Empires & Puzzles is a free-to-play mobile match-3 puzzle RPG game from Small Giant Games (a Zynga studio). You match colored tiles to battle, collect and level up Heroes, build your base, and team up with other players.
At its core, the game blends four things: 🧩 Match-3 battles — match tiles to attack and charge your Heroes' spells ⚔️ Hero collecting (RPG) — summon, level, and team up Heroes 🏰 Base building — grow your Stronghold to unlock features and resources 🤝 Social & PvP — join an Alliance to fight Titans, Wars, and Raids
What kind of game is Empires & Puzzles?
It's a match-3 puzzle RPG. That means the puzzle-matching you'd find in a casual tile game is fused with the hero-collecting, leveling, and team-building of a role-playing game — plus a base to build and a social, competitive side. If you've enjoyed match-3 games or hero-collector RPGs, this sits right in the middle.
How do you play Empires & Puzzles?
Battles play out on a grid of colored tiles beneath a row of your Heroes. Matching three or more tiles of the same color attacks the enemy — and, just as importantly, charges up each Hero's Special Skill, the powerful spell you unleash at the right moment to swing a fight. Between battles you'll:
- Summon Heroes to grow your roster
- Level up Heroes and Troops and arrange them into teams suited to different battles
- Upgrade your Stronghold — your home base — to unlock new buildings, features, and resources
- Join an Alliance to take on giant Titans together, compete in Wars, and complete Alliance Quests for the best rewards in the game
It's genuinely easy to start — the opening battles teach you as you go — but team-building and timing your Special Skills give it real tactical depth as you progress.
Who makes Empires & Puzzles?
Empires & Puzzles is developed by Small Giant Games, a Helsinki-based studio that is part of Zynga, a wholly-owned label of Take-Two Interactive. It launched in 2017 and has been updated regularly ever since.
Is Empires & Puzzles free to play?
Yes — it's free to download and free to play, with optional in-game purchases. You can play through the campaign, build your base, collect Heroes, and join an Alliance without spending anything.
Is Empires & Puzzles pay-to-win?
It's a fair question, and one the community actively debates — so here's the honest version. The game is free to play start to finish, and you can enjoy the full campaign, base building, Alliance play, and Hero collecting without spending.
Optional purchases — mostly Gems — can speed up progress and give you more chances when summoning Heroes. Because summons are chance-based, buying Gems doesn't guarantee any specific Hero. Spending can give an edge in the most competitive corners of player-vs-player, but it's never required to play, progress, and have fun. Plenty of players play entirely free.
What platforms is Empires & Puzzles on?
It's a mobile game, available free on iOS (App Store) and Android (Google Play).
Is Empires & Puzzles right for you?
- You'll likely love it if you enjoy puzzle games, collecting and leveling characters, light base-building, or playing socially with a team. It’s the perfect game for those who have previously gotten bored playing simple match 3 games such as Royal Match or Candy Crush or those who didn’t have enough time to dedicate to core RPG games such as Diablo or World of Warcraft.
- It may not be for you if you're after fast, twitch-reflex action or a one-and-done single-player story — this is a slower-burn game that can turn into a lifelong hobby.
How to get started
- Download it free on iOS (App Store) or Android (Google Play).
- Play the opening battles to get the feel for matching and Special Skills.
- Build up your Stronghold early — it unlocks almost everything else.
- Use your starter Summons to begin building a team of Heroes.
- Join an Alliance when you're ready, to open up Titans, Wars, and the social side.
Frequently asked questions
What kind of game is Empires & Puzzles?
A match-3 puzzle RPG — puzzle-based combat combined with hero collecting, base building, and PvP.
Is Empires & Puzzles free to play?
Yes — free to download and play, with optional in-game purchases.
Is Empires & Puzzles pay-to-win?
No — it's playable and enjoyable entirely free. Purchases are optional and mainly speed up progress; summons are chance-based, so spending doesn't guarantee specific Heroes.
What platforms can I play it on?
iOS and Android.
Who makes Empires & Puzzles?
Small Giant Games, a Zynga studio (Zynga is a label of Take-Two Interactive).
