Dungeon Raid

Dungeon Raid from the small studio Fireflame Games was released in 2011 and is among the first games to successfully combine match-3 symbol-matching mechanics with the progression system known from RPGs. The player drags a finger across a grid of icons representing swords, shields, spells, or gold, and by connecting longer chains defeats enemies, collects treasure, heals the character, and replenishes the supply of mana for stronger spells.

With experience gained, the character grows, gains new abilities, and gets stronger gear, so each subsequent expedition into the dungeon is more demanding due to stronger enemies, but the character is also better prepared for it thanks to prior progress. This hybrid of puzzle mechanics and RPG progression was far from a given in 2011, and Dungeon Raid is now looked back on as one of the titles that helped kick-start this later hugely popular genre mix on mobile platforms and show it the way.

Visually, it's a plain, purely functional look with no great visual ambitions – the game's strength lies entirely elsewhere: in the addictive pull toward one more round and in gradually building an ever stronger and tougher character. Controls via dragging a finger across the grid are intuitive and quickly learned even without instructions, making the game suitable both for short breaks and for longer play sessions before bed. The fight for the longest possible chain also forces the player to think ahead about the grid, rather than just reacting to the first available connection.

Why play it: suitable for puzzle-game fans who also want a sense of long-term progress and character development, not just a repeating round without lasting consequences.