Game Overview
Gem Swap (a classic match‑3 puzzle) tasks you with swapping adjacent gems to align at least three identical pieces. Valid matches clear, award points, and allow gravity cascades that can chain into combo multipliers.
Mastery focuses on recognizing latent cascade structures rather than isolated immediate matches.
Controls
- Click / Drag: Select a gem then swap with an adjacent one.
- Valid Move: Must result in at least one match (otherwise revert).
- Goal: Maximize score before move limit or time (implementation dependent).
Tip: Scan from bottom upward—lower matches can spawn cascading top clears for compound scoring.
Advanced Strategy
1. Board Pattern Scanning
Systematically look for near‑formed lines (two matched with a gap). Prioritize moves that create or preserve multiple potential futures.
2. Cascade Engineering
Create vertical match collapses that feed into secondary horizontal alignments. Visualize post‑clear gravity before committing.
3. Opportunity Cost
A flashy immediate triple may block a larger T or L shape formation. Evaluate if waiting one turn unlocks broader structures.
4. Dead Zone Reduction
Evenly redistribute colors in sparse corners to rejuvenate stagnating sections.
Common Mistakes
- Tunnel Moves: Chasing a single color chain ignoring emerging cross colors.
- Overclear Center: Neglecting edges shrinks future match diversity.
- No Future Mapping: Ignoring post-gravity states wastes cascade potential.
- Impulse Swaps: Executing the first visible triple instead of surveying for combo tree setups.