar tracks your climb to 1,200, so every move comes with a clear question: are you above or below the pace?

How to Play Gem Match

Click a gem to select it, then click a neighbouring gem — up, down, left or right — to try swapping the two.

If the swap creates a line of three or more matching gems, they clear for 10 points per gem, gems above fall to fill the gaps, and new gems drop in. A swap that creates no match is rejected and costs nothing.

Watch for cascades: matches formed automatically by falling gems clear again at 2× points, then 3×, and so on for as long as the chain keeps going. One move is spent per accepted swap, however long its cascade runs.

Keep an eye on the score bar: you need 1,200 points and you have 25 moves. The on-screen messages tell you how many points and moves remain after every swap.

If the board has no possible matching swap it reshuffles for free; the Reshuffle button does the same on demand, also free.

Reach 1,200 before your moves run out to win. Run dry and your final score shows exactly how short you fell.

Controls

Click a gem, then a neighbourSwap the two gems

Reshuffle buttonShuffle the board for free (does not spend a move)

New Game buttonReset score, moves and board

Tap (touch)Gem selection and swapping work with taps

Tips & Tricks

💡Play low on the board. Matches near the bottom move the most gems above them, which is where free cascades come from — a modest bottom match often outscores a flashy one at the top.
💡Do the pace maths: you need 48 points per move on average. If you are behind pace, stop taking plain match-3s and spend a few turns setting up a match-4, a match-5 or a two-move cascade instead.
💡Scan in two moves, not one. The best boards hide setups where one harmless-looking swap drops a gem into a big match next turn — spotting those pairs is the skill that separates wins from near-misses.
💡Reshuffle without guilt. It is free and spends no move, so a board with no visible setups is never a reason to waste a scoring swap.

Gem Match — Frequently Asked Questions

How does scoring work exactly?+

Each cleared gem pays 10 points multiplied by the cascade level: the matches your swap makes directly pay 1×, matches formed by the first refill pay 2×, the next 3×, and so on. Clearing 3 gems directly scores 30; the same 3 gems cleared in a third-level cascade score 90.

Does a failed swap cost me a move?+

No. If a swap produces no match it is bounced back and your move count is untouched. Only swaps that clear at least one match spend one of your 25 moves.

Is 1,200 points in 25 moves actually achievable?+

Yes, but not by grabbing the first match-3 you see. You need to average 48 points a move, which comes from match-4s and 5s and from cascades — one strong five-gem move with a follow-up cascade can bank well over 150 points.

What happens if the board has no possible matches?+

It reshuffles automatically and for free, and the fresh board is guaranteed to contain at least one legal match with no matches pre-formed. You can also reshuffle manually at any time from the button under the board.