Match 3 puzzle games have been a staple of social gaming for over a decade, and they’re not slowing down. What started with the explosion of Candy Crush, followed by Candy Crush Saga, has evolved into a genre of games packed with story arcs, home renovations, quirky characters, and even some competitions.
This Match 3 guide breaks down the most popular puzzle games of 2025, followed by new releases and mini-reviews of the top five. Each mini review covers how the game plays, how often you will see new features and whether it’s worth your time.
From classics still holding strong to fresh twists on the social gaming experience, this is your cheat sheet to the best puzzle games for mobile and some new up-and-comers.
🎩 Top Match 3 puzzle games to play in 2025
| Game | Rating (reviews)* | Downloads* | Minimum IAP* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Candy Crush | 4.5/5 (38.7M) | 1B+ | Starts at $1.99 |
| Royal Match | 4.5 (8.32M) | 100M+ | Starts at $0.99 |
| Homescapes | 4.7 (12.9M) | 100M+ | Starts at $0.99 |
| Gardenscapes | 4.7 (13M) | 500M+ | Starts at $1.99 |
| Fishdom | 4.4 (16.2M) | 100M+ | Starts at $0.99 |
| Toon Blast | 4.6 (4.31M) | 100M+ | Starts at $1.99 |
| Cookie Jam | 4.6 (1.21M) | 50M+ | Starts at $0.99 |
| Bejeweled Blitz | 3.8 (238K) | 10M+ | Starts at $0.99 |
| Best Fiends | 4.6 (2.28M) | 50M+ | Starts at $1.99 |
| Jewels Legend | 4.7 (566K) | 10M+ | Starts at $0.99 |
**Downloads (May 2025): Total global downloads as of writing.
***Paid / Ads: Indicates if the game is free with in-app purchases (IAP) or contains ads.
🎉 New game releases for 2025
While the list above is the top 10, this niche of mobile games is expansive with a variety of new games released regularly. A few of the recent finds include:
- Monopoly Match: Still in beta, this game promises to provide a twist between the fun and excitement of Monopoly with the challenge and obstacles of match three games.
- Manor Cafe: Released by GameGos in May, this game allows players to renovate a restaurant and cafe manor by completing match-3 puzzles.
- Match Ventures: Created by Tamalki and released in April, this is a medieval adventure themed game, similar to BeJewled.
- Regarden Match: Created by YGarden and released in April, this game is quite similar to Gardenscapes with the match three concept.
🏆 Top 5 free-to-play Match 3 games
1. Candy Crush – The pioneer of Match 3 puzzle games
Candy Crush is the pioneer and gold standard of Match-3 mobile puzzle games. Developed by King, this social gaming favorite continues to deliver a gameplay loop built around colorful visuals, addictive challenges and new features. The original Candy Crush has more than 14,000 levels (I’m stuck on 5,687) and frequent updates to provide new features. Players can keep progressing for years without running out of content.
Its granular focus on core puzzle mechanics separates Candy Crush from other Match-3 games. There are no home decorations, no side plots. Just challenging levels that ramp up gradually and reward strategic play. IAP is the norm here, where you can buy gold bars and boosters, but all levels are beatable without spending (though it might take some time to beat).
Why do players love Candy Crush so much? The game offers daily bonuses for logging in, offline play, and regular limited-time events that keep things fresh. While the new features are great, the only drawback is the number of pop-ups wanting you to explore these features. It’s not uncommon to go through 6 or 7 screens when you first open it.
2. Royal Match – Offers social events and power-ups
Royal Match, developed by Dream Games, is a leading title in the Match-3 puzzle genre, ranking right behind the Candy Crush series in popularity and downloads. It has more than 10,000 levels, ranging in difficulty, and new ones are added frequently to keep the experience fresh.
This regal-themed puzzle game follows King Robert on his quest to restore his castle by completing Match-3 levels, each with specific goals. This can include clearing items or breaking through obstacles. Like all free-to-play Match 3 games, you only have a set number of moves unless you purchase extras in the app. Finishing a level will earn you stars, which you can use to unlock and renovate different areas of the castle.
Boosters play a key role in this game, with pre-level boosters (e.g., Rockets, TNTs, Light Balls) appearing randomly at the start. You can also access in-game boosters like the Royal Hammer, Arrow, Cannon and Jester Hat. These are triggered to remove obstacles in your way. Coins are earned by completing standard, hard, and super hard levels or opening area chests. This in-game currency can be used to buy boosters, extra moves, or lives.
3. Homescapes / Gardenscapes: Unique RPG-style matching game
Homescapes and Gardenscapes, both developed by Playrix, are popular Match-3 puzzle games that blend home renovation and gardening with level-based gameplay. Homescapes focuses on restoring a family mansion, and Gardenscapes centers around revitalizing a once-beautiful garden. Both games share a common core: progressing through Match-3 levels to unlock story-driven upgrades.
Players help the main character of the game complete various renovation tasks by clearing Match-3 puzzles with specific goals (e.g., collecting tiles, breaking chains, or removing obstacles) using a limited number of moves. Completing levels rewards stars, which are spent on restoring rooms, landscaping gardens, or driving the narrative forward.
Like all Match 3 games, you have boosters available to you to help you progress through the story arc. Pre-level boosters appear on the board when the game loads, while in-game boosters are available to assist in challenging levels.
Both games include time-limited challenges, mini-games, team events and a social experience where you can exchange lives.
4. Fishdom – Build aquariums in this popular fish puzzle game
Fishdom, developed by Playrix, is a colorful Match-3 puzzle game that combines tile-matching challenges with aquarium design and pet care. This game is similar to Homescapes as you’re working through a storyline, where Candy Crush is based on levels.
To beat this game, you need to complete Match-3 levels by swapping adjacent tiles to form matches of three or more identical pieces. Each level presents specific objectives, such as clearing gold tiles, collecting certain items, or removing obstacles like ice and chains.
You will be rewarded with coins and stars for each level you successfully complete. Coins are used to purchase fish, decorations, and comfort items for aquariums, while stars help unlock new levels and progress through the game. As is always the case, you will have a limited number of lives, but can always reload by making an in-app purchase or waiting for the time to expire.
5. Toon Blast – Cartoon characters meet strategic gameplay
Toon Blast, developed by Peak Games, is a vibrant and addictive puzzle game and quite similar to Candy Crush than the others we’ve reviewed.
In this game, you will join the adventures of Cooper Cat, Wally Wolf, and Bruno Bear, tackling levels by matching groups of colored cubes. Each level presents unique objectives or challenges with a limited number of lives / moves. Each successful level rewards you with stars and unlocks a new level of challenge to compete in.
While the object of the game is to match 3, matching 5 or more cubes rewards you with power ups (rocket, bomb, disco ball) to help clear the board quickly. You can also purchase additional lives, power ups or in-game boosters starting at $0.99.
🤑 How in-app purchases work
In-app purchases are optional purchases within the mobile game that allow you to buy virtual items, features, or currency using real money. They’re meant to level up the game and user experience. You can download the games for free, but they include built-in challenges, like limited lives, difficult levels, or time-gated features. These challenges encourage you and other players to spend real money.
We will use Candy Crush as the example so you can see how it works.
- Lives: You start with a set number of lives, in this case, five. If you fail a level too often, you run out of lives and have to wait for them to regenerate. Or, you can buy more instantly.
- Boosters: These are power-ups like lollipop hammers or color bombs that help clear levels. You can earn some by playing, but buying them is the easiest way to get more.
- Gold Bars: This is the in-game currency. You buy gold bars with real money and use them for extra moves, boosters, or lives.
- Rewards: A new feature where you can increase your rewards by completing challenges. For example, you might win 25 gold bars by completing five levels on the first life, but you can triple the reward by purchasing.
In short, Candy Crush and other Match 3 puzzle game providers make money by offering shortcuts to players who don’t want to wait or want help beating more difficult levels. It’s designed to be playable without paying, but progress through the game can be slow or frustrating. That’s the trade-off baked into the free-to-play model.
🤞 Are Match 3 games based on luck or skill?
Match 3 games (like Candy Crush, Bejeweled, or Homescapes) involve both skill and luck, but they lean more heavily on skill than most people think. Here’s why:
- Pattern recognition: You need to identify optimal matches to maximize the cascading effects or create combinations.
- Planning: You can save your in-game boosts to maximize the chance of completing a board. E.g., in Candy Crush, you can save your colour bombs for the right boost to clear the board.
- Limited moves: Most games limit the number of moves or time. This requires you to prioritize high-impact actions.
- Understanding the mechanics: Knowing how boosters, blockers, or gravity affect the board can improve success.
- Adaptability: Boards are often randomized after matches, so players must quickly adjust strategy mid-game.