Match Three style games can be challenging and entertaining, and the Windows Store is packed full of them. These games have you creating matches of three or more of the same items to collect points and achieve goals. Some add difficulty to the game by having you race a game timer, while others take a more casual approach.
These Windows 10 games come in all shapes and forms, and you utilize colored orbs, gems, food, candy, emoji and other items to create matches. The Windows 10 Mobile games offer a fun way to spend a little down time while on the go, and the Windows 10 PC games offer you a fun escape while anchored to a desk or stretched out on the couch. We scoured the shelves of the Windows Store for the best match three games for Windows 10.
Updated February 15, 2017: We made a few changes to this article based on new releases, reader input and staff debate. There are some new titles in the mix, as well as those that we continue to view as the best from the Windows Store.
Bejeweled Live+
When discussing match three style games, it is difficult to overlook the Bejeweled series of games, which could very well have started this addictive gaming craze. Bejeweled Live+ is one of the latest incarnations of this series and offers five challenging game modes in an Xbox Live gaming title.
Available for Windows 10 Mobile, Bejeweled Live+ game modes include:
- Classic Mode — This is the traditional game of Bejeweled where you race to create as many matches as possible before the timer bar expires.
- Lightning Mode — A faster-paced game than the Classic Mode with matches available that add time to the timer.
- Diamond Mine — Create matches to dig deeper in the mind where you need to reach a depth level before time expires to keep the game alive.
- Zen Mode — This mode lacks any time challenges and allows you to chill out and seek out as many matches as possible. Relaxing sounds play to relieve you of stress.
- Butterfly Mode — Along with gems to match, you are challenged to collect butterflies that match the gem's color. Create the matches to release the butterflies before a nasty spider captures one.
Each mode rewards you with powerups when you create matches of more than three items. These powerups help you clear more gems from the screen, earning you more points.
Bejeweled Live+ is a nice collection of match three games and includes Xbox Live leaderboards and twenty achievements. There is a trial version of Bejeweled Live+ available, with the full game running $2.99. It's a classic game and a fun way to pass the time.
Download Bejeweled Live+ from the Windows Store
Disney Emoji Blitz
We stumbled upon Disney Emoji Blitz while looking at the latest games in the New and Rising collection in the Windows Store and have had trouble setting the game down since. This match three game has you searching for matches using Disney character emoji. There are over 500 Disney and Pixar characters immortalized in emoji form that you shift around the game board to create matches.
Gameplay includes a series of performance-based missions to tackle and plenty of powerups to help you get there. Coins are collected during gameplay that can be used to unlock personal Disney emoji that offer unique powers that can be used during a game. For example, Mickey Mouse can generate lightning clouds on the game board that, when used, wips out entire rows of emoji from play. Tinker Bell's power is to dust the game board with pixie dust that creates random powerups. Each character's power levels up as they earn points during gameplay.
Graphics are wonderfully drawn up with the animated emoji providing a host of reactions as the game progress. Gameplay with the free Disney Emoji Blitz only lasts 60 seconds and is rather addictive. This makes Disney Emoji Blitz a good choice when you only have a few minutes to spare for gameplay or when you are in the mood to lose track of time.
Download Disney Emoji Blitz from the Windows Store
Runemals
Runemals is a free game for Windows 10 Mobile from the creative souls at Game Troopers. The game is a blend of a match-three, bubble-burst-style game and a turn-based, RPG battle game.
The role-playing game aspect has you collecting a series of monsters that have elemental powers. These monsters come in handy as you travel the lands to battle and defeat evil and can evolve to become stronger and learn more abilities. The match three aspect of the game is used to power up your monsters as they battle the enemy.
During combat, you gather energy for your monsters to use by finding matches of three or more elemental symbols. The more matches you find, the more energy the monsters have available as they battle it out. The challenge is that you need to focus on the elemental symbols for your monster. If you are battling with a fire elemental monster, you shouldn't collect a lot of water energy. You only have ten seconds to collect energy before combat and between turns, offering another challenging aspect to the game.
Runemals is a fun blend of two popular gaming styles. This Windows 10 Mobile game offers Xbox gaming achievements, great graphics, a wide range of creative and unique monsters, and strategic, challenging gameplay. Runemals is a solid addition to the Game Troopers portfolio of games and an addictive way to spend a little down time.
Download Runemals from the Windows Store
Candy Crush Soda Saga
The Candy Crush games are very popular, and Candy Crush Soda Saga offer hundreds of match-three-style puzzles to tackle.
Candy Crush Soda Saga has three game modes that are mapped out throughout the Candy Crush Soda world. These modes include:
- Soda Smash, where create matches that include soda bottles to release and fill the game board with a purple soda.
- Green Soda, where you create square matches of four items to create Swedish Fish.
- Frosting mode, where you create matches to smash ice that has enclosed Candy Bears.
- Honey mode, to create matches to honey to release the Candy Bears.
To keep things challenging, game levels have a move limitation, requiring a little strategy as you plan out your matches. Any moves left over after you reach the goal result in bonus points.
The free Windows 10 game has support for Facebook login that allows you to share your scores with friends and easily synchronize game progress between devices. Available for Windows 10 PC and Mobile, the free Candy Crush Soda Saga is a fun, challenging match three style game for all ages.
Download Candy Crush Soda Saga from the Windows Store
Maleficent Free Fall
Disney has built up a nice portfolio of Windows 10 games that include a respectable number of match-three-style games. The games highlight popular Disney movies and include the likes of Frozen Free Fall and Cinderella Free Fall. Both are fantastic games, but we tapped Maleficent Free Fall for this collection because of the unique dark twist the game offers, plus Angelina Jolie makes for an interesting dark witch.
The game is inspired by the Disney hit movie Maleficent, and you solve match-three puzzles to complete Maleficent's epic journey. The goal is to complete the match-three puzzle in a set number of moves. The fewer moves used, the more bonus points earned.
Each stage of the game represents periods in Maleficent's life. As she grows older, gameplay becomes more challenging. On the plus side, with age the powerups Maleficent can provide become stronger.
Maleficent Free Fall is a wonderfully drawn up game with epic illustrations. Graphics shift in the background as you tilt your Windows 10 device, and the game supports both horizontal and landscape orientations. A free game for Windows 10 PC and Mobile, Maleficent Free Fall is as challenging as it is eye catching.
Download Maleficent Free Fall from the Windows Store
There is no shortage of fun match three games in the Windows Store, and it would be an uphill battle to list them all. If we missed your favorite match three game, feel free to toss out a recommendation in the comments.