Top tips on getting started in Royal Match

So you’ve decided you’re ready to save the charming, bearded king who always seems to be in trouble – now it’s time to see how much more Royal Match has to offer. Here, we'll lay out a few beginners' tips for getting started in Royal Match. Pair this guide with the handy tutorials in the early levels, and you'll be a Royal Match expert in no time.

Power-ups are an incredibly important part of each Royal Match level, as they are crucial in clearing out multiple tiles – even out-of-reach ones – all at once. These power-ups may even start a chain reaction so you can complete your tasks in no time flat. Knowing how to make power-ups – and more importantly, what each one does – is essential if you want to succeed.

While power-ups are effective on their own, you’ll really set yourself up for success if you can combine them. Combining power-ups is simple: swap them together when they’re next to each other like you would any other tile. That's it!

Combined power-ups use elements from each of the two separate power-ups to create a boosted effect. For example, combining a Light Ball with a TNT will replace every tile of a random color with a TNT power-up, which all then immediately explode. Power-ups can be combined with themselves, as well – try swapping two TNTs and get ready for the big boom.

While swapping tiles, making matches, and using power-ups is fun, make sure you keep your eyes on the prize. Each level has specific objectives to complete to beat the level, so you’ll need to plan your swapping and matching with those tasks in mind.

For instance, some levels have brown wood tiles that are destroyed when you make a match next to them, while others have cupboards full of dishes that take multiple hits to clear. Whatever the task is, be sure to plan all of your movements around it, or else you'll find yourself with no more moves and a failed mission.

If you're ever stuck on a level – or if you wait too long to make a move – you’ll notice certain tiles glowing to indicate a potential match. Sometimes, these hints will show you strong moves, like one that will make a power-up. Others are less helpful, particularly towards the end of a level, and you'll need to be wary of these.

Before mindlessly following the hint, take stock of what's on the board and how many moves you have left. Most hints are helpful, but they're not guaranteed to give you an edge. If the game suggests that you should make a line of three in one spot, but you know a power-up could create a bigger line in another, go with your gut instead.