How to play Gem Shuffle

How to play

1. Swap two adjacent gems

   Tap a gem and then a neighbour, or swipe a gem toward the gem beside it. The swap only happens if it lines up a match of three or more.

2. Meet the level's goals

   Every level asks for something: a score, a number of gems of one colour, ice to crack, crates to break, locks to open, vines to cut or crowns to drop out of the bottom of the board. The counters at the top show what is left.

3. Forge specials with bigger matches

   Four in a line forges a Line Blaster that clears a whole row or column. An L or a T forges a Gem Bomb that blows a wide hole. Five in a line forges a Disco Ball that clears every gem of one colour. Double tap a special to fire it where it stands.

4. Combine specials for the big plays

   Swap two specials together. Blaster and Blaster clears a cross, Blaster and Bomb clears three rows and three columns, Bomb and Bomb clears a huge square, and a Disco Ball with anything turns a whole colour into fireworks.

5. Finish with moves to spare

   Every move you have left when the goals are met becomes a special in the Gem Rush, and the score it earns decides your stars. Three stars on every level is the real challenge.

Tips

• Work from the bottom of the board when you can: clears low on the board cause longer cascades and more free points.
• Save Disco Balls for the colour with the most gems on the board, or swap one into a Bomb or a Blaster for a combo that clears most of the screen.
• Crates and vines take damage from any gem popped next to them, and blasts hit them directly, so aim a Blaster along a wall of crates.
• Crowns cannot be matched. Clear the gems under a crown and it falls; keep a column open below it.
• Leave a vine alone and it grows every move. Cut the newest growth first so it never spreads across the board.

About Gem Shuffle

Gem Shuffle is the 100 Daily Games take on the saga-map match-3, the genre made famous by Candy Crush and Royal Match. The rules take seconds to learn: swap two adjacent gems to line up three or more of the same colour, and they pop while new gems rain down from above. What keeps it fresh is the level design layered on top: one hundred authored levels through five districts of the jewel city, each with its own board shape, colour count, move budget and goals.

Three specials define the strategy. Four in a line forges a Line Blaster that sweeps a row or column, an L or T forges a Gem Bomb that blasts a wide area, and five in a line forges a Disco Ball that clears every gem of one colour. Swapping two specials together makes something bigger than either: a cross, a triple cross, a giant blast, or a whole colour turned into blasters or bombs at once. Blockers arrive one at a time and each is taught on its own level: ice to crack, crates to break, locks to open, vines that spread, and crowns to carry to the bottom of the board.

Progress is saved to your device and, when you are signed in, to your account, so the map follows you between your phone and your desktop. Every level awards up to three stars, the leftover moves at the end of a level turn into a Gem Rush of specials, and a Save Me keeps a close run alive. Gem Shuffle is free to play on iOS, mobile web and desktop.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get a Line Blaster, a Gem Bomb or a Disco Ball?

Match exactly four gems in a line for a Line Blaster, match gems in an L or a T shape for a Gem Bomb, and match five in a line for a Disco Ball. The special appears where you made the match. Double tap any special to fire it in place.

What happens when I swap two specials together?

You get a combo. Two Blasters clear a row and a column, a Blaster and a Bomb clear three rows and three columns, two Bombs clear a seven by seven square, a Disco Ball with a Blaster or a Bomb turns every gem of that colour into that special and fires them all, and two Disco Balls clear the whole board.

Do failed swaps use up a move?

No. If a swap does not create a match, the gems slide back and your move counter is untouched. Only successful swaps and fired specials spend a move.

How do stars work?

Completing the goals earns the first star. The second and third come from your score, and the score includes the Gem Rush, where every move you have left becomes a special that fires at the end of the level. Finishing with moves to spare is how you earn three stars.

Is Gem Shuffle free?

Yes. Gem Shuffle is free to play in your browser and in the 100 Daily Games app. Levels one to thirty are open to everyone; the rest of the map is part of 100 Daily Games Plus.