Being a professional video game reviewer sounds like a dream job—until the games themselves start messing with your workflow. What happens when a title is so engaging that it constantly pulls you away from the very article you're trying to write? Or worse, when you can only focus while waiting for your next round of lives to replenish? That’s the hidden occupational hazard of the job.
Triple Match isn’t the first casual match-three mobile game to create this kind of distraction, nor will it be the last. But it’s one of the most dangerously addictive ones we’ve encountered in recent memory.
Developed by Boombox Games—a studio known for crafting well-polished casual puzzle titles—*Triple Match* feels both instantly familiar and surprisingly fresh. While its core gameplay loop follows the standard free-to-play model, the execution introduces enough innovation to stand out in an otherwise saturated genre.
Inventing a Sub-Genre
Some might even argue *Triple Match* birthed a new sub-genre altogether. According to SensorTower, the game has surpassed 20 million downloads across iOS and Android since its April 2022 launch. Its success was significant enough to inspire imitators like Peak’s *Match Factory*, which arrived roughly 18 months later.
Let’s start with what’s familiar. The game centers around completing timed puzzle stages, using power-ups and boosts to improve your chances during difficult rounds. Coins earned through stage completion can be used to buy additional tools, extra attempts, or even gifts for teammates. There's also a light multiplayer element where players can donate lives or request help from friends.
As you advance through the campaign, you’ll work toward various long-term goals—like constructing your Kyoto Zen Oasis, building a village, unlocking new features, or participating in seasonal tournaments.
All of this fits neatly into the classic casual match-three framework. Where *Triple Match* truly diverges is in the mechanics that drive its gameplay.
How Do I Play?
If you’re accustomed to matching items arranged in neat grids by sliding them into place, *Triple Match* shakes things up. Instead of a grid, you’re presented with a chaotic pile of objects—think pianos, notebooks, umbrellas, letters, clouds, cakes, and more.
At the bottom of the screen is a bar containing seven slots. Tap any object on the screen and it moves into this bar. When three identical items appear in the bar, they disappear. If the bar fills completely—or the timer runs out—you lose.
At first glance, it seems simple: just tap matching icons. But as levels progress, visual distinctions become increasingly subtle. Is that a rocket or a pair of binoculars? An apple or a tomato? With items jumbled in 3D space, shapes can easily be misread—what looks like a “7” could just as easily be an “I” or something else entirely.
This forces players to make rapid decisions under pressure, testing reflexes, visual acuity, and composure. What starts as a relaxing tapping exercise quickly becomes a fast-paced challenge of precision and patience.
Scattered throughout each level are helpful boosts: lightning strikes to clear triples, clocks to extend time, and bonus items. Power-ups allow further control, including reshuffling the board, ejecting items from the bar, freezing the clock, or instantly matching three objects.
In Conclusion…
The best way to describe *Triple Match* is as a hybrid between *Mahjong* and *Fruit Ninja*. It injects a burst of color, speed, and strategy into the match-three genre—punishing rushed play and rewarding careful observation and steady fingers.
Seasonal events like Earth Week or Christmas-themed challenges keep the experience lively throughout the year, ensuring there’s always something new to look forward to.
Available on Google Play and the App Store, *Triple Match* offers a unique twist that sets it apart from other casual puzzlers. You can visit the game’s official site [here](#).
A Must For Puzzle Game Fans
For fans of free-to-play mobile puzzle games, *Triple Match* comes highly recommended. It’s a polished, engaging experience with enough originality to justify its download.
[ttpp]
Score: 8.1
Graphics: 8 | Gameplay: 8.3 | Controls: 8
