Triple Match Reviewed: Innovative Puzzler Excels

Reviewing games for a living might sound like a dream job, but it comes with its own set of challenges. Imagine being tasked with reviewing a game so captivating that you find yourself constantly torn between playing and writing. What if you can only focus on your work while waiting for the game to refill your lives? It's a real conundrum.

Triple Match, developed by Boombox Games, is one such game that throws us into this delightful yet frustrating loop. While it's not the first casual match-three mobile game to do so, it certainly stands out. With its polished interface and engaging mechanics, Triple Match feels both comfortably familiar and refreshingly new. It's a game you've played countless times before, yet it introduces a unique twist that sets it apart.

Invented a Sub-genre

Triple Match could even be considered the pioneer of a new sub-genre. Since its launch in April 2022, it has amassed an impressive 20 million downloads across iOS and Android, according to SensorTower. Its success has even spurred imitators like Peak's Match Factory, which launched 18 months later.

Let's dive into the familiar elements first. In Triple Match, you tackle puzzle stages against the clock, using power-ups and boosts to enhance your performance. Completing these stages earns you coins, which you can spend on additional boosts, power-ups, extra attempts, and even gifts for your teammates. The game also features a subtle multiplayer aspect that allows you to request lives and make donations.

As you progress, you'll work towards various goals, from building a Kyoto Zen Oasis and creating a village to unlocking features and competing in tournaments. So far, it's standard fare for a casual match-three game.

How Do I Play?

Here's where Triple Match deviates from the norm. Instead of aligning objects in a grid, Triple Match presents a chaotic heap of items like pianos, notebooks, umbrellas, and more. Your task is to clear these items by tapping on three identical ones in succession.

At the bottom of the screen, there's a bar with seven slots. When you tap an item, it moves to this bar. If three identical items line up in the bar, they disappear. However, if the bar fills up or you run out of time, you lose.

Initially, it's simple enough—just tap on similar-looking items. But as you advance, the items start to resemble each other more closely, making it harder to distinguish between them. Is that a red and yellow rocket or a pair of binoculars? An apple or a tomato? The 3D jumble adds another layer of complexity, as shapes can easily be mistaken for one another.

This forces you to make quick decisions under pressure, turning what starts as a straightforward task into a challenging test of your nerves, accuracy, and vision. Scattered among the items are various boosts, such as a lightning strike to clear three items, a clock to extend your time, and other bonus items. Power-ups let you shuffle the board, eject items from your bar, freeze the clock, or instantly match three items.

In Conclusion…

The best way to describe Triple Match is "Mahjong meets Fruit Ninja." It's an addictive, colorful, and innovative addition to the match-three genre that penalizes hasty moves, poor eyesight, and clumsy fingers, yet 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 more information available on the game's official site.

A Must For Puzzle Game Fans

If you enjoy casual free-to-play puzzle games on your mobile device, Triple Match is an easy recommendation.

Overall Rating: 8.1
Graphics: 8
Gameplay: 8.3
Controls: 8