In Match-3 games, levels are what constitutes the main content. The mechanics used on levels define game tactics and heavily affect the gameplay variety. This article contains a description of 45 mechanics encountered in TOP-50 Match-3 games.
Glossary
Element – the elements of the grid that can be moved.
Matching – the process of combining three or more elements of the same type.
1. Dropping
Items need to be moved down by making matches and freeing up place underneath them.
2. Layer
To erase a layer, player needs to make a match in its cell one or several times. There are double, triple, etc. layers.
3. Immovable obstacles
An element that cannot be matched with any other stays immovable on the grid. Making a match next to immovable obstacles removes them from the grid. There are double, triple, etc. immovable obstacles.
4. Character up
Characters that need to be collected by making matches with them. Every turn they raise one cell higher.
5. Blocked element
An element that cannot be moved until it is unblocked. In order to unblock it, player needs to make a match with it. There is also multilevel element blocking, which requires several matches.
6. Portals
The grid contains two special cell types: entrance portals and exit portals. When an element reaches the entrance portal, it disappears from the spot and reappears on the cell with the exit portal. Every entrance has a corresponding exit.
7. Movable obstacles
An element that cannot be matched with any other but can be switched places with neighboring elements. Making a match next to movable obstacles removes them from the grid. There are also double movable obstacles.
8. Items under a layer
The grid contains large items which are covered by another layer of elements. Player needs to remove the layer by matching the elements. The layer can be a double one.
9. Moving characters under a layer
In order to catch the character, player needs to clear the layer that covers it by making matches on the layer’s cells. The character can move under the layer. After the player clears the layer from the cell that contains the character, it will move to neighboring cells.
The characters can be hidden under a double or triple layer.
10. Conveyor
A conveyor is a moving band on the grid. Every turn the elements on the band move one cell. The player can match elements on the conveyor, can switch them with other elements on the grid.
11. Boss
In order to defeat a level boss, player needs to match elements that do damage to the boss. In the process, the boss can create obstacles for the player using different mechanics (layers, movable obstacles, immovable obstacles.)
In some games, the purpose is not to defeat the boss but to feed it. The player needs to match certain elements to feed the boss.
12. Blocks
Player cannot destroy or move the blocks. They are simply creating an obstacle and blocking bonus elements that they are in the way of.
13. Cannons
Every turn the cannons add +1 to elements of the level which are found in the same row or column as the cannon. The elements with the +1 tag are counted as several elements for the level’s goal.
14. Growing obstacles
Obstacles that grow one cell every turn if the player does not create a match next to them. In order to clear this obstacle, player needs to match elements next to it.
15. PVE battle
Player and opponent take turns. The one who reached the level goal first wins. The player can also lose after failing to reach the goal within the assigned number of turns.
16. Spreading a coat
Player needs to fill in every cell of the grid with a special coat. This requires matching elements in such a way as to have at least one element on a cell with a coat – then the coat spreads to all cells in the match.
17. Creating a chain
The grid contains an immovable element that can be used to base a chain of identical elements (according to the Chain mechanic.) The chain can be started with any element in a neighboring cell. The number on the item means the number of chains that can be created before it disappears.
18. Walls
Walls can be located between the playable cells. Elements divided by a wall cannot be switched places. There are removable walls that can be cleared by making matches next to them, or irremovable walls.
19. Bomb
The timer on the bomb shows the number of moves left until its explosion. With every move the number decreases by one. If the bomb explodes, the player loses. In order to remove the bomb, it has to be matched with elements of the same color.
20. Grid expansion
Level starts with part of the grid locked. Player can unlock an additional part of the grid by collecting a specific number of some elements.
21. Tied characters
Some elements have characters tied to them. In order to free them, player needs to make a match with the element the character is tied to.
22. Element-doubling cells
All elements collected on the doubling cells count double, including bonus elements.
23. Multilevel elements
Matching three first level elements together creates a second level element. Matching second level elements creates a third level element.
24. Additional elements
In order to receive additional elements of a certain type on the grid, player needs to make a match next to a special item several times.
25. Element stealer
A character that removes elements from the grid after every move made by the player. By making matches next to the character, the player can “stun” it. A stunned character cannot collect elements for one turn.
26. Dirty elements
A match that contains dirty elements will not be counted. Moreover, even if the match contains only one dirty element, the others will be “dirtied up” and the entire combination canceled.
27. Wind
After a match, wind moves all elements in the row or column one cell. The direction depends on the direction player used to switch the two
