Match 3 Games Free No Download

Check out some of our favorite Match 3 games. Choose between different match 3 game styles and themes. You can aim-and-shoot or click-to-swap or many other creative ways to solve level after level match 3 madness!

 

More About Match 3 Games

Why Free Match 3 games?

Why do people love to play match 3 games?
By their design, match 3 games have a few core elements to them that people love:

  • Straight-forward game mechanics - whether it’s a point-and-shoot or a touch-to-swap, match 3 game mechanics are easy to understand and are generally intuitive.
  • Instant action - though there are stories and side quests woven into some match 3 games, all match 3 games allow players to jump right in.
  • Interactive puzzles - match 3 games done necessarily require high levels of strategy, however, they all require thinking a few moves ahead and seeing the bigger picture.

What is a match 3 game? How do they work?

A match 3 game is any game that requires combining objects based on their attributes. The mechanism to combine the objects, the attributes defining the objects and the rules around combining objects vary from game to game but they all center around recognizing patterns and connecting them.

What makes a great match 3 game?

This is a subjective question, as different players will prefer different ways of matching objects or different thematic elements, but the most popular games such as Jewel Quest and Bubble Town mix engaging graphics with fast-paced gameplay that provides enough of a challenge to be fun.

What are the common features in match 3 games?

Every match 3 game has three types of features:

  • The attributes of the objects - colors, shapes, widgets, etc, whatever it may be, every game match 3 game has a set of objects (often in the theme of the game design) that the player uses to match.
  • How the objects are combined - some games you aim and shoot objects to match them, others you tap or swipe, so long as your goal is to match objects.
  • Gameplay rules - things like time limits, power-ups or rules surrounding when you can or can’t match 3 objects.

What types of match 3 games are there?

There are many different types of match 3 games. They all follow the same basic principles but they apply in various ways to change gameplay for the player. Examples of game mechanics designers tinker with include:

  • Timing rounds - awarding points or putting limits on the amount of time spent on a puzzle
  • Placing, swapping, or tapping tiles - different methods of creating matching patterns
  • Dynamic game board - move or altering the game board as play continues
  • Power ups - opportunities to play tiles that have special effects on the game board
  • Multi-dimensional - gameplay mechanics additional too or supplemental to match 3
  • Story mode - adding story elements to the gameplay experience

Which match 3 game is right for me?

It depends on what you're looking for in a game. Are you looking for a tense race against the clock or a leisurely tap-fest? Are you looking for bright colors and graphics that pop or a thoughtful strategy session? The good news is that no matter what type of gaming experience you're looking for, chances are that there's a match 3 game variation that you can enjoy.

Which of your match 3 games are free?

You can play match 3 games for free at iWin either by downloading the game or playing it online. We do offer an unlimited game subscription that allows you to download all the match 3 games in our inventory, ad-free.

Can I download match 3 games to play later?

Yes, with iWin you can also download your favorite match 3 games to play anytime.

Where did match 3 games come from?

'Match 3 games' also known by the term 'tile-matching games' probably has deeper roots than you realize. Games like Ma-jong and solitaire operate on a similar principle in that the goal is to manipulate the tiles (however each game defines 'tiles') to make them disappear if certain criterion is met. Match 3 games are a variation of this game style in that the challenge of the game is to identify patterns you can create on the board in order to remove them from the game and get closer to winning.

Match 3 video games have been around since 1985 with Tetris and Chain Shot!, developed by Alexey Pajitnov and Kunaiki Moribe respectively. Both of these games challenged players to find patterns on the board though through different methods. In Tetris, as you probably know, tiles drop from the top of the screen and must be then placed into the right spots to clear the board whereas in Chain Shot! the player is given a set 20x10 grid of colored squares. While Tetris became one of the most successful and widely played video games in history, Chain Shot! was no less influential as you can see their legacies in many of the great modern match 3 games, like Jewel Quest.