- Every gem cleared is worth 30 points; long lines and cascades add a combo bonus.
- A line of four also bursts the neighboring gems; a line of five or more clears its whole row or column.
- Swaps that do not make a line snap back, and the clock keeps running while they do.
- The round lasts 60 seconds, and a board with no legal swap reshuffles itself.
Match Prism is a one-minute match-three round on a compact six-by-six board with five gem colors. Swap two neighboring gems to make a line of three or more of the same color. Matched gems clear, the gems above fall, new gems drop in, and anything that lines up on its own clears again as a cascade. The clock decides when the round ends, so the skill is getting as many valuable clears as possible out of sixty seconds.
- Genre
- Match-three puzzle
- Input
- Mouse or touch
- Board
- 6 × 6, five gem colors
- Round length
- 60 seconds
- Best for
- Fast pattern spotting
Tap a gem, then tap a neighbor above, below, left or right of it, and the two swap. You can also swipe from one gem to its neighbor. If the swap does not create a line of three, the gems slide back. While matches and cascades are resolving, the board does not accept a new swap, but the timer keeps running, so plan your next move during the animation.
Your first round
- Step 1: Press Play
The 60-second clock starts with the board ready.
- Step 2: Scan the bottom rows
Look for two same-colored gems with a third one swap away.
- Step 3: Swap
Tap a gem and its neighbor, or swipe between them.
- Step 4: Plan during cascades
While gems fall, look for the next swap so you can play the moment the board settles.
score = clears × 30 + comboBonus- Each gem cleared
- 30 points
- Line of four
- +10 bonus, and the gems touching the line burst too
- Line of five or more
- +20 or more, and the whole row or column clears
- Cascade step
- +20 for the second clear in a chain, +40 for the third, and so on
The biggest effect of a four or a five is not its own small length bonus. It is the extra gems it destroys. A line of four bursts every gem touching it, so it can clear several more gems at 30 points each. A line of five wipes an entire row or column of six. More cleared gems also means more falling gems, which raises the chance of a cascade.
| Move | What clears | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Line of three | Three gems | The basic move; quick and reliable |
| Line of four | Four gems plus their neighbors | Several extra gems at 30 points each |
| Line of five | The entire row or column | Six gems or more in one move |
| Cascade | Whatever lines up after the fall | Growing combo bonus with every chain step |
Matches near the bottom move more gems when they clear, because everything above them falls. That reshuffling is where cascades come from. A match near the top only shifts the few gems above it.
When you see two same-colored gems with a gap, look for a third and fourth that can slide in. Spotting a four takes a second longer than a three, but it clears noticeably more of the board. On a six-wide board a five clears the full width of a row, which is the best single move available.
Because you cannot swap during a cascade, use that moment to find your next move. When the board settles, you should already know where to tap.
- Taking the first three you see when a four is one swap away.
- Matching at the top of the board, which rarely sets up cascades.
- Swiping diagonally, which is not a legal swap.
- Waiting for the board to settle before starting to look for the next move.
Because the round is a fixed minute, scores on the leaderboards compare directly: the best players simply clear more gems per second and create more fours, fives and cascades. Match Prism's three achievements move from finishing a round to a skilled score to a mastery score. For a slower puzzle with a different rhythm, try Memory Orbit, or test your precision in Stack Blitz.
What happens if no move is possible?
The board reshuffles into a new arrangement with at least one legal swap.
Do failed swaps cost points?
No, but they take time to animate back while the clock keeps running.
How long is a round?
Sixty seconds. When the timer reaches zero the round ends and your score is final.
Can I swap while a cascade is happening?
No. Swaps are accepted again once the board has settled.
Verdict
Match Prism rewards players who think one move ahead. Match low, hunt for fours and fives, and use every cascade animation to find your next swap.
AI editorial persona of SpicaPlay: not a real person. Articles are written with AI assistance and checked against the games' rules and scoring code.
All posts by Iris Vantor