iPad Match 3 Games With A Twist

The playing pieces that you will be sliding – or moving by button, if you so choose – are numbered balls of varying colors. You have to…wait for it…horizontally match at least three balls of the same color. The playing area of SteamBalls HD consists of eight columns, which hold four pressure sensitive levers. The twist is that the levers react to the weight of the balls – the weight corresponds to the number on the ball. SteamBalls HD has a steampunk motif that is attractive and offers quite challenging game play. If you enjoy games that require you to put on your thinking cap, you will find this one to be right up your alley!

Lamp of Aladdin has a few twists and turns to enjoy. For one, this slider type Match 3 game has seven hidden object type levels – one at the beginning of each Chapter of the story. Also, instead of clearing the board, you need to clear a path for Aladdin. And, if that’s not enough, because there are multiple playing fields in each area, you have to collect items that will help Aladdin get from one to another. For instance, you need to collect flying carpets to fly to the next playing field, hammers to break rock and swords to cut vines. This game has great graphics, animation and sound effects. It has over 70 levels and will take you many, MANY hours to get to the last one. With that said, there isn’t really a challenge here. Take too long on any move and it will show you which pieces to swap. In some instances, Aladdin will even ask Genie for help. So, if you need a Match 3 twist fix, but your brain needs a break from thinking too hard, this one won’t let you down.

In Azkend HD, you are traveling across Asia, but the storyline is rather irrelevant to gameplay. With this Match 3, you need to drag your finger across tiles of the same symbol. Once all the tiles are blue, you will see a piece of a talisman. You must then match the symbols beneath the talisman piece to clear a path for you to collect it. In addition, there are mini hidden object games throughout your Asian adventure. These mini games add a nice break from matching, on these many leveled type games. There are two modes to choose from; Adventure, which is untimed and Survival, which is timed. Like most of these multi-leveled games, you can save your place without having to start all over. Nice!

This is a fairly straight forward Match 3 game, but of top quality. The twist for this one is that it is of the marble shooting genre, with 3 modes – Quest, Challenge and Survival. This game has very attractive graphics with vibrantly colored marbles and good animation. Even the music is pretty darn good! There are many levels of play in each mode and yes, there is a save and exit option. I just wish the developer would add a multi-player option to it, so my son will stop giving me the stink eye when he hears me playing it! If you like to add “shooting” to your Match 3 gameplay, this is the one for you. So download this one and stop the madness! Uuuhhhh, I mean DARKNESS, from rising in Crowberry Woods!

If you are an RPG fan, not only are you going to love this one, you are probably already familiar with it. Puzzle Quest HD has been around for a few years and on many platforms. You create a hero and collect mana and gold coins in order to cast spells. In addition to it being an RPG, what makes this Match 3 game different from other slider style apps is that you have to defeat an opponent. Get that thinking cap back on – you’re going to need it in order to conquer your opponent. Without some strategic planning, you may inadvertently set him up to make better matches than yours. The iPad is a superb platform for this game and will give you hours and hours of enjoyment. Download this one and you will become a Match 3 Hero, in no time flat!

This is a really great slider type Match 3 game. It offers three modes; Blitz, Endurance and Training - though, to get Endurance you'll have to shell out $2.99 (as of this writing) for an in-app purchase. Instead of swapping one tile for another, you have to “slide” an entire row or column to make a match. No story line and no over-the-top extras here. What you WILL get is an attractive tile set, good sound effects, and the ability to post your scores on Facebook. Whether you have only four minutes to spare or hours, you will surely come back to this one, again and again.

Smiles HD includes 2 games – Zen and Drop - with 14 different modes and 3 themes. “Touch swap” play is used, which allows you the opportunity to chain together combos, for higher scoring. It is a twist on the typical slider type Match 3 game, in that the only object you can swap to make your match is the “current” object. Whatever tile you tap to swap with, will then become the new “current” object. In Zen, you have to “light up” the board in order to win; adding a challenging strategic layer to an already engaging game. With its “cartoonish” themed tiles and levels of difficulty for the novice through the skilled, this Match 3 game is sure to become a family favorite.