Puzzle Quest 3: Match-3 RPG
Match 3 Duels & Puzzle Battles
Ratings
Age
13+
Category
Roleplaying
Languages
English
Mon Feb 16 2026
The world of Puzzle Quest 3 has a new update! Discover a new season of content and download today.
Puzzle Quest 3 is the latest installment in the world-renowned Match-3 RPG series. Set 500 years after the original, players return to Etheria to face an ancient threat. Choose from six unique classes—like Paladin, Assassin, or Shaman—and engage in fast-paced, timed puzzle battles. Level up your hero, craft powerful legendary gear, and join a Kingdom to play with friends. It features a deep story mode, competitive PvP, and frequent live events.
Dinsun Expert Review
Our Expert Score
Puzzle Quest 3 returns the franchise to its former glory by successfully modernizing the 'Match-3 RPG' genre it originally created. The jump to 3D graphics is a huge improvement, giving the world of Etheria a fresh, high-fantasy feel. What really stands out is the speed of the combat; the new timed-turn system turns every battle into a high-stakes puzzle that requires both fast fingers and a strategic mind.
The RPG depth is where the game truly shines. Each of the six classes feels distinct, and the way gear synergies work means you're constantly hunting for that one specific piece of loot to complete your 'build.' It’s a rare game that manages to be both a relaxing puzzle experience and a deep, rewarding RPG. Whether you're playing the story solo or competing in the Arena, there’s a constant sense of progression that makes it hard to put down.
Features
Evolved timed Match-3 combat system
Six distinct hero classes to master
Hundreds of epic items and spells to collect
Rich 3D fantasy world and story
Tips & Walkthrough
In PQ3, you have a limited time to move gems once you start. Look for matches of four or five first; these create powerful 'Big Gems' that explode and generate significantly more mana and damage, allowing you to cast spells earlier in the turn.
Gameplays
Don't just equip the gear with the highest numbers. Look for 'Set Bonuses.' Equipping three pieces of 'Fire Giant' armor can triple your fire damage, which is far more effective for a Shaman class than a mix of unrelated high-level items.
Screenshot
Q&A
Yes, you can join Kingdoms for co-op play or compete against others in the global PvP Arena.
Ratings & Reviews
My 2 cents
Mon Oct 07 2024 JkaypiperI've been playing this game for over a year now and I made it through the dev change a while back. Nothing was lost - the gear values changed (like when Warcraft did the gear crunch) and as far as I can tell it has changed back to what it was. I have made steady progress as a free to play player and while I would love to progress faster, the system feels fair to me. I finally spent 20 this last season cycle as a thank you. I'm not paying to win either. I find this game fun because my free time is scarce and I can play this casually and enjoy it. The previous seasons and grinding is not a grating experience. I love the monster and character designs and the art style overall. The UI changes for the better and for the worse depending on what the devs are trying to do and I don't fault them for that. I am very happy to have this game avaiilable. Kills my iPhone battery though - fast. So I play on the PS5.
It’s just not the same.
Sat Apr 02 2022 MerilTheRoseI rarely ever write reviews, but for this terrible followup to one of my most beloved puzzle games, I felt compelled to. PQ started out with a lovely rpg feel - that is, it felt like a proper game (and it was, for that matter). This feels more like a feckless cash grab with pretty, if generic, graphics intended to milk the last drop of what goodwill the original PQ earned. PQ2 failed to meet the original mark as well, but it too was a proper game, if notably lesser. This third entry lacks any semblance of the original soul of the series. If you have any measure of love for the original, make a hard pass on this one. There’s no character customization, it varies much too wildly from the original formula, and strives with sickening desperation to sell $8 limited time item packs using gross levels of fomo, without making even the basest of attempts to imply these goods are able to be freely earned at great effort, primarily via sinking time into the game. It’s honestly so far from what I would consider acceptable that I struggle to come up with constructive criticism. If anything, I implore the devs to take a long, hard look at the original and rethink this whole line of development. You can make a ton of money and still make an amazing game, devs - please don’t forget that.
A bug filled, haphazard game with no redeeming qualities
Sun Jul 07 2024 HerrRickThe Dev’s hook you, then get you to expend a lot of time and energy to gather your strengths and playing style, the “upgrade” the game without warning and leave you with worthless gear. Previously, before the spell book change, you could pick and choose what set of spells you wanted to work on, and upgrade those spells first. Gone with the update. Now you upgrade a “Book” at 1000x the previous cost and can only gather the required upgrade pieces randomly. Very randomly. Then along comes the gear “update”. No longer can you choose a specific piece to upgrade. It is all random. This game has turned itself into a roulette wheel. You can spin it, but you have no control over the outcome. Finally, you hard time and money turned gear got wiped out as the Dev’s, without warning but the again they care not for you, the quality of the gear gets re-done and you lose your entire playing power. Sending in support tickets just elicited a Dev’s ire, and responses that are uncaring. Just spare yourself, send them your money and do not play the game. That outcome will happen whether you play or not.
Game failed after three days and expensive to play
Thu Mar 10 2022 MaxRPGerAfter playing the game for three days, it fails. It will stuck on ‘Loading assets’ and won’t move any forward when I try to battle in story, skirmish or dungeon mode. This game limits you with three chest slots. I have to earn different rarity keys to open each rarity chest or you use minions to open them but this can take a long time depending on the chest’s rarity. When all of your three chest slots are full, sorry, you can only salvage your chest for approximately 5% of its real value if you don’t have any more key. Now after the minion opens the chest, you will reap the reward. However, minion will need to rest because opening a chest is really hard work. I had a minion the need to rest for 36 hours after opening a chest! You want more keys? Pay premium. You want the minion to open the chest right away? Pay premium. You want your minion to recover immediately after opening a chest? Pay premium. The monthly subscription is $10 while most other games charge $5! I won’t mind pay $5 a month but not $10, not worth that much.
Adapted to a mobile format, but keeps spirit of predecessor
Mon Mar 07 2022 UnknownfearToday’s gaming market is all about micro transactions and short play sessions. The Team behind Puzzle Quest understands this and has created this game with the current market in mind. It has been moving in this direction ever since marvel puzzle quest. I do wish this was a true successor to puzzle quest: challenge of the Warlords and Puzzle Quest 2, though it seems that it’s more like marvel puzzle quest but with the theme of the original. That being said a lot of the gameplay elements that made the original so great are still here. It’s just presented in a short play session/micro transaction type of way. There’s a lot to like here. However, there are obviously many ways to improve it as well
Review from a fan of previous puzzle quest versions
Mon Aug 22 2022 itsjustme123I really wanted to like this game and I did when I first got it. It has a lot of the same elements of the original puzzle quest. But after playing it for a while I realize that it could’ve been so much better. The original puzzle quest gives you the option of going to explore new lands and deciding on which quests you’re going to go on which gives a sense of adventure. This one is very linear. You don’t have any options other than playing side games and that largely is spending time trying to build up your heroes equipment and powers. Eventually it just gets to the point where you’re in just a big circle playing side quests and hoping to get enough of the extra things you need to upgrade various parts of your character. There’s no big pay off at the end like the original puzzle quest. It just seems to go on and on and on. Worth downloading and playing if you’re a fan of the original but keep in mind this is a pale comparison.
New update is terrible
Fri Sep 09 2022 Sin_nombreThe game now locks up on story mode. And I have to restart. The gear section is terrible and I would like an option to go back to the older style. I cannot tell what stuff is by looking at it and even when I click on it it cannot tell the level. You have to go into gear to get to spells. It is horrible. Please revert. I have played all original classes to level 50 and completed the stories. I play the events and challenges every day and I have had one legendary item drop from chests and never had a glyph for evolving gear past epic, the only way to get glyphs is to use a ridiculously large amount of gems to get a random one or pay money. The game is setup to pull huge amounts of money out of the player on a regular basis. I paid $10 to get the upgraded quest rewards and it is only good for one month. If you want the good shop items you have to pay for the VIP pass which is also a monthly fee and then pay more for in game currency to get the items. It is ridiculous.
Not Very Good, Don’t waste your time. TRUST ME.
Sun Mar 06 2022 Rwilliams1309First off, I have a IPhone 13 Pro Max, this game makes it so hot I feel like it’s going to melt or explode. For the actual review: Get your credit card ready to buy all the in game currency and materials to level up your gear score. The “Gear Score” means nothing since every enemy hits like a truck. For example the fake “PvP” mode, I was pitted against characters with generally the same gear score yet I was defeated within about 3 turns due to the fact the computer doesn’t have to match gems or skulls. They do a flat damage that destroys you. Honestly when I heard about Puzzle Quest 3 I was excited I actually remember buying the original on PS Vita. I was hoping more of the same but it is far from that. Gone are the enemy turns where they match gems and skulls to do damage to you. Say hello to over priced micro-transactions. Not worth your time. I’ll stick to playing the Original on my PS5 or playing something worth my time like Elden Ring.
