Creating special gems offers the fastest path to astronomical scores. Standard three-gem matches provide minimal points, while special gems can clear large sections of the board while multiplying your score. Always prioritize moves that create striped, wrapped, or color bomb gems, even if another match might seem more immediately beneficial. A single well-placed color bomb combined with another special gem can often double or triple your level score in one move.
Learning how to identify near-formations leads to faster discovery of fantasy gems. Four gems create a striped gem in a row, while five gems form a powerful color bomb. L and T-shaped arrangements of five gems produce wrapped gems that explode twice when matched. Train yourself to spot these potential formations quickly, and you’ll find your scores climbing dramatically as you incorporate more special gems into your gameplay.
Master the cascade technique
- Bottom-up matching – Focus your initial moves near the bottom of the board to trigger chain reactions that cascade upward
- Corner clearing – Start matches in corners where new gems will fill predictable patterns
- Patient observation – Pause before each move to spot potential cascades, rather than making the first match you see
- Gem replenishment tracking – Note how gems fall into the board, and use this pattern to predict future cascades
- Setup prioritization – Sometimes, avoiding an obvious match to set up a massive cascade yields much higher scores
The most impressive scores come from extended cascades where one match triggers another without using additional moves. These chain reactions clear large portions of the board and apply score multipliers that increase with each consecutive automatic game.
Point multiplier mechanics
Understanding how score multipliers work reveals opportunities for massive point gains. Consecutive matches within cascades apply increasing multipliers to each subsequent game. The first automatic match adds a 1.5x multiplier, the second adds 2x, the third adds 2.5x, and so on. This escalating system means a single well-executed move that triggers eight consecutive cascades could multiply your base points by nearly 5x for the final matches.
Time-based bonus mechanics also affect your final score. Completing levels quickly often awards speed bonuses that can add thousands of points to your total. Similarly, finishing with unused moves typically converts each remaining move into bonus points or special gem activations. This creates a strategic balance between using enough moves to achieve a high score while saving some for the end-of-level conversion bonus.
Special level objectives
- Collection levels – Focus on bringing collection items to the bottom of the board quickly for early completion bonuses
- Limited move challenges – Save your most powerful gem combinations for mid-level rather than using them immediately
- Timed stages – Prioritize creating cascades over specific matches to maintain momentum
- Boss battles – Target weak points with special gem combinations for maximum damage multipliers
- Treasure hunts – Clear paths to hidden bonuses early for compound scoring opportunities
Each level type requires a slightly different scoring approach. Different level formats offer unique opportunities to adapt your strategy for maximum point potential. High scores in fantasy match-3 games come from strategic planning rather than quick reflexes. With these techniques, you’ll soon find yourself at the top of your leaderboards with impressive point totals.
