Triple Match: A Fresh Take on Puzzle Games

Reviewing games for a living might sound like the dream job, but it's not without its challenges. Imagine trying to write while constantly battling the urge to dive back into a game that's just too addictive to put down. And what if you can only focus on your work while waiting for the timer to replenish your lives? It's a real struggle.

Triple Match, developed by Boombox Games, is a prime example of this issue. It's not the first casual match-three mobile game to create such a dilemma, and it certainly won't be the last. However, it's a significant offender in the genre. While the core free-to-play loop might feel familiar, Triple Match introduces a fresh twist that makes it stand out.

Invented a Sub-genre

Triple Match could be considered the pioneer of a new sub-genre, having amassed 20 million downloads across iOS and Android since its April 2022 launch, according to SensorTower. Its success has even spurred similar titles like Peak's Match Factory, which was released 18 months later.

Triple Match Gameplay Screenshot Let's delve into what makes Triple Match familiar yet unique. You'll find yourself racing against the clock to complete puzzle stages, using power-ups and boosts to enhance your chances when the going gets tough. Completing these stages earns you coins, which you can spend on boosts, power-ups, extra attempts, and even gifts for your teammates. The game features a subtle multiplayer element, allowing you to request lives and make donations.

As you progress through the campaign, you'll work towards various goals, such as building your Kyoto Zen Oasis, creating a village, unlocking features, and competing in tournaments. It's a standard match-three puzzle experience up to this point. However, Triple Match innovates with its core gameplay mechanics.

How Do I Play?

Triple Match Magnet Power-up Triple Match Balloons Triple Match Wind Boost Unlike traditional match-three games where objects are aligned in a grid and you slide them together, Triple Match presents a different challenge. The game throws a heap of items—pianos, notebooks, umbrellas, letters, clouds, cakes, and more—onto the screen. Your task is to clear them by tapping three identical objects in succession.

At the bottom of the screen, there's a bar with seven slots. When you tap an object, it moves to this bar. If three matching objects appear in the bar, they disappear. However, if you fill the bar or run out of time, you lose. Initially, this seems simple—you just tap on similar-looking items. But as you advance, the objects start to look confusingly similar. Is that a red and yellow rocket or a pair of binoculars? An apple or a tomato? The 3D jumble can make a '7' look like an 'I', or a '-' or any number of other shapes.

This forces you to make quick decisions based on limited information, challenging your nerves, accuracy, and eyesight. Scattered among the clutter are various boosts, such as a lightning strike to clear three items, a clock to add more time, and other bonus items. Power-ups let you shuffle the playing area, remove objects from your bar, freeze the timer, and instantly match three items.

In Conclusion…

To sum up, Triple Match could be described as "Mahjong meets Fruit Ninja". It's an addictive, colorful, and innovative addition to the match-three genre that penalizes hasty play, poor eyesight, and clumsy fingers, but rewards teamwork. Themed events, such as those for Earth Week or Saving the Reindeer during Christmas, keep the game feeling fresh throughout the year.

You can find Triple Match on Google Play and the App Store, with the official site available [ttpp].