Arcade game

Gem Explorers

Swap gems on a 7x7 ice board, trigger chain reactions, and score as much as possible in 18 moves.

Puzzle

Gem Explorers

Swap gems on a 7x7 ice board, trigger chain reactions, and score as much as possible in 18 moves.

Adventure. Match. Conquer.

Gem Explorers

Score

Moves

Best

900

Swap adjacent gems to make rows or columns of three.

Game guide

About Gem Explorers

Gem Explorers is an 18-move match-three expedition on a 7-by-7 ice board with five gem designs. Only swaps that create a horizontal or vertical match consume a move, and every match is fully collapsed before the next turn so new gems can create automatic chain reactions.

How to play

Select one gem, then select an orthogonally adjacent gem to swap them.
Make a row or column of at least three identical gems. A swap with no match is rejected and does not spend a move.
Matched gems disappear, columns fall, and new gems enter from above. Any resulting matches resolve as part of the same chain.
Use all 18 successful moves, then compare the expedition score or restart on a clean, match-free opening board.

Controls and rules

Tap or click the first gem and then its neighbor; the selected gem lifts and glows so the pending swap is visible.
Selecting the same gem again cancels it. Selecting a non-neighbor moves the selection and displays a neighboring-gem reminder.
Restart expedition resets the board, score, and all 18 moves.
Gem sounds and music can be switched independently; every gem button also carries a text label for its design.

Tips

Look for a gem that can complete both a row and a column at the crossing point; one swap can clear a larger combined shape.
Prefer moves near the lower half of the board when choices are otherwise equal, because more gems fall through those columns and create more cascade chances.
A four- or five-gem line does not create a special piece in this version, but every extra cleared gem still adds 10 points.
Use the fact that invalid swaps are not charged to test adjacency carefully, but remember the board returns to its prior state after the error.
There is no countdown. Scan the whole 7-by-7 board before using one of the 18 moves.

Scoring and objective

Each gem cleared in a successful resolution is worth 10 points. Every cascade after the first adds a 25-point chain bonus, so a two-stage collapse scores all cleared gems plus 25, a three-stage collapse adds 50, and so on. Invalid swaps score zero and preserve the move count.

FAQ

What counts as a match in Gem Explorers?

Three or more identical gems in one uninterrupted horizontal row or vertical column. Diagonal groups do not count.

Do bad swaps use a move?

No. If the adjacent swap creates no match, the board is restored and the move counter stays the same.

How are chain reactions scored?

All cleared gems are worth 10 each, and each additional automatic match stage after the first adds another 25-point chain bonus.

Can I drag gems on mobile?

The implemented control is two taps rather than a drag: tap one gem, then tap an adjacent gem. This avoids needing a precise swipe on a small screen.