How to play Gem Cascade
A complete guide: how matching works, what the Line, Bomb and Prism gems do and what happens when you swap two of them together, how to deal with ice, stones and chains, how stars and boosters are earned, and the habits that get you through the hard levels.
In one paragraph. The board is full of rubies, sapphires, emeralds, diamonds, topazes and amethysts. Swap two neighbouring gems so that three or more of the same kind line up, across or down. They shatter, the gems above fall into the gap and new ones drop in from the top - and if the fall lines up another row, that one clears too. Each level has one or more goals, and there is no limit on moves - the fewer you need, the more stars you get.
The rules
- Swap neighbours. Only two gems side by side or one above the other can be swapped, and only if the swap lines up at least three of a kind. Otherwise the gems swap back and no move is used.
- No limit on moves. The level goes on until every goal is reached. The moves you have made are counted at the top left of the board.
- Reach the goals. They are shown at the top of the board with what is still missing: a score, a number of gems of one colour, or all the ice, stones or chains on the board.
- Cascades count. Lines made by falling gems clear by themselves and score more the longer the chain goes on.
- The board never gets stuck. If no swap is possible, the gems are shuffled for free.
Controls
On a phone or tablet, drag a gem towards the neighbour you want to swap it with. You can also tap one gem and then the other. On a computer, drag with the mouse or click the two gems. P or Esc pauses. The game never points out a move for you - finding it is the puzzle.
Special gems
| Make it with | Gem | What it does when it is matched or hit |
|---|---|---|
| 4 in a row | Line gem (a gem with a glowing band and arrows) | Clears its whole row or column, in the direction of the arrows. Four across make a gem that clears a column, four down one that clears a row. |
| An L or a T shape | Bomb gem (a gem with a glow and orbiting sparks) | Blows up the 3 × 3 square around it. |
| 5 in a row | Prism (a spinning rainbow orb) | Swap it with any gem: every gem of that colour on the board goes. If something else sets it off, it takes the most common colour. |
A special gem appears where you moved the gem that made the line, so you can often choose where it lands. Special gems caught in another blast go off too, which is how the biggest chain reactions start.
Combinations
Swap two special gems into each other and they go off together, even without a line of three:
| Swap | Result |
|---|---|
| Line + Line | A cross: the whole row and the whole column. |
| Line + Bomb | A giant cross: three rows and three columns. |
| Bomb + Bomb | A big blast of 5 × 5 gems. |
| Prism + Line | Every gem of the Line gem's colour turns into a Line gem, and they all go off. |
| Prism + Bomb | Every gem of the Bomb's colour turns into a Bomb, and they all go off. |
| Prism + Prism | The whole board is cleared. |
Ice, stones and chains
| Obstacle | How to clear it |
|---|---|
| Frozen tile | Clear a gem that sits on it - by a match or a special gem. Thick ice, with a bright double rim, needs two hits. |
| Stone | Make a match right next to it, or hit it with a special gem. A boulder with an iron band takes two hits; the first one cracks it. |
| Chained gem | It cannot be swapped and does not fall. Match it with other gems (or hit it with a special gem) to break the chain; after that it is a normal gem. |
Stones and chained gems also stop gems from falling straight down. The cells under them are refilled by gems that slide in diagonally from the side.
Stars and the Gem Rush
A level is won the moment every goal is reached. Each level has a par, shown on the level card: finish within par for three stars, within 40 % more moves for two, and any finish gives one. The stars under the moves counter show what you would get right now, and the bar next to them how many moves are left before the next star goes.
Every move you save under par turns a random gem into a Line gem, and all special gems on the board go off in the Gem Rush - so a quick finish also scores far more.
Boosters
| Booster | What it does |
|---|---|
| Hammer | Tap it, then tap a gem: it smashes that one gem (or knocks a hit off a stone, or breaks a chain). |
| Lightning | Tap it, then tap a gem: its whole row and column are cleared. |
| Shuffle | Mixes up the gems on the board. |
Boosters use no moves. You start with three Hammers, two Lightnings and two Shuffles. The first time you finish every third level you get another one, and the first time you get three stars on a level you get one more. Tap an armed booster again to put it away. When a booster runs out, tap it anyway: once per level you can take one more for free. Use it on the level that is really holding you up rather than the first one that looks awkward.
Tips
1. Look at the bottom of the board first
A match low on the board moves every gem above it, which makes cascades much more likely than a match at the top.
2. Save the special gems for the right moment
A Line gem is worth more where it clears ice or cracks a row of stones than where it just clears gems. Move it into place with ordinary matches before you set it off.
3. Combine before you spend
Two special gems next to each other are worth far more swapped together than set off one by one. Look for a Prism next to a Line gem - on a board with plenty of that colour it clears a huge area.
4. Work towards the edges and corners
Ice in corners is the hardest to reach with matches. Line gems and Bombs are the answer; keep one for last.
5. Break chains early
Chained gems stop the gems above them from falling. Freeing them early gives the board room to move and brings more cascades.
6. Play for par
There is no hurry and no limit, but every move under par becomes a Line gem in the Gem Rush, and finishing within par is the only way to three stars. On a level you have already cleared, playing for speed is how the third star comes.
Frequently asked questions
Is Gem Cascade free?
Yes. The game is free, with no account and no purchase. The site is paid for by the advertising described in our Privacy Policy.
How many levels are there?
They never run out. The first fifty were designed by hand; after that every level is generated from its number, so level 312 is the same board for everyone. The levels get harder up to about level 300 and then stay there. A level opens when you finish the one before it, and you can replay any open level for more stars. The level map shows them fifty at a time.
Why did my swap not work?
A swap has to line up three of a kind; otherwise the gems swap back and the move is not used. Chained gems cannot be swapped at all.
Is my progress saved?
Yes, in your browser's local storage: the open levels, your stars and best scores, and your boosters. Clearing your browser data or playing in private mode erases it.
Can I play offline?
Once the page has loaded, the game needs no connection - everything runs in your browser. Only the advertising and the measurement need the network.