Games Like Bejeweled: Gem Swap Match 3 Puzzles Online
Updated
Games like Bejeweled are match 3 puzzles with gems: you swap two neighboring gems to line up three or more of the same color, they vanish, and new gems fall into the gaps. Bejeweled itself is a match-three game by PopCap Games, first released in 2000 as a browser game called Diamond Mine. The games below are original gem puzzles by independent studios built on the same idea.
How Bejeweled plays
According to Wikipedia's article on Bejeweled, you score by swapping two adjacent gems on a grid to make lines of three or more matching gems. Those gems disappear, and the gems above fall to fill the space. A swap that makes no line is undone. Versions such as Bejeweled Deluxe have an untimed mode, which ends when no more matches are possible, and a timed mode, where scoring keeps a timer bar from reaching the end.
The same article credits Bejeweled with making match-three games popular. Here is where the games below follow it.
| What Bejeweled does | Games that do the same |
|---|---|
| Swap two neighboring gems to line up three | Classic Match3, Falling Gem, Gem Legends |
| New gems fall into the gaps and can make more matches | Falling Gem, Jewel Blaster |
| Score against the clock | Classic Match3, Fury Dash |
Closest to Bejeweled
- Classic Match3 is the plainest version. Tap a gem, then the gem next to it, to swap them and line up three or more. Every match improves your time and moves you toward passing the level.
- Falling Gem uses diamonds, emeralds, rubies and sapphires. Swipe to swap and align three or more in a row or column; matched gems vanish and new ones fall in, which opens the way to more combos.
- Gem Legends has hundreds of levels. Drag or tap to swap gems and match three; a match of four or five makes a special power gem.
- Jewel Blaster asks for matches of three or more jewels to blast them, with combos and chain reactions. Each level brings new obstacles and objectives.
Gem games with a story
- Magic Jewels Castle has you swap jewels to restore a castle and its village. Rainbow balls, candy bombs and potions clear obstacles, and level goals open new areas to rebuild.
- GEMCRASH follows Gemik on his journey through the levels. Match gems, make combinations and complete challenges for points.
- Gem Dojo is set among ninjas: swap and match gems to charge your ninja abilities and defeat rival ninjas.
- Lil Cowboy: Treasure Hunt takes the gems to the wild west, where a cowboy hunts for treasure. Match three or more with a click or a tap.
- Jewel Magic Xmas swaps Christmas decorations in turn-based levels. Match four or more for explosive power-ups, and spin the lucky wheel once a day for boosters.
Gem games with a twist
- Jewel Monsters turns matching into a fight. Drag a gem to swap it; matches in the monster's color attack it, and if you are too slow, the monster attacks you. Match four or more to make a heart bonus that restores health.
- Boomstone is a gem game with a roguelike twist. Line up matching colors into a gem vein and blast it; the purer the vein, the bigger the score. You dig through 8 mine layers, pick mining gear at a supply station between them, and face a boss at the end of each layer. A run takes about 20 minutes.
- Planets Match 3 swaps planets instead of gems. Make groups of three or more identical planets and keep going until you reach the number the level asks for.
Timed gem games
Bejeweled itself was first built to be timed by default, Wikipedia notes, with the goal of the highest score before the timer ran out. These two keep the clock but clear groups with a tap instead of a swap.
- Fury Dash asks you to touch groups of three or more diamonds to make them explode; a group of fewer than three will not. Time Trial gives you two minutes for your biggest score, Survival asks you to reach an ever-growing score, and fast chains set off fury mode.
- Jewel Dash clears groups of three or more same-colored gems with a tap. Bigger groups score more, your score carries you down through the mine, and you pick up power-ups on the way.
Tips for gem swap games
- Match low on the board when you can. Gems that fall into the gap may line up on their own. Cascades and special pieces are covered in depth in match 3 tips.
- Look for a four or a five before you take a three. Gem Legends makes a special power gem from four or five, and Jewel Magic Xmas gives explosive power-ups for four or more.
- On a clock, take the first good match. In the two-minute Time Trial of Fury Dash, speed pays more than a perfect move.
- In Jewel Monsters, match the monster's color to hurt it, and make a four when you need health.
Games like Bejeweled FAQ
What are games like Bejeweled called?
Match-three or match 3 games, part of the wider family Wikipedia calls tile-matching games. Bejeweled's swap of two gems is one style; others clear groups with a tap, like Fury Dash and Jewel Dash.
Can you play gem match games on a phone?
Yes. Falling Gem swaps with a touch swipe, Gem Legends and Boomstone take touch, and Lil Cowboy: Treasure Hunt works with a tap. The site works in the browser of a phone, a tablet and a computer.
Are these gem games free?
Yes. They play free, right in the browser, with no install and no registration.
More boards are in Bejeweled-style games, the match 3 games collection and puzzle games, and candy boards are in games like Candy Crush.
