Hey everyone
My wife really likes Hero Emblems and has played the crap out of it.
She’s looking for another Match 3 game to change to instead because she’s played that so much.
Basically, she wants a game where you just pay for it and go. Since I know how most of you feel about the “free to play” stuff, I think you know what she’s talking about.
Any suggestions?
She was willing to try Puzzle Quest 2 (I have it on my iPad), but it doesn’t appear to be in the App Store anymore.
Thanks!
Based on your topic, I was coming in here to say Hero Emblems…
I echo your wife’s sentiments and also want something similar. The original Puzzle Quest games were great; too bad they had to go the f2p route with all the licensed derivatives.
My mrs (and me too) played the hell out of “another case solved” and it’s predecessor puzzle craft 2. They aren’t classic match 3 but the mechanics are similar
Man, I wish they hadn’t screwed up the original Bejeweled so badly. I could play that game for hours…
Six Match would be my call. Fairly chewy mechanics, no time pressure (but a lot of move pressure!), only IAP is a one-time £1.99 ad-removal.
I’ll second Six Match. Got that a few weeks ago and have sunk a ton of time into it.
I love match 3 games! All three PQ games are excellent, each for different reasons. All are must-play titles for anyone fond of RPG/puzzle hybrids. I have 1 on the PSP and Xbox Live, Galactrix on the DS and Xbox Live, and 2 on Live and my phone.
Although there are some bugs, Might and Magic Clash of Heroes has somewhat similar but still distinct gameplay and is quite worthwhile. I think it is available on mobile still.
These are more fast-paced, but there’s always 10000000 and You Must Build a Boat.
I don’t think it has been for quite some time, which is a shame because it’s fantastic.
Agreed. I had it on some mobile device - probably a Game Boy of some type - and it was awesome. Too bad they dropped the ball on mobile.
It was after Game Boys, but it was on DS. And it is a shame but not a huge one, the mobile version of Clash of Heroes was really, really crash-happy last time I played it. Especially in the endgame.
Clash of Heroes was also released digitally on consoles. Still available there and on steam afaik. 2nd best puzzle rpg ever made, after the original PQ. PQ2 isn’t nearly as good as either.
It isn’t the same sort of game, but I’d consider Solitairica.
I’m not sure of the current state of the game, but you could have a look at Gems o War. This is a free to play title from Steve Fawkner, who created Puzzle Quest and Warlords, among other things. When I was playing it, it had a very generous free to play model, much more so than, say Marvel PQ. Can’t speak to the current status, though.
PQ2 had some awesome bits but at the same time a lot of the fights really dragged. They needed a way to speed up obvious squash fights.
Solitairica is not really related but I second the awesomeness.
Solitairica is awesome, but not really what she’s looking for (I have it)
Thanks for all of the suggestions, guys!
Lumines is a hit with my wife. It’s more the falling block style puzzler but it is great.
I love the art / graphics of “Cruel Jewels”, and it has been supported to 64-bit. It has multiple difficulties, and multiple modes. It’s a free download, $1.99 IAP to disable the ads, I recommend giving it a try. 
https://www.engadget.com/2012/08/13/daily-iphone-app-cruel-jewels-is-pure-match-3-bliss/
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cruel-jewels/id503095590
Quest to be King is a little unpolished but still scratches the itch a bit, and at least it is free of microtransactions and doesn’t cost much.
I found this older (2014) match-3 Gamasutra blog post by the Six Match developer, Aaron Steed, checking on “iPad games where possible”, to be interesting: Match 3
I especially liked his observation that “Boosters are an apology for broken level design”, but, he may be more charitable than I, when I see boosters for sale as an IAP it makes me wonder right off the bat if there is also a “pay wall” with levels that are intentionally broken to drive one to the cash store (Candy Crush?)?
I am a soul brother with him that I’m not into stress match-3’ing with a timer, but if I have to be timed for drama and challenge, make it turn-based:
I’m not a fan of a time based premise however, so I recommend it, but it’s not really for me.
It’s a timed game and it’s grindy. I think there’s something there for other people, not me however. I like my clock turn based.
Down in the comments section of the above blog post, “Scurvy Scallywags” was mentioned. I had played it a bit back in the day, I see that it was also updated to 64-bit. If the goal is a bit of RPG with the match-3, this would be an option to consider, my hazy memories of it are positive: ‘Scurvy Scallywags’ Review – Not Yar Average Match-3
It’s a free download to check out, my recollection is that I then paid for the Gold Doubler, don’t recall that I felt compelled to buy gold out of the IAP shop. I’m not sure why I put it aside years ago, I’m actually wondering if Hero Emblems caused it to get bumped back in the game queue, as a match-3 option? Or maybe our PocketTactics Gems of War guild took up my match-3 time? Or both? 
